If you have an idea that’s still just a domain name collecting dust, what’s to stop you from publishing your website? For too many, the blocker is a sense they’re not as good as people believe and, before long, they’ll get exposed for faking their mojo.
There’s actually a name for that: impostor syndrome.
It can prevent someone from reaching their potential, so mental health professionals urge us to take steps toward beating impostor syndrome. That starts with acknowledging what you bring to the table. And for an entrepreneur, it means time to get that website published.
Stop waiting to publish your website
While overcoming impostor syndrome has clear benefits for mental health, there’s a business aspect to it, too. Today, there are nearly 200 million active websites — a figure that’s estimated to grow by more than 250,000 new sites every single day.
The success of your venture likely hinges on getting found online, which continues to become a more competitive landscape. With that in mind, here are a few more reasons to publish your website without further delay.
Build domain authority
Search engines like Google use several factors to determine a website’s ranking when users enter a search term. The longer a site exists online, the greater the opportunity it has to meet those criteria — which we refer to as domain authority.
If you’ve been hesitating to publish your website because you want it to be perfect, consider this: Even a site that could use improvement will continue building domain authority while it’s live. Better to publish your website now, and then improve upon it while it’s gaining credibility with search engines.
Get found in search
If you’ve ever used a search engine to find goods or services locally, it’s likely the results included a big map showing where to find everything. These days, local search is a big deal for businesses – according to Hubspot, queries that include the terms “near me” or "close by" have grown by more than 900% since 2020.
However, it’s still important to have a listing that leaves visitors feeling confident. Businesses that display only an address and phone number might seem a little mysterious. Including a website in your listing shows you’re invested in running a credible operation.
Use it for link in bio
On social media, a link in bio is an amazing way to build your following by making your entire online presence easy to find. But where’s the value in tons of followers if there’s no place to lead them? Publish your website, include it in that link in bio, and then each casual social media user could potentially convert into a new customer or client.
Tools for publishing your website
Beyond that domain name, to publish your website you need a platform — just another name for the applications for site building.
There are a couple main options here: software you hook up to a hosting account, or a program that has hosting built in. Each one has its advantages and drawbacks.
You can also use our in-depth website builder comparison and choose an all-in-one solution, designed to help you grow. You can create a website to showcase your portfolio or sell anything.
Hosted platforms
Hosted platforms like WordPress have two main components: the software installed on a hosting account. Some solutions, like our Managed WordPress, include both already configured for you to start creating.
- Advantages – Performance, functionality and scalability. You can start small, and then add nearly anything you need, regardless of the size and scope of your site.
- Drawbacks – Barriers to entry. The interfaces are generally less intuitive, and adding advanced functionality can get expensive once you outgrow the free software.
Self-hosted platforms
Platforms like our Website Builder include all the necessary parts baked right in. Unlike software you download and install, however, these generally use a subscription model where you pay a monthly fee to keep the site live.
- Advantages – Ease of use. Designed to be intuitive, these platforms make it very easy to publish your website, and then update it, even on a mobile device.
- Drawbacks – Limitations. One provider is responsible for development, rather than a community. However, often tiered plans include more advanced functionality.
What to include in a new website
You might be hesitating to publish your website because the scope seems overwhelming — that’s fair. But remember you can always update your site as needed. For the reasons we discussed earlier, it’s a better idea to publish it now, and then add to it down the road.
With that strategy agreed upon, let’s look at what your website should have at a bare minimum, as well as a few other things that might pop up.
Bare-minimum pages
Whether you go with a traditional website layout or opt for a long scroll, you should have pages or sections dedicated to this information:
- Home – Keep this one at a high level. You’re safe including your name, logo and a brief description of who you are and what you do. Don’t forget a large image.
- Who you are – You might call this “About.” Tell your story, including a bit about how you got started and some of the things that set you apart from any competitors.
- What you do – Commonly labeled “Products” or Services,” this showcases how you can solve the problems of your visitors. Images, if relevant, are great to have here.
- Contact – A phone number, physical address or email can live here. It’s also easy to configure a contact form, but make sure you reply to those messages.
Other considerations
As you consider the above pages, think about any other content you might need. Having that up front will help keep your momentum strong:
- Images – You can always get free stock images from sites like Pixabay or Pexels, but for more specific imagery, the camera on your mobile device will work fine.
- Links – If you want to include social media profiles, having those links handy will save time. Also consider whether you need to link to external websites.
- Specs – Information like pricing, dimensions and compatibility can answer questions that influence decisions. Don’t make visitors hunt around for it.
You got this. Go publish your website!
If you gave this post a good read, you should have a solid grasp of what goes into a website and why you’re awesome enough to absolutely deserve one. Like most big projects, publishing your website will get less daunting once you start.
And if you ever need help (or just a little inspiration), we have experienced Guides standing by, ready to help. Just drop a line.
