5 Reasons You’re Not Launching Your Website (And What To Do)
You have the urge to share your gifts with the world. Check ✅
You’ve received signs from the universe that now is the time. Check. ✅
You even bought the domain and started tinkering around with DIYing a homepage in Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress…Check ✅
But somehow, you keep pushing your website launch off.
Sound familiar? If only you had more hours in the day, you think, you’d be able to get it done.
As a web designer for soul-led entrepreneurs, creatives, and purpose-driven brands, I've seen this pattern more times than I can count. And spoiler: it’s rarely about not having enough time.
Here’s what might secretly be holding you back from launching—and what to do about it.
1. You Want It to Be Perfect
Perfectionism is the #1 reason websites never go live. You want every image, color, and word to be flawless before anyone sees it.
But let me lovingly remind you: you can’t perfect what hasn’t been published.
Your site will evolve with you, and your offerings will evolve with your clients’ needs.
🔧 Fix it:
Think of your website as a living, breathing thing. Version 1 is just a foundation. Launch it. Let it evolve. You’ll learn so much more from having something live than you will from tweaking it in isolation.
2. You’re Struggling With Decision Fatigue
Fonts, layouts, templates, tech tools… the options feel endless. If you’ve opened your website editor only to close it five minutes later, this might be the culprit. Just because everything can be customized doesn’t mean it has to be.
🔧 Fix it:
Simplify. Pick one platform, one template, and one clear call to action. You can always add bells and whistles later.
If you’re having trouble narrowing down options, book a Website Clarity Call and I’ll point you in the right direction.
3. You’re Afraid of Being Seen
Let’s be real. Launching your website means saying:
“Hey world, look at me doing this thing.”
And that kind of visibility? It can feel vulnerable—especially if you’re pivoting careers, still tweaking your offers, or sharing personal values.
📖 → Does Sharing Your Values and Beliefs Feel Scary? Read this.
🔧 Fix it:
You don’t have to scream your launch from the rooftops. A soft launch is still a launch. Start by sharing it with one trusted friend. Then another. Let your visibility grow organically.
4. You Don’t Know What to Say
The tech is fine. The design is passable. But when it comes to writing your About page or offers, your mind goes blank—or worse, cringey.
🔧 Fix it:
Start with the basics:
Who are you here to help?
What problem do you solve?
Why should someone care?
You don’t need to be a copywriter. You just need to be you.
Enlist ChatGPT to draft your first round. Then hire a human to polish it up.
5. You Think You Can’t Afford It
Let’s talk about the elephant piggy bank in the room: money.
You’ve convinced yourself launching a website requires a $10k custom design, professional photos, brand strategists, and SEO gurus. So instead, you wait until you have more… time, income, confidence—you name it.
But guess what? DIY done well is more than enough to start.
🔧 Fix it:
Start small, start smart. Platforms like Squarespace and Wix let you launch with minimal investment and no coding required. Prioritize clarity over complexity. If you’re short on budget but big on vision, take advantage of free trials, coupon codes, do work/trade, lean on templates, and invest slowly as you grow.
📖 → The Art of Work/Trade - Read it here.
Launching doesn’t have to drain your bank account—just your excuses.
The Bottom Line
Your website isn’t your final masterpiece—it’s your starting point.
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need the courage to begin.
If you're a conscious entrepreneur, healer, or purpose-driven creative who's been dragging your feet, know this:
The world needs you to share your gifts. Stop waiting. Start sharing.
Need Support?
If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or like you’re one click away from launching but can’t quite hit “publish,” I’ve got your back. Book a Website Clarity Call with me, ASAP. We’ll figure out what’s holding you back and map out a clear path to launch.
Let’s get you online—minus the stress, minus the tech drama, and definitely minus the perfectionism.
Can Replit Replace Your Web Designer? My Honest Take After Arlan Hamilton’s AI Webinar
Yesterday, I joined a live webinar hosted by Arlan Hamilton on how to build your own landing page using Replit—an AI-powered assistant that’s primarily used for building apps. But for the sake of this blog post, I’ll be sharing my experience using it to create a landing page.
Now, I’m not someone who’s afraid of AI “taking my job.” I’ve seen firsthand how life-changing tools like ChatGPT can be. They haven’t replaced me—but they’ve made me way more productive. That means more time for the things I actually love: surfing, reading, traveling, and moving my body outdoors.
Still, I’d be lying if I said I don’t worry about staying relevant in a fast-changing digital world. First it was writers and content creators, now it’s web designers and developers getting a run for their money.
So, I decided to test it out for myself.
After following Arlan’s special prompt and feeding it into Replit, I had a functioning landing page in under 10 minutes.
Here’s My Honest Review of Replit as a Web Design Tool
1. Replit is a tool, not a designer.
Yes, it generates code. Yes, it builds a working website. But it still needs direction. You need solid prompts (which you could get from ChatGPT or a copywriter), and you need a basic eye for design. Otherwise, you’ll get something…meh.
2. The output was underwhelming.
The landing page Replit built for me was functional, but it lacked aesthetic appeal and polish. I wouldn’t feel confident attaching my name to it without some serious upgrades.
3. It's not drag-and-drop friendly (like Squarespace)
You can’t easily update the page yourself. Instead of clicking to edit text or swap images, you have to talk to the AI, like giving instructions to a freelancer. That might work for some folks, but I found it clunky. Ideally, you’d have both options.
4. It’s budget-friendly—but not necessarily launch-ready.
Sure, it’s cheaper than hiring a professional—and less of a headache than DIY-ing from scratch—but the final product isn’t quite “publish and go.” At least not for brands that care about design, user experience, and conversions.
Final Thoughts: Is Replit good for conscious entrepreneurs?
If you’re a purpose-driven business owner looking to test an idea, validate a service, or build a very simple landing page—it might be worth a try.
But if you want your online presence to actually reflect your energy, values, and brand—I’d still recommend working with a human. At least to guide the process.
Curious about how to build a website that actually works for you—without getting lost in the tech? See below.
Book a $47 Website Woes Call
Overwhelmed by platforms like Replit? Not sure if you should DIY, delegate, or ditch the whole thing? Let’s chat. In 45 minutes, I’ll help you cut through the noise and figure out the simplest path forward—whether that’s building your own landing page, hiring help, or finding the right tools to support your vision.
✨ Zero jargon. Zero pressure. Just honest advice from a real human with lived experience.
How I Built a Book Launch Landing Page with Kit (No Website Needed)
I recently wrote a book all about how to exit the matrix and build a life you love—not just tolerate. Naturally, I wanted to start generating some buzz around the launch and build a list of readers who wanted to be the first to know when it drops. But I wasn’t ready to create an entirely new website, and I didn’t love the idea of cluttering my existing one.
Enter: Kit.com—an easy-to-use platform (formerly ConvertKit) that lets you build sleek landing pages without touching a single line of code.
Whether you're prepping for a book launch like me, promoting a new offer, or simply trying to validate an idea, Kit makes it ridiculously simple to set up a beautiful, functional page that actually converts.
One of the best parts? Kit’s free plan includes unlimited landing pages, opt-in forms, and email broadcasts—plus you can build your list (and even sell digital products) with up to 10,000 subscribers, all for $0/month. No catch.
Here’s how to do it in just a few clicks:
🚀 Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up a Landing Page on Kit
1. Access the Landing Page Builder
Log in to your Kit account.
Navigate to Grow > Landing Pages & Forms.
Click on + Create new.
Select Landing Page as your option
2. Choose a Template
Browse through the available templates, which are categorized by use cases like newsletters, lead magnets, and events.
Preview templates to find one that aligns with your goals.
Once selected, note that templates cannot be changed later, so choose carefully.
3. Customize Your Content
Click on text elements to edit headlines, descriptions, and button labels.
Use the + icon to add elements like images, videos, or files.
Customize form fields to collect information such as names or preferences.
Utilize the right-hand sidebar to adjust fonts, colors, and spacing.
4. Configure Form Fields and Tags
Add custom fields to gather specific information from subscribers.
Use tags to segment your audience based on their responses or interests.
5. Set Up Post-Subscription Actions
Decide what happens after someone subscribes:
Display a success message.
Redirect to a thank-you page.
Redirect to an external URL.
Customize the incentive email that confirms the subscription and delivers any promised content.
6. Customize Your Domain and URL
Assign a custom domain to your landing page for branding purposes. My domain in this case was exitingthematrix.info
If you haven't added a custom domain, your landing page will use Kit's default domain.
7. Preview and Publish
Use the Preview function to see how your landing page looks on different devices.
Once satisfied, click Publish to make your landing page live
🎨 Tips for an Effective Landing Page
Clear Headline: Ensure your headline communicates the value proposition succinctly.
Compelling Copy: Write persuasive content that addresses your audience's needs.
Strong Call-to-Action (CTA): Use action-oriented language for your CTA buttons.
Visual Appeal: Incorporate high-quality images or videos to engage visitors.
Mobile Optimization: Ensure your landing page is responsive and looks good on all devices.
📊 Monitor Performance
Access the Reports section to track metrics like:
Number of visitors.
Number of subscribers.
Conversion rate.
Use these insights to optimize your landing page for better performance.
If you’re a purpose-driven creative looking for a low-stress way to promote your next offer or book launch—without shelling out money for a custom site or paying for a newsletter platform before you've even built an audience—Kit is a no-brainer. It lets you start collecting emails and building momentum right away, without the overwhelm. And when you're ready to grow? You can always upgrade to the Creator Plan to unlock more advanced automations and turn those subscribers into superfans.
Thinking of giving Kit a try? If you sign up using my affiliate link, I’ll receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you). It’s a great way to support my work while you set yourself up for success.
Does Every Yoga Teacher Need a Website? Maybe Not—Here’s What to Do Instead
A friend of mine has a very matrix job—you know the type. High stress, long hours, and just enough income to keep the hamster wheel spinning. She’s been burned out for years, but like many folks in the U.S., she’s got a mortgage, a car payment, and a certain standard of living she’s not quite ready to give up.
Luckily, she’s also a trained yoga teacher who occasionally subs at her local studio. So she’s no stranger to emotional regulation, nervous system resets, or grounding practices—all essential survival skills when you’re navigating the matrix.
For a while now, I’ve been gently nudging her to start a side hustle rooted in her actual interests. Not just because she’s passionate about yoga, but because it’s 100% possible to make money doing what you love and create more time freedom.
She wasn’t sold. Until recently.
She finally asked:
“Do you think I should create a website for my yoga teaching?”
Now, knowing that she’s already working full-time and isn’t looking to spend hours building a website, I gave her this advice:
"Honestly, I’d recommend starting with Kit—it’s mostly a newsletter tool, but you can also create a simple landing page for your yoga offerings and collect email addresses. It’s free up to 1,000 subscribers. That’s what I used for my book launch, and it worked great. No need to go all-in on a big website just yet—less is more."
Why Kit Is Perfect for a New Yoga Side Hustle
If you’re a yoga teacher—or any creative for that matter—just starting to build your own thing, you don’t need a full-blown website right away. A simple landing page that helps you collect email addresses is more than enough.
Kit makes it super easy. You can:
Create a beautiful landing page in minutes
Offer a free resource or invite people to join your newsletter
Start building a list of students who actually want to hear from you
Why Email > Instagram (Especially If You’re a Sub)
Because she’s only subbing classes at the studio, my friend doesn’t have a consistent group of students. That makes it harder to build real connections or a following.
But if she collects email addresses after each class—maybe by offering a free video, a playlist, or a gentle reminder to subscribe—she’s building a direct line to her future students.
That way, if she ever decides to host a workshop, teach online, or even open her own studio, she’s not starting from zero. She’ll already have a warm audience.
The Bottom Line
If you’re a yoga teacher looking to start a side hustle and create more time freedom, don’t let “build a website” overwhelm you. Start small. Start simple. And start building your email list.
It’s the first step toward exiting the matrix—one grounded breath (and one inbox subscriber) at a time.
Not sure whether you need a full-blown website? Get in touch, and I’ll give you a free consultation.
SOLVED | Google Merchant Center Error, Your Business Has No Local Stores
For WEEKS I have been trying to figure out how to solve an error within Google Merchant Center. Today, though, I received the solution.
The Problem
An e-commerce client of mine kept receiving this error in her Google Merchant Center account. Though she sells her products in some brick-and-mortar stores, she doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar of her own.
I tried contacting Shopify customer support (where her site is hosted) as well as scouring Google forums for answers. I even contacted my trusted Reddit community for clarity. I kept getting breadcrumbs, but no clear answers.
Finally, FINALLY, I was able to chat with Google support and they helped me clear this up. Here’s the form that I used to contact Google —> https://support.google.com/merchants/gethelp?sjid=10089039594190554615-NC
The Solution
I am sharing the solution below to save another helpless soul some precious time. 👇👇👇
If this helped you, let me know in the comments. If you have another issue, I can try to offer guidance but honestly, I have found that Google dashboards are not usualy intuitive and therefore extremely frustrating to troubleshoot. If nothing else, I will definitely comiserate with you :)
Does Your Homepage Need a Facelift?
A big part of exiting the matrix and building a life you love to wake up to is finding a job that doesn’t exhaust every fiber of your being, even if that job is not glamorous - like building websites.
When I first started building websites many moons ago, I never thought it would be something that would stick. Probably because I had convinced myself that it wasn’t “cool enough”, “sexy enough” or “artistic enough.”
Because of that resistance, I took a lot of detours.
—> Like starting a series of workshops to empower women.
—> Or co-founding a non-profit which aimed to give underprivileged women financial independence.
—> I even got my Kundalini teacher training online, y’all!
But somehow I always found my way back to draggin’ and droppin’.
Now it’s time to admit that I love what I do!
When I have to troubleshoot or figure out how to meet a client’s needs, it’s like solving a puzzle. But my favorite part is helping a client clarify their ideas or improve their site’s usability.
Like this recent client, an EMDR professional who had upgraded her site from version 7.1 to 7.2 on her own but was surprised when things ended up wonky. Links were broken, her menu bar was missing, and things were catastrophic. Because the registration and payment platform for her EMDR training courses, which cost several thousand dollars, is on her website, she was eager to resolve the matter quickly.
I was able to refresh her home page and make it functional again.
Here’s What the Site Looked Like BEFORE
Here’s What the Site Looks Like AFTER
Want to see the grand finale - the complete site overhaul? Head here.
Could your home page or landing page need a face lift? Get in touch today for a free consultation.
How ChatGPT Helped Me Fix My Confusing Website Messaging (and Why It Can Help You Too)
*image created with OpenArt.ai
Lately, I’ve been feeling the need to update the SEO on my website.
I used to have a clear site description that was location-based, targeting Berlin-based entrepreneurs who needed help with their Squarespace websites. It was a pretty niche market, but it brought in a steady stream of organic traffic—warm leads who found me through Google searches. I’d typically get 1-4 inquiries per month, and about half of those leads became paying clients. Not bad!
However, things have changed. I’ve moved away from Berlin, expanded my services to include AI tutorials, and now work with platforms beyond Squarespace. I’ve also launched a new Substack newsletter where I share tips (and occasional tribulations) about living an alternative lifestyle outside the matrix.
But here’s the catch—my website blog is still a bit all over the place. Some posts focus on Squarespace and content marketing, while others dive into living life on your own terms. My top keywords happen to be:
- How to figure out what you want in life
- Self work
- What do I want in life
- What do you want in life answer
Notice anything? None of these keywords are directly tied to my web design and marketing services—aka how I make my living. The goal of any website is to get ranked by Google for your specific offerings, attract clients, and make money to pay the bills. But that’s not going to happen if I’m being ranked for keywords unrelated to my services. See my dilemma?
Here’s the thing—I never wanted my website to be solely dedicated to Squarespace, for example. Let’s face it - that would be SO boring! Sure, focusing purely on Squarespace content might please Google’s algorithm, and maybe after years of content, I’d land on the first page of search results, ensuring a steady flow of clients—so long as Squarespace remains relevant. But at what cost to my creativity? I’d be bored out of my mind.
So, to make a long story short (and get to the point), I turned to ChatGPT for help with this website conundrum. Here’s the exact prompt I put in:
"I need help. I have a website that features my offerings—web design, content marketing strategy—which is how I make money. But I also have a blog where I talk about living an alternative life, going against the status quo, and living life on your own terms. My target market is soulpreneurs and nonprofits, and I now offer tutorials on amplifying content marketing with AI. I feel like the messaging is confusing. My top keywords are: how to figure out what you want in life, self work, what do I want in life, what do you want in life answer."
And let me tell you, ChatGPT delivered. It suggested a new homepage headline: “Empowering Soulpreneurs & Nonprofits to Amplify Their Impact Online” and offered tips on integrating my keywords into future blog posts, like:
- “How to figure out what you want in life and apply it to your business”
- “Self-work for soulpreneurs: Building a life and business that align with your purpose”
The moral of the story: ChatGPT helped me connect the dots. I was ready to throw in the towel and start over, but with a few simple tweaks, I realized I could tie everything together without rebuilding from scratch. *Wipes sweat from brow*
ChatGPT is a TOOL, one that can help you strategize, edit, and create. Treat it like a friend, and you’ll be surprised by how helpful it can be in your creative process.
Need help getting started with Chat GPT? Reach out here for a one-hour tutoring session, where we’ll deep dive into your business, and I’ll show you how to maximize your impact using ChatGPT and other free AI tools.
Is Your Squarespace Website Accessible?
Is your Squarespace website accessible? If you aren’t sure, then you might want to keep reading. Doing so will ensure that you are up to date on the benefits that being compliant can bring such as creating an inclusive online experience and simultaneously protecting yourself from incurring any legal trouble down the road.
Case in point - A few weeks ago, a former website client of mine contacted me in a panic. She was asking me if the site I built her years ago was accessible because she had recently been threatened by a lawyer. I had to inform her that I wasn’t familiar with California law (where her business resides) and gave her some links of resources that might help her. That got me thinking though, how accessible was Squarespace?
Squarespace’s Accessibility Features
Not surprisingly, Squarespace does offer some accessibility features, like the fact that users can customize various aspects of their sites to improve navigation. However, it's important to note that the end product may not always be fully accessible to everyone.
To ensure ADA compliance for a Squarespace website, users are expected to familiarize themselves with ADA standards for accessible design, particularly if they operate within the US. Squarespace offers an article about how to make sites more accessible on their site and provides customization options, but it's ultimately the responsibility of the website owner to ensure compliance with accessibility regulations in their jurisdiction.
Determining whether a website is accessible involves assessing various factors, and while there's no universal metric for 100% accessibility, there are ways to improve overall accessibility. Squarespace recommends seeking assistance from experienced practitioners and provides resources specific to assessing and enhancing accessibility for Squarespace websites on their website.
While Squarespace provides creative freedom for users, not all websites built on the platform are inherently accessible. Squarespace acknowledges that accessibility is an ongoing effort and encourages users to prioritize accessibility in their designs. In other words, 'it's on you"!
My Verdict
While Squarespace does provide customization options and offers resources such as accessibility checklists, it's ultimately the responsibility of the website owner to ensure compliance with accessibility regulations in their jurisdiction. Keeping up with accessibility requirements in your region can put a lot of pressure on a small business owner which is why, if you can afford it, I recommend integrating a third-party compliance website such as accessiBe. Integrating accessiBe can bridge this gap, making Squarespace sites more accessible to all users and ensuring that you are compliant with the laws in your region.
The Importance of Accessibility in Web Design
Accessibility isn't merely a checkbox on a compliance list; it's a fundamental aspect of web design that impacts user experience and inclusivity. By ensuring websites are accessible, businesses can reach a broader audience and avoid potential legal issues related to discrimination.
Challenges with Squarespace Accessibility
While Squarespace offers visually appealing templates, they may not meet all accessibility standards. Basic accessibility elements are included, but they often fall short of the requirements outlined in guidelines like WCAG 2.1. This can pose challenges for users with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments.
Introducing accessiBe
accessiBe provides a solution for Squarespace users seeking to enhance accessibility on their websites. Through its integration with Squarespace via the ADA compliance extension, accessiBe automates the process of making websites compliant with accessibility standards.
Implementation and Ease of Use
One of the key advantages of accessiBe is its ease of implementation. Even users with limited technical expertise can integrate accessiBe into their Squarespace sites seamlessly. The accessWidget, accessiBe's primary tool, simplifies the process by scanning and modifying the website to meet accessibility guidelines.
Benefits and Features
Once integrated, accessiBe continuously monitors the website for accessibility issues, providing updates and fixes as needed. This dynamic approach helps you conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) without requiring constant user intervention.
Customization Options
accessiBe offers various customization options to align accessibility features with a Squarespace site's branding. Users can customize colors, button placements, default text, language options, and button icons to maintain visual consistency and enhance user experience.
Limitations and Considerations
While accessiBe provides extensive customization options, it cannot customize fonts. This limitation may be a drawback for sites that rely heavily on specific typography for branding purposes. It’s also on the pricier side, especially for small business owners and creatives (the market I mostly serve). The expense however can be written off as a business expense and can also prevent further financial trouble should you get threatened with litigation like my former client.
Conclusion
In conclusion, accessiBe seems to simplify the process of making Squarespace websites accessible to all users. Its user-friendly interface, automated scanning, and customization options make it a valuable tool for Squarespace users looking to enhance accessibility and comply with regulations.
For further guidance on optimizing accessibility for Squarespace websites, users can refer to accessiBe's comprehensive documentation and support resources.
**This review was written in association with accessiBe
Curious about accessiBe? They are offering a seven day free trial on their site. Check it out here.
Here's How to Redirect Multiple Blog Posts, Events, or Products on Squarespace
I recently updated the slug on my blog. For those who aren’t web nerds, the slug is the URL, or that thing you type into your search bar to land on the web page you desire.
Instead of the old slug (/blog-content), I wanted it to be (/blog.)
So I updated in Squarespace in 2 seconds and boom, I thought I was good to go.
A few days later however I posted a blog post to my Linkedin. After a while, I realized it only had 3 impressions (much less than the 150 it usually pulls in). I decided to do a little investigating and that’s when I realized that when you clicked the link to the blog post it went to my 404 error page on my site, not the post!
Grrr.
Even website nerds screw up from time to time.
Not wanting to go back and create individual 301 redirects on ALL my blog posts from day 1, I found this simple solution which I will share now:
To redirect ALL items in a collection of blog posts, events or products on Squarespace, insert the [name] variable when creating the redirect.
Here’s an example: My old blog page's URL was /blog-content and I changed it to /blog. To make sure that visitors can still view my blog-content posts when they click an old link, I had to set up my 301 like this:
/blog/[name] -> /posts/[name] 301Please note that I am still using version 7.0 of Squarespace (if it ain’t broke don’t fix it). If you want to do this on 7.1, please note that the store page URL slugs include /p/ before the product URL slug, so the redirect would look like this: /store/p/[name] -> /buy/p/[name] 301
I am super grateful this was fairly easy to do within Squarespace otherwise I’d be in a big pickle. And ain’t nobody got time for that!
Hope that helped! If not, please get in touch and I’ll try to redirect you out of trouble.
How to Set Up a Member Area on Squarespace in a Few Minutes
Last week I had the privilege of showing a few hundred kindred souls how to set up a member area in Squarespace as a part of Sorelle Amore’s “Find Your Genius and Monetize Your Passion Workshop”. That’s when I got the idea to create a YouTube video sharing the same info.
I am really excited about this new feature on Squarespace. If you are confused about how to set up a Member Area, why you would need a Member Area, and whether or not you can set up a Member Area on an already existing site - this video will hopefully be helpful to you.
After watching, if you have specific questions about Member Areas, please do get in touch and I’ll answer them to the best of my ability.
The Pains (and Perks) of Being a Solo Worker
This past Monday, Squarespace invited all of their Berlin-based Circle members to a happy hour in order to meet each other as well as some of their visiting Squarespace executives including the International Marketing Director. It was a casual affair in a hotel lobby, drinks were flowing and light snacks were too. We each introduced ourselves and shared how long we’d been working with the platform/living in Berlin. Some of us griped about the weather (ahem, me) and how Berlin had changed in the last 8.5 years, but overall it was a pleasant atmosphere.
What stood out to me most was the fact that in the 10+ years, I have been slinging websites, I never actually thought about the fact that there were others out there like me. Folks who didn’t have co-workers to chit-chat with around the water cooler or complain about the boss’s bad attitude. Folks who had to raise their own rates, and set their own goals for the year because if they didn’t no one else would. Folks who sometimes got lonely, especially on a cold winter day, when they didn’t interact with anyone else except maybe the postman dropping off a package for their neighbor (who was probably out at happy hour with his co-workers.)
Working remotely certainly has its perks. I can click clack away anywhere there is internet. If I have a travel week planned, I can rearrange my schedule to accommodate. I don’t have annoying co-workers or have to stay late because the boss is on a power trip.
But, what I realized on Monday, was that I do miss out on the ability to brainstorm, to collaborate, to commiserate, and to joke around with others, others who also happen to understand the benefits (and pains) of working primarily alone.
I am SUPER grateful for Squarespace. I was first introduced to the platform while living in LA in 2011 by a mentor, someone who had been experimenting with building sites for clients. He told me I should try it as well, and I did. My first site was for a future RV park in the middle of the Arizona desert. I never in a million years would have guessed that I’d still be working with the platform 13 years later. But wow am I so thankful for the opportunity. And equally thankful that the company is starting to make it easier to network and connect with other designers locally and globally.
Upon leaving the event, I asked one of the executives if it would be possible to meet more regularly with the Berlin-based designers because I’d been having so much fun. She said, “Sure, let me see who is the lead of your division and you can ask them to set up a WhatsApp group.” After she scrolled through her phone she announced, “Nicole Paulus is the lead, you can contact her.”
“That’s me,” I laughed. I knew that I was a rep for Squarespace. For the past few months, I have been helping them lead events and getting paid to do so. But it hadn’t dawned on me that I also had the power to build a little community of designers in Berlin. So that’s what I am going to do. I just wish I would have thought of this years ago. Why?
Because 1/ it probably would have saved me a LOT of moments of self-doubt and loneliness. And 2/ because I will be leaving Berlin soon, likely for good. Luckily, though, my fellow remote workers won’t hold it against me - because they’ll likely be off on their own adventures soon enough.
Do you work solo? What are some of the benefits and downsides of doing so? Is there a way you can build a little community of solo workers to reap some of the benefits of a matrix job?
Create A Dual Language Squarespace Website for FREE
Squarespace recently introduced a WeGlot integration making dual and multi-language sites easier to get up and running. I think it’s a great tool, but, like most things in a matrixy society, it comes with a cost. And frankly, I’m here to help you bootstrap your website. That’s why in this post I want to offer a workaround that will allow you to have a dual language site without having to pay for the WeGlot subscription (you’ll still have to pay for your Squarespace subscription though, there is no such thing as a Free Lunch, remember? :) With some slight restructuring of your pages and dropping in some code, you’ll be off and running. Let’s get started.
1/ First, you have to organize the site like this →
So, in the Not Linked section of your dashboard, you will create a page in your primary language, and underneath each Primary Language page you will create the exact same page but in your Secondary Language. In this above example, the primary language is German, and the secondary is English.
2/ Second, you have to make sure that the URL slug looks like this…
http://www.yourdomainname.com/de/blog. In this case, DE stands for German and EN stands for English. If you are using Spanish you can use SP. ALL of the URL slugs must be formatted like that.
So, the German version would be: www.yourdomain.com/de/blog or www.yourdomain.com/de/startseite
The English version would be: www.yourdomain.com/en/blog or www.yourdomain.com/en/home
Once you’ve got the structure of your website set up, you’ll have to drop in some code. To do that, you'll have to go to Pages from the dashboard and scroll all the way down to Utilities. Next, click Website Tools, and then Code Injection.
**Please note that this is the code for the German and American flag toggle. if you need different languages you'll have to edit that yourself.
3/ Drop in the following code...
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/flag-icon-css/2.6.0/css/flag-icon.css">
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.4.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<script>
$(function() {
/* SETUP MULTI-LANGUAGE */
var defaultLanguage = 'de';
var lang = location.pathname.split("/")[1];
var defaultClass = 'lang-'+defaultLanguage+'';
var itemParent = "nav [class*='collection'],nav [class*='folder'],nav [class*='index'],nav [class*='group']";
if (lang == "" || lang.length > 2 ){
var lang = defaultLanguage;
}
/* ADD LANGUAGE CLASSES */
$('a[href="/"]').addClass('lang-'+defaultLanguage+'').parents(itemParent).addClass('lang-'+defaultLanguage+'');
$('nav a:link:not([href^="http://"]):not([href^="https://"])').each(function () {
var langType = $(this).attr('href').split("/")[1];
var multiLanguageClass = 'multilanguage lang-' + langType + '';
if (undefined !== langType && langType.length <= 2)
$(this).addClass(multiLanguageClass).parents(itemParent).addClass(multiLanguageClass);
});
$('nav button').each(function () {
var langTypeFolder = $(this).attr('data-controller-folder-toggle').split("/")[0];
var multiLanguageClass = 'multilanguage lang-' + langTypeFolder + '';
if (undefined !== langTypeFolder && langTypeFolder.length <= 2)
$(this).addClass(multiLanguageClass);
});
/* HOMEPAGE-LOGO LINKS TO PROPER LANGUAGE HOMEPAGE */
if (lang == "en") {
$('a[href="/"]').attr("href", "/en/home/");
}
/* ADD EXCLUSION NAV ITEMS */
$('.exclude-me,.exclude-me a').addClass('exclude');
$('.sqs-svg-icon--list a,.SocialLinks-link').addClass('exclude');
/* REMOVE OTHER LANGUAGES AND KEEP EXCLUDED ITEMS */
$('.multilanguage:not(".lang-'+lang+',.exclude")').remove();
/* SETUP LANGUAGE SWITCHER */
$('body').prepend('<div class="language"><a href="/de/startseite" class="lang-de"><span class="flag-icon flag-icon-de"></span></a> <a href="/en/home/" class="lang-es"><span class="flag-icon flag-icon-gb"></span></a></div>');
});
</script>
4/ Lastly, you’ll have to go back to the Website Tools, and click Custom CSS. Then drop in this code
/*setup language switcher*/
.language {
color: #000;
position: absolute;
top: 10px;
right: 10px;
z-index: 99999;
a {
color: #000;
&:hover {
opacity: 0.8;
}
}
}
***Two final caveats…
1/ You’ll have to keep your footer general for now, meaning I would recommend just including the opening times and social media icons. The reason is that the included code in this post won’t account for dual languages.
2/ Every time you update your website you’ll have to edit each version of the page, so you’ll have to manually edit the Primary Language page AND the Secondary Language page.
That’s it! Here’s how it looks in action: https://www.amacura.net/ Let me know if you end up using this workaround!
What to Expect from Squarespace Circle Day + Germany Circle Day Meetup Deets
This just in…following the Squarespace Circle Day on August 24th, I'll be co-facilitating and speaking at the *virtual* Circle Day Germany Meetup on August 30th. Woo!
Before I go into details about what to expect at the Circle Day Germany Meetup, I’d like to take a moment to discuss what the heck Circle Day is and who is it for…
What is Squarespace Circle Day?
According to the website, Squarespace Circle Day claims to be the “summit for Squarespace Creators” which pretty much includes anyone who 1. currently has a Squarespace website, 2. is thinking about hopping on the Squarespace bandwagon, or 3. creates Squarespace sites for others. But honestly, after seeing the lineup of keynotes and workshop facilitators, I think Squarespace Circle Day is for any web designer or digital creator. Even if you are NOT a Squarespace fan or user, you will get something out of this summit.
Here is a list of the entire agenda. Some of the sessions will take place in person live in NYC, but a lot of them will be virtual. Unfortunately, all the tickets for the in-person summit are spoken for, but don’t be discouraged because there is a lot of value to be had on the inter-web version. Here are the sessions I am most looking forward to:
Turn Your One-Time Project Into Recurring Revenue by Clarrie Johnson
The Price is Right: How to Charge a Premium for Your Offering by Victoria Marcouillier
Brand Story Time: Building Sites That Captivate and Convert by Laura Scholes
Circle Live with Squarespace CEO and Founder, Anthony Casalena
And What About the Circle Day Germany Meetup?
The Circle Day Germany Meetup will be a place for you to stop by virtually to say hi, connect with other web designers or digital creators, and share key takeaways from the main event. There will be a few presenters including:
Myself, Webdesigner
Sarah Stark, Branding Expert and Webdesigner
Eleanor Mayrhofer, Webdesigner
Victoria Weber, Webdesigner
In addition to the aforementioned presentations, there will also be an introduction and a discussion afterward where attendees can address topics of interest related to Circle Day, give feedback, and ask questions.
If you are located in Germany and are a professional web designer or digital creator, a Squarespace fanatic, or just a curious little monkey, you can register for the virtual Germany Circle Day Meetup here.
Here's Why I Don't Offer Customizations
A long time website client recently had a request, she’s been slowly revamping her 7.0 site (instead of making the big switch to 7.1) and she wanted to create tables to showcase her offerings. She saw it on another site and liked the way it broke up the information.
I had hesitations and even drafted up a version in Squarespace that didn’t include a table which she promptly rejected. She had her heart set on a table and I wanted her to be happy so I obliged. I began the process of problem-solving, a process I usually enjoy because normally I land on a solution. But for the life of me, I could not find one this time around. Which drove me mad.
My philosophy with website building has always been “less is more”. Too many sites, especially those built DIY style, tend to be bloated, showcasing too much of the unnecessary stuff and making the actual important stuff hard to reach. Stop playing hard to get, will ya?
Anyways. I fought with it for a while and was <this close> to writing the client and telling her I give up when I had an idea, I would purchase a table-making widget, especially for Squarespace but wouldn’t you know, that turned out to be a big DISASTER. And then I had another plan, I would try outsourcing my work to one of those handy freelancer sites.
As a freelancer, I am not a big fan of these sites, you can read more about that here, but I had never tried them as a contractor. I signed up on Freelancer.com and placed the details of my project there. Within a few minutes, I was getting bombarded with offers ranging from 35 euros to 285 euros. I was also getting harassed in my messages by VERY eager people who wanted to work on the project. I quickly blocked them.
The varying offers had a lot to do with the country of origin and ultimately I decided on a woman living in India who had decent reviews and made a mutually beneficial offer. I accepted. Overall the experience was pleasant, she definitely delivered and even helped me tweak certain things with the code after the project was closed.
But…
Ultimately I decided to steer the client away from the customization altogether. Here’s why:
1/ Upon further inspection, the code was going to be cumbersome for the client to manage on her own. Every time she would need to edit the text or tweak the fonts/colors she would need to hire me. Or if I wasn’t sure, we’d have to ask the developer. This would quickly turn costly, something I am thoroughly against.
2/ When you install code or mess with the CSS on Squarespace you run the risk of distortion or misalignments on varying devices. Which is exactly what happened. When I viewed the tables on mobile, the text ran completely off the table. Not cool.
3/ Squarespace offers a lot in terms of design and functionality. You are literally paying an annual fee to use their professionally crafted designs and customer support, might as well get your money’s worth! It’s like people who stay at 5-star hotels and then spend the whole day and night out and about sightseeing. I’m the person who’d rather chill and enjoy the pool and amenities instead and catch a museum on the way to the airport.
My 2 cents: The whole thing was a good reminder of why I don’t typically offer customizations to clients and instead advise them to stick with the robust offerings of the Squarespace platform. And I advise you to do the same, especially if you are a conscious business owner who is just getting their website up and running.
Wanting to Give Your Site a Revamp? Get in Touch.
I Gave My Blog Page a Refresh
I recently refreshed my blog page on my website and I must say I really like it!
Here’s what it looked like before:
It’s not bad aesthetically speaking, but it wasn’t really practical. It was basically just a gallery of images and blog titles with no real organization. If a visitor wanted to get a feel for my writing and read my latest blog post then it would suffice. But if they wanted to dive deeper and gain insight from my previous posts, from years before, it wasn’t possible. Unfortunately, Squarespace only lets you display 20 blog entries at a time so in actuality there was no real way for my visitors to scroll through past blog posts even if they wanted to…unless I did something about it.
So that’s what I did.
Here’s what the new page looks like:
Here’s what I changed:
I added a search bar so visitors can search for a relevant topic.
I added a blog category section where visitors can click on a category if they want to see specific posts about that topic. Luckily I have been categorizing my posts by topic and tagging my blogs with keywords since the beginning. If you aren’t already doing this, I highly recommend it. It will help a ton if you ever want to organize your blog in the future.
I chose to display only 9 posts at a time. Now that visitors can easily search for topics that are relevant to them I didn’t want to bombard the page with too much information.
That’s it! What do you think?
Want to give your blog or website a refresh? Get in touch for a free consultation and we can discuss.
Seeking Squarespace Design Services in Berlin (or elsewhere?) Let Me Be Your Captain
What Awaits You in This Article
1. Why Choose the Squarespace Platform
2. The Limits of Squarespace
3. When to Seek Support from a Squarespace Professional
4. Types of Squarespace Support: Live Tutoring Sessions in Berlin or via Zoom, Tailor-made Virtual Workshops for Your Organization, and Email, WhatsApp, or Phone Support
5. Conclusion - Let Me Be Your Captain+ BONUS Booty
Why Choose the Squarespace Platform?
Squarespace is a renowned website design platform that offers an array of benefits for businesses and individuals seeking to create a professional and visually appealing website. With its user-friendly interface (drag and drop baby!!), stunning templates, and robust features, Squarespace provides a comprehensive solution for designing and managing websites with ease. From small business owners and creative professionals to entrepreneurs, Squarespace offers a range of advantages that make it an attractive choice for website design needs in Berlin and worldwide. Here are some key advantages:
User-Friendly Interface: Squarespace has a drag-and-drop interface that makes it easy to design and customize a website without any coding skills. This makes it accessible for beginners and those with limited technical expertise.
Stunning Templates: Squarespace offers a wide range of professionally designed templates that are visually appealing and responsive, ensuring that your website looks great on all devices, including desktops, tablets, and mobile phones. The templates are professionally looking, beautifully designed, and fiercely functional.
Robust Features: Squarespace provides a host of built-in features such as blogging, e-commerce, SEO tools, analytics, and social media integration, making it a comprehensive platform for all your website needs. It also offers e-commerce options and the ability to maintain memberships.
Professional Look and Feel: Squarespace templates are designed to be sleek and modern, giving your website a professional and polished appearance that can enhance your brand image. They are also minimalist which I love because there is just so much noise out there on the internet. It’s rare that people want to go to a circus show with flashy lights when entering a website. They usually want to find basic information fast.
Reliable Hosting: Squarespace provides reliable and secure hosting for your website, ensuring that it loads quickly and remains accessible to visitors at all times. All hosting is included in the annual price, so no need to worry about paying an extra bill.
Built-in SEO - Squarespace used to get a bad rap for their SEO functioning, but in recent years, they have really stepped up their game. According to Website Builder Expert, Squarespace scored a 5 out of 5 SEO rating in their research meaning it’s more than well-equipped to boost your site’s search engine rankings. That’s probably because it includes a sitemap, SEO setting for pages and items, clean URLs, automatic markups, SSL security, and built-in mobile optimization.
2. The Limits of Squarespace
While Squarespace offers many advantages, it's crucial to understand that it also has limitations as a website design platform. These limitations include the following:
Limited Customization: Although Squarespace offers a range of templates, the customization options may be limited compared to other website design platforms such as WordPress. This means that achieving highly unique and personalized designs may be challenging, especially if you have specific design requirements. But this limitation can also work to your advantage. Too many people try to complicate their websites. Less is (usually )more so if you have limited customization options, you’ll likely be better at delivering the basic information your user wants. Still, though, there may be times when customization like adding unique fonts or widgets is necessary. For that, you’ll need to seek out a Squarespace professional which can be costly.
E-commerce Functionality: While Squarespace provides e-commerce functionality, it may not be as robust as other platforms such as Shopify, making it less suitable for complex online stores. If you have extensive e-commerce needs, or your store contains hundreds or thousands of items, Squarespace may not be the best choice for your business.
Advanced SEO Capabilities: While Squarespace offers basic SEO features, it may not have all the advanced SEO capabilities that some businesses require. This may impact your website's visibility in search engine results and affect your overall SEO strategy.
Technical Challenges: Despite its user-friendly interface, designing and managing a website on Squarespace may still pose technical challenges for some individuals or businesses. Resolving these issues may require expertise and technical knowledge, which may not be readily available to everyone.
3. When to Seek Support from a Squarespace Professional
Despite its user-friendly interface, designing and managing a website on Squarespace may still pose challenges for some individuals or businesses. In such cases, seeking support from a Squarespace professional (like me:)!!) can be beneficial. This may be necessary when facing complex design or technical issues that require expertise to resolve. A Squarespace professional can provide guidance, troubleshooting, and solutions to help overcome any challenges that may arise during the website design process whether you’re a DJ designing her website in a cozy cafe in Berlin or you’re an eco-warrior designing a site for their off-grid hostel whilst sipping an alcohol-free pineapple daiquiri on the beach in the Bahamas.
Here are some situations when it may be a good idea to seek Squarespace design services:
Complex Design Requirements: If you have specific design requirements that go beyond the customization options available in Squarespace templates, a Squarespace professional can provide guidance and expertise to create a unique and personalized website design. Some examples include adding a multilanguage option to your site, installing a booking widget, or setting up a membership site.
Technical Issues: If you encounter technical issues during the website design process, such as troubleshooting errors or resolving coding-related challenges, a Squarespace professional can offer solutions and expertise to overcome these obstacles.
E-commerce Setup: If you need to set up an online store with complex e-commerce functionalities, such as custom product configurations, inventory management, or integration with third-party tools, a Squarespace professional can help you set up and optimize your e-commerce platform.
Advanced SEO Optimization: If you require advanced SEO capabilities, such as optimizing meta tags, managing redirects, or implementing schema markup, a Squarespace professional with expertise in SEO can help you optimize your website for search engines and improve its visibility in search results.
Time Constraints: If you, like many entrepreneurs, have limited time or resources to dedicate to designing and managing your Squarespace website, a Squarespace professional can take on the task and ensure that your website is designed and launched efficiently and effectively.
4. Types of Squarespace Support
As we near the end of the blog post, you might realize that, yes, you do in fact need some Squarespace support, but maybe you are still unsure what exactly that looks like. Below I will describe the kinds of support I provide and then you can reach out if any of it resonates with the help you are looking for.
Live Tutoring Sessions In-Person or Via Zoom - One of the best ways to receive Squarespace support is through live tutoring sessions. These sessions can be conducted with me in Berlin (or wherever I am traveling at the time), where you will receive one-on-one guidance from me, a certified Squarespace expert. Alternatively, live tutoring sessions can also be conducted remotely via Zoom, allowing for flexibility and convenience. During these sessions, I can provide personalized guidance on various aspects of website design, including template selection, customization, content creation, and SEO optimization. I can also just spend the entire time answering your questions. This can help you enhance your website and make the most out of Squarespace's features. In addition, I can also provide branding feedback and content marketing tips that will help you grow your business organically. To find out more about these sessions head here.
Tailor-made Virtual Workshops for A Group of Friends or Your Organization - If you have a team or organization in Berlin (or elsewhere) that requires Squarespace design services, tailor-made virtual workshops can be a valuable option. These workshops can be customized to meet the specific needs and goals of your group or organization, providing comprehensive training on Squarespace website design best practices and techniques. This can help your team acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively design and manage websites on the Squarespace platform, resulting in a cohesive and professional online presence. Not in Berlin? No problem, I am often on the move and am willing to travel to you depending on distance, etc. Get in touch to discuss details.
Email, WhatsApp, or Phone Support - In addition, to live tutoring sessions and virtual workshops, I also offer support through email, WhatsApp, or phone. This allows you to communicate with me at your convenience with your favorite modality, providing guidance and assistance with your website design needs wherever you may be in the world. Whether you have questions, need help with troubleshooting, or require advice on design or technical issues, my email, WhatsApp, or phone support option can be a convenient and efficient alternative to live tutoring sessions.
5. Conclusion
So there you have it. After examining the many benefits Squarespace has to offer, you can hopefully better understand why Squarespace is such a popular website design platform. But as great as it is, it may not be suitable for everyone. With my help and expertise, however, you can learn to leverage its features and create a stunning and functional website for your conscious business or personal projects…especially if you are working with a limited budget. If you are ready to embark on an epic Squarespace design service adventure and create an impressive online presence that reflects your unique brand identity, get in touch and I’d be happy to be your captain. AYE AYE MATEY!
***BONUS BOOTY - anyone who builds a website with my special code gets 20% off their first year. ARGHHHH***
Hey, I want to help you share your gifts with the world. Get in touch today and let’s make this happen!
Flodesk Link Preview Not Working in Linkedin? Try this!
I recently created a full page form in flodesk for an offering, 20 euros off a website audit when you sign up for my newsletter.
Everything was going well until I went to share the link on Linkedin and the link preview was NOT the image for my form, but an advertisement for Flodesk. I quickly deleted the post and went back to Flodesk.
Once in Flodesk, I edited the link preview. To do that you’ll go to the “Forms” page and click the three dots in the right-hand corner of the form you want to share. Then you’ll hit “edit link preview”
From there, you can add the title, image, and description you want to be displayed when you share your link on social media, for example.
But, when I saved my link preview and then went to share it on Linkedin, it didn’t work. Instead, the same Flodesk advertisement popped up. FML. I deleted the post and went to bed, hoping that it was a cache issue on Linkedin’s end and that it would be resolved the next day.
But the next day… the same thing happened. Flodesk Ad instead of my form’s image.
That’s when I did a little research and found out about Post Inspector, a tool that allows you to submit the updated URL to Linkedin, which updates the URL within Linked and allows your new link preview to pop up instead. If you DON’T take this step, however, it can take Linkedin 7 days to update your link preview after editing it. Sheesh!
So here you go, hope it helps!: https://www.linkedin.com/post-inspector/
Did that work for you? If not, reach out and I’ll try to help troubleshoot.
Did you receive a GDPR Violation related to Google fonts? Here's what to do.
Disclaimer: This article doesn’t provide any legal advice.
I recently received an email from a former Website client. She had been contacted by a lawyer because of a GDPR violation and was being asked to pay 170 Euros.
What’s GDPR? The General Data Protection Regulation is an EU law that has to do with data protection and privacy in the European Union and the European Economic Area. So if you do business in the EU, you have to comply with this law. One of the restrictions is that you cannot collect data (emails, IP addresses, names, etc) from people who visit your site without telling them. Usually, a simple Cookies banner/Datenschutz page combo would take care of that.
Well, now it’s not enough, unfortunately.
Recently, a law office has begun hunting down people who use Google fonts on their homepage and threatening to fine them. If you are using Google fonts, whenever a visitor visits your homepage, the visitor’s IP address is sent to Google. Why? Because Google needs the visitor’s IP address to send the Google Fonts files to your visitor. Now, do I think it’s cool that a law office would hunt small business owners who are trying to make a living and threaten to fine them for not complying with GDPR? Not at all, in fact, I think it’s all a bunch of BS.
But that’s not the point of this post. The point of this post is to help you so you don’t get fined.
If you are using Google fonts there are a few things you can do:
You can download the Google fonts locally and then add the local font as CSS. It seems like a long scary process, but I think this website does a good job of breaking it down: https://www.thestyledsquare.com/blog-content/how-to-add-your-own-custom-fonts-to-squarespace-with-css-70-71. If you are using a Wordpress site, you can simply install the OMGF plug-in.
You can select a built-in font pack that uses standard fonts such as Helvetica Neue, Georgia, or Verdana.
You can do nothing and wait it out. If you do get fined, you can hire a lawyer to help you. As it turns out, that client who received a letter did just that. The lawyer she hired sent a letter on her behalf to the threatening authority, basically telling them they were out of bounds and that there was no obvious harm being done. The lawyer also recommended that my client use a VPN that includes an IP address such as Cyber Ghost VPN.
Hope that helps clear up what you can do. If you have further questions, I have compiled a list of questions below that have been answered by Berlin web designers. I received their answers from a Facebook networking group I belong to so I cannot vouch for the legality or accuracy, but perhaps it helps you make more sense of what is happening.
Is a notice on your Datenschutz/Impressum/Imprint page enough?
No. You have to have a cookie plugin that blocks the loading of the fonts until the visitor consents. This applies to Youtube and Maps as well, if you have that on your site. Essentially, the visitor to your homepage doesn’t have a chance to disagree before seeing the Google fonts.
Are the mass letters legal documents?
No. They are threatening to pursue legal action if you don't pay the 170€. The whole thing is not really built on strong legal ground.
Isn’t that extortion?
Not exactly. It isn’t very nice, or best practice, but courts have ruled that people do indeed have to pay fines. Why? Because at the center of these cases is "harm" caused to the plaintiff. In this case, use of his personal data against his will. Now, if you have a bot running that crawls websites, there is no harm to you, because you are not actually doing anything. Frivolous lawsuits because of Impressum were often turned down because you can't just sue - you needed to show that you have a disadvantage/ damages because someone wasn't following a law.
I received a fine, should I pay it?
Here is advice given by the IHK (chamber of commerce in Germany): do NOT pay and instead consult a lawyer. There are legal ways to fight against it as it's obvious that these folks are just trying to make money. Obviously, in the end, this option is 100% YOUR decision and I assume no legal responsibility for the outcome :)
If you have anything else to add that might help someone avoid a fine, please get in touch and I will add it to the blog post!
When Building a Website Is Financially Out Of Reach
Recently a friend reached out to me asking for some advice.
Her physiotherapist suddenly found herself out of work. The resort that she’d worked at for years was looking to hire some fresh faces.
“I want to hire you to build her a website and then I’ll give her the website in exchange for her services,” my friend asked, “She helped heal my shoulder and I just really want to help her out.”
I agreed to the initial arrangement but later I had a thought - building a website is probably not the most cost-effective option. Instead, I recommended setting her up with some kind of newsletter management system and then providing a digital marketing strategy instead.
Here is the advice I offered:
Sign up for a newsletter management service. I like FloDesk, but there is a cost involved. Other services, like Mailchimp, are free up until a certain amount of subscribers. There are plenty more out there.
Work on getting people on your newsletter list. If you can, ask past clients for their emails. Another quick way to increase newsletter subscribers includes hosting or co-hosting a community event either online or in person and instead of charging a fee, ask for people to submit their emails. If you don’t want to host an event yourself you can also piggyback off another community member’s event. For example, if someone in your network is hosting a virtual meditation, offer to provide a short movement practice during the session in exchange for access to all the attendee’s email addresses.
Create a newsletter outreach strategy. Aim to send at least one newsletter per month to your subscribers. When thinking about what to include, ask yourself, “What would make me want to open this newsletter every month?” Here are a few ideas to get you started:
New insights you’ve gained,
Media clips (podcasts, Youtube videos, infographics, articles, etc.) you found particularly helpful or interesting,
Relevant books you are reading,
Tips or methods that might help solve their problems
Links to any upcoming events you are hosting or are looking forward to attending
Special offers you want to introduce.
Now the above newsletter outreach option still requires a certain level of maintenance and technological savviness. It can also take time to get an audience and get into the flow of creating content.
If that still feels out of reach for you or if you don’t think maintaining a monthly newsletter is something you’ll end up doing, consider setting up a Telegram or WhatsApp group instead. I belong to several Telegram groups here in Berlin where admins hold space for discussions, advertise upcoming events or promotions, and ask for feedback. It’s a great way to build community quickly and doesn’t take much more effort than sending a text message.
That’s it - hopefully, that gives you some more affordable options when it comes to building a community and putting yourself out there. A website is helpful, sure, and a content marketing strategy can work wonders for building an organic reach - but they also take time, money, and some technical skills to get started - which can be barriers to a lot of folks. Instead, consider starting a newsletter or Telegram group to build community and share your offerings.
Ready to commit to FloDesk? Sign up using this link and get 50% off your first year.
Here's Why You Probably Need a Website Audit
I’m a millennial which means I grew up with the internet. I remember when that bulbous Compaq made its way into our home, it was love at first “site”. Even before that, I was trekking to the library to wait my turn just so that I could look up all the websites I had collected from my latest edition of Teen People magazine. I don’t remember ever wanting to spend that much time at the library prior to the Internet.
More than a decade later, I found myself in Madrid interning for a popular Discoteca. I couldn’t understand the Marketing Director’s “Spain” Spanish and he didn’t speak any English, so I told him I would gladly create a MySpace page for his club. I literally spent like 6 grand on that internship credit. Can you tell I was a Comms major and not an Econ major? LOL.
Today, I have over a decade of building websites under my belt, more if you count my MySpace shenanigans (please count it, it took me a decade to pay it off.) Even if you don’t count it, I think it’s safe to say I know my way around the interwebs. I know what works on a website, and I know what doesn’t. And I especially know what looks good.
Here Are Some Things That Are No Bueno
When a link is broken
When a site looks hip or cool but doesn’t provide the basic info I need like a godd&#*& menu, opening hours, or prices
When the site looks like Fred Flinstone personally programmed it with a stone tablet and Pterodactyl quill AKA isn’t mobile-friendly
Don’t Worry, Help Is On the Way
If your website is chock full of annoying video ads, hasn’t been updated in over a decade, or isn’t mobile-friendly, I’m not going to judge you. But I will judge your site (if you pay me to do it.) I will also provide a list of ways to improve it. I call this service the “Website Audit”. To learn more about it, you can head here.
If you are bullheaded and prefer to DIY, on the other hand, I will first and foremost salute a fellow mule and then I will encourage you to check out this blog post where I outline all the essential pages your site needs. Hint, LESS IS MORE. Cut the fat and stick to the essentials.
Or in other words, when in doubt, throw it out (I am just getting over food poisoning in Mexico, can you tell?)