How to Start Your Website

Have you taken a look at your digital home base – your website and determined if it’s working for you or against you?

In this workshop sponsored by Berkshire Bank we’ll look at examples of what makes a good website, help you objectively audit yours, and create a plan to revamp, re-build, or create your website.

Finally, we’ll share the best DIY tools for website creation, discuss commerce options as well as best practices for working with a freelancer, agency or designer to build your project.

You’ll leave with best practices around usability & accessibility, design choices, and tips to get the most out of even the most basic website setup.

Workshop Takeaways:

1. Domains and Authority: Do you still need a website (Spoiler alert: Yes), and buying yoru first domain name.

2. Working with a Pro vs. DIY: I'll take you through the pros/cons of major DIY platforms and learn how to ask the right questions when partnering with a designer or devleoper.

3. Planning Your Website: I'll teach you how to plan, organize and complie the content that will help you focus on the things your customers want to see, and provide a framework to help you wireframe your project before you start building.

4. Shortcuts, Timesavers and Resources to Get Started: Intimidated by building your site? I'll share some ways you can crawl before you walk, temporary solutions and ways to work with what you have already.

About Ryan Miller

Ryan Miller connects big ideas, communities, stories, and people. Currently he’s the Director of MVCC’s ThINCubator, an incubator/co-working space in Utica, NY that exists to foster a culture of entrepreneurship. He’s worked with over 400 entrepreneurs, want-repreneurs, students, makers, hackers, refugees and seasoned business owners to solve problems, build businesses and create opportunity.

He’s also the founder of Rust Belt Startup where he has over 20 years of creating websites, media, podcasts and marketing strategies for rust-belt businesses (and beyond). Most recently, he’s created a series of online courses and toolkits for entrepreneurs designed to help them build their new ventures, and his own podcast (Rust Belt Startup), features conversations with entrepreneurs, artists, educators and those who are living unconventional lives in unconventional locations.

Host or Publisher The Rising Tide Society & ThINCubator