Why Do I Need a Website?
It is extremely important to have a place where future partners and supporters can learn more about who you are, what you do, and why. By having a website, you come across as more professional; your ideas appear more cooked; your contact information is easily accessible, and you can showcase all the work you’ve done that informs your start-up and makes your case for support.
There are several ways you can create a functional, attractive website.
How Do I Make a Website?
Starting at $14/month
Wix is a website builder that allows you to design a beautiful website with ease. It’s plug-and-play setup allows you to easily choose the features you want on your website, without needing to know much about how things work in the background. Features include a chat box, blogging, event booking, and more. You have an option of choosing from a wide variety of templates, or being guided through the website building experience by answering a few quick questions. Wix is great for those who are completely unfamiliar with website design.
Starting at $12/month
SquareSpace, similar to Wix, is a website builder where you can work from templates to make your own custom website. After you choose your template, you are greeted by an easy-to-navigate style editor, giving you the opportunity to add more pages, change the headings, and enter your organization's information. The SquareSpace process is less guided than Wix, so if you are more familiar with the website building process, this may be the site for you.
Free/ Third party hosting required
WordPress is a content management system for the slightly more skilled. It allows you to build your own website without coding. Using WordPress, you can install plugins, add widgets, pictures, and pages -- with minimal knowledge of html programming. First, you establish a domain name, which is what people type into the search bar in order to find your website. Then, you will need to purchase a hosting package. Prices vary depending on what services your website needs to fulfill. Next, you will install WordPress and select a theme for your website. After you choose your theme, you are free to experiment with the design of your website. Though WordPress does make this process easier, it’s not as simple as clicking through some settings. It is one of the most affordable ways to create your website, but may also require some extra help from a professional.
A functional, well-designed website can help make your organization look professional, appealing, and trustworthy. It is a place to explain the reason for your start-up -- the need out there and how your organization is uniquely qualified to address it and achieve positive change. You can feature everything about your start-up that gives your team and your approach credibility. Over time, you will display all the good work your organization is doing, and why it matters. Most importantly, it creates a space in which people can be inspired to join your cause or community.
Phoenix Medley, age 16, began volunteering with SEED Impact in 2020. She connects with SEED Impact’s client-partners and researches topics of interest. She enjoys writing to support their work, and as a way of drawing more attention to their passion, vision, challenges, and life-giving outcomes.
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