Category 3

“New Website? Do This First (Client Prep Checklist)”

1. Know Your Business Goals First Before you even think of picking colors or choosing a web designer, you need to be crystal clear about your business goals. Are you trying to get more clients? Sell products? Build your brand’s reputation? Your website should be built around those goals — not just what looks good. When your goals are clear, everything else becomes easier. You’ll know what pages you need, what features to include, and even how to measure success. At AshSalt Consultancy, we always ask our clients to start with this question: What do you want this website to do for your business? The answers help guide the design, the copy, and even the backend structure. Your website is not just a digital brochure — it’s a tool for conversion, credibility, and connection. 2. Understand Your Audience and Their Needs It’s not enough to know what you want. You also need to know who you’re talking to and what they want. Who is your ideal customer? What are they searching for online? What kind of tone or language do they connect with? Understanding your audience allows you to create a user experience that speaks directly to them. Create simple audience personas with basic information: name, age, interests, pain points, and buying behavior. This helps in writing your website copy, choosing visuals, and even planning your call-to-actions. Remember: a beautiful site that doesn’t speak to your audience won’t get results. 3. Prepare the Core Content in Advance Most people wait till the website is halfway done before they start thinking about content. Don’t do that. Great websites are built around great content, not the other way around. You’ll need a clear homepage message, an About section, service descriptions, and calls-to-action that move visitors toward your goal. And if you plan to show up in Google search results? You’ll need SEO-optimized content too. At AshSalt, we advise clients to gather the following before web design starts: This is your homework — and when you do it early, the website process is faster, smoother, and more effective. Set Yourself Up for a Website That Works A successful website starts before a single line of code is written. When you lay the right foundation — with clear goals, audience insights, and strong content — your website becomes more than a design. It becomes a strategic business tool that builds trust, attracts the right people, and drives real results. So before you hand off the project to a designer or developer, take the time to do your homework. Your future self will thank you.

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Web Designer or Website Builder: Which Gives You Better ROI?

Building a website is no longer optional for businesses. Whether you’re running a small bakery in Lagos or launching an online store, your website acts as your digital storefront. However, one big question often arises: Should you hire a web designer or just use a website builder like Wix or Squarespace? The answer depends on your goals, budget, and long-term plans. At AshSalt Consultancy, we guide our clients through this decision by weighing the pros and cons of each option. Let’s break it down. 1. What You Get with a Website Builder Website builders like Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress.com are popular because they’re easy to use. With drag-and-drop tools, you can build a basic site in a few hours without any coding experience. They’re also affordable for startups, with plans starting as low as a few thousand naira per month. However, they come with limitations. You’ll get standard templates that may look like thousands of other sites. Your ability to customize is restricted, and scaling your site in the future can be tricky. According to TechRadar, website builders are perfect for personal blogs or small portfolio sites but might not be enough for serious businesses. 2. Why Hiring a Web Designer Could Be Worth It A professional web designer brings creativity and strategy to your project. Unlike a builder template, a designer can create a website that reflects your brand identity, is fully optimized for SEO, and offers better user experience. Designers also consider technical aspects like loading speed, mobile responsiveness, and advanced features. While the cost is higher upfront, you save time and avoid common pitfalls that come with DIY builders. At AshSalt Consultancy, we’ve seen businesses start with a template, get stuck, and later invest in a redesign because they needed more features, custom pages, or e-commerce functionality. 3. Budget vs. Long-Term Value If your budget is tight and you need a simple site, a website builder is fine. But if you want a site that grows with your business, hiring a web designer is an investment that pays off. Website builders might save you money upfront, but the hidden costs—like premium templates, plugins, and limited SEO—add up over time. Meanwhile, a professionally built site is optimized from day one and ready to scale. For example, CNET explains that while website builders are easy for beginners, custom websites often rank better on Google due to better technical foundations. 4. When to Choose Both Sometimes, the right solution is a hybrid. You can start with a website builder and later hire a web designer to customize or improve it. This is especially common with platforms like WordPress, where designers can upgrade an existing template. We often help clients transition from a basic website to a fully optimized custom site once their business grows. This gives them the best of both worlds—affordability upfront and scalability for the future. Your Decision, Your Growth So, should you hire a web designer or use a website builder? It depends on your budget, brand needs, and growth plans. If you just need something simple, start with a builder. But if you want a website that truly stands out, boosts conversions, and reflects your unique value, hiring a web designer is the smarter long-term move. Need expert help? Contact AshSalt Consultancy today to discover how we can build a site that grows with your business.

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