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This article is part of the school of coworking course through Archie. Make sure to check out the other articles to learn more about how to start a coworking space business.
Building a website is a crucial part of a business model. In today’s social media climate, it’s almost impossible to succeed as a small business without having an online presence. For your coworking space business to prevail and stand a chance over competitors, you will need to build an appealing and easy-to-use website. Luckily, we’ve got a step-by-step guide on how to build a good coworking space website for you to follow.
Step 1: Create your brand and define your budget
1. Branding
If you haven’t already, you’ll need to figure out your brand. Your brand, theme, and logo are what customers will use to visually differentiate you from your competitors, so it’s important that you can identify yours and be consistent with it.
A good idea when deciding what you want your website to look like is to create a Mood board, which is a visual representation of images and text, essentially a collage that you can make online. In this case, you will want to make one out of websites or brands that you like so you can visually see what you would like to have on yours.
Tip: Try using the InVision app to make your Mood board.
What you need to choose after you've made your Mood board:
- Colours: It’s important to only pick two or three colours. Any more will be overwhelming for your customers, so try to pick colours you like and that go well together.
- Logo: Your logo is the one thing that will be stuck in your client’s mind when they think of your coworking space business. It’s important to incorporate your colours into your logo and make sure that it catches the eye. You can create your logo directly on Wix, or use a website like Canva.
- Fonts: When creating a website it’s important to choose the right font for all your text content. You will want to use something easy to read, for example, Arial, Helvetica, or Montserrat.
2. Thinking about your budget:
When it comes to budget, it’s important to make room in yours for your website. You’ll have many options when it comes to building a website, but all the options will cost money. How much you’re willing to pay is up to you. The prices for building a website range from $150 to upwards of $20,000 depending on what you desire for your site.
Remember, just because a service is more expensive doesn’t mean it will work better for you. If you have a smaller space you will benefit from a simpler website that is less costly, so choose what suits your needs best.
Step 2: Choose a Website Building Platform
After you’ve established a look for your website and a budget, it’s time to dive into the world of website-building platforms. Here you have many options to choose from.
The main difference that you have to understand between them is that some involve coding and some don’t.
For example, Wix and Squarespace both are no-code website builders, WordPress is a code website builder, and Webflow is a hybrid between the two.
Again, it’s up to you to choose what works best for you. We’ll provide you with all the information you need to make the right decision!
Option 1: Squarespace
Square space is a no-code website builder, but it is a little bit more restrictive in terms of what it allows you to do, however, many believe that it has the best templates and features out of all the website builders.
Pros and Cons of Squarespace
Pros:
- Price: Squarespace charges from $12 to $40 a month for their plans.
- You can build it yourself: Squarespace makes it easy enough for you to be able to figure out how to build your own website, alternatively, you have the option of paying someone on Fiverr or Upwork to do it for you for fairly cheap.
- Better templates: Much like Wix, Squarespace also has pre-made templates that you can choose from. Although it has less, it’s been said that it actually has better, more aesthetic designs.
- Better core features: Again, although Squarespace doesn’t have as many features as Wix, it tends to have better ones.
- Support: You can always hit up the support button if something goes wrong with your website, which is a much better option than having to figure it out yourself.
Cons:
- Harder to work with: Wix tends to be slightly more chaotic than its competitors, so if you are completely new to website making then it might not be the right choice for you.
- Unstructured editor: This is a pro and a con. Having an unstructured editor means that you’ll be able to drag elements anywhere on the page, but that may create a domino effect on problems if one of them gets out of place.
- Limited design: This is a problem that goes with any non-coding website builder. At the end of the day, you just won’t have as much ability to customize as you would with a code-based website builder.
- Branding: Wix may be limited with what it can do for your brand.
Click here for an example of a website done with Squarespace.
Wix falls into the category of a no-code website builder and has already built-in templates for you to choose from. Wix and Squarespace are responsible for building 55% of all websites, and while they are similar, there are some differences that you want to understand.
Pros and Cons of Wix
Pros:
- Price: A Wix website is free to build, however, you do have to pay a monthly fee which ranges from $5 to $30 depending on which plan you choose. This is very affordable, which is a great upside, especially if you are just starting in the coworking space business and you have a very small work space.
- Easy to make: Wix doesn’t require you to code. You can build it yourself or pay someone on Fiverr or Upwork to do it for you.
- Templates galore: It is a great website builder because of the abundance of templates it has. On top of that, it is also very customizable.
- Support: They offer great support in case you run into a problem with your website.
- Amount of core features: For a no-code website builder, Wix has a lot of features that you can add to your website. They include photo galleries, maps, audio players, and many others.
- Domain: You can buy your domain directly on their platform.
Cons:
- Harder to work with: Wix tends to be slightly more chaotic than its competitors, so if you are completely new to website making then it might not be the right choice for you.
- Unstructured editor: This is a pro and a con. Having an unstructured editor means that you’ll be able to drag elements anywhere on the page, but that may create a domino effect on problems if one of them gets out of place.
- Limited design: This is a problem that goes with any non-coding website builder. At the end of the day, you just won’t have as much ability to customize as you would with a code-based website builder.
- Branding: Wix may be limited with what it can do for your brand. Once again, this is a great option if you are someone who doesn’t know much about website building and has a small coworking space. This is also good for you if you want a straightforward and organized experience in creating your website.
Click here for an example of a website done with Wix.
Option 3: WordPress
WordPress is the oldest website builder that exists, which is why it’s the most popular, powering more than 38% of all websites. Unlike Wix or Squarespace, WordPress is a CMS website builder that relies heavily on coding. To have a nice-looking website you must know how to code or hire someone to do so.
Pros and Cons of WordPress
Pros:
- Unlimited design options: WordPress is great if you are looking to build a more customized website. Because you have to code it, you can make it look however you wish.
- Pre-built templates: Although it does run on coding for customization and features, you have the option of also using their pre-built templates and features.
- Community and resources: Since WordPress is the oldest and most popular website builder, many resources on it are available to you. If you want to learn how to use specific features, you’ll be able to find help very easily.
- SEO-friendly: WordPress tends to be more suited for SEO than other website builders. Due to its third-party plug-ins, you can build a well-ranked website.
Cons
- Cost: Since it is a code-based website, you will have to hire a developer or agency to optimize your site and make it look professional and personalized. The costs for this can vary between $1500 – $5000.
- Hard to maintain: Unlike Wix and Squarespace which are easy to use, WordPress tends to be more difficult to navigate. If you want to change features or your website regularly, then WordPress might not be for you.
- Outside features: WordPress is a builder that requires a lot of outside sources like servers, plug-ins, and other features that you need to find on your own and add.
- Outdated: You may find it harder to keep up to date with certain features as they develop with other website builders. WordPress has been known to continuously get fewer and fewer updates throughout the years, which might make it difficult for your long-term coworking site.
Webflow is a combination between a no-code website builder and a coded one. Although it is not as popular as the other web builders yet, it is definitely making its way. Webflow offers the best of both worlds when it comes to building and customizing your website.
Pros and Cons of Webflow
Pros:
- Customization: Webflow is getting more popular due to its high degree of customization. You can pick from their many templates or code it yourself, allowing for lots of freedom.
- Ease of use: It is very easy to use Webflow, as everything that needs to be done can be done directly on it, such as coding and publishing.
- Support: Webflow offers great customer support if you run into an issue.
- Price: If you decide not to get a developer and just go with the built-in templates, then the cost will run you around $200 to build your website.
Cons:
- Cost: Once again, it depends on what you decide to do. If you find that you want your website more customized then it might cost you a bit more to get it nicely coded by a developer.
- Limited code customization: Since Webflow does serve as a hybrid between a website builder that relies on code and one that doesn’t, it is bound to have limitations on one of the options, which in this case is the code. While you can definitely code, there is no option for you to do something complex, as there is in WordPress.
- Workload: Due to its countless amounts of features, it may take you longer to learn how it works and how to keep it up to date.
Option 5: Custom Website
The final option you have when it comes to website building is to get it custom-designed. If you have a big business and lots of coworking space you may want to consider getting your site custom designed. This is the highest-priced option, one of the most effective when it comes to building a great website. For this option, you would have to hire a developer or go to an agency to find one who can build your website for you.
Pros and Cons of a Custom Website
Pros:
- Unlimited design options: This is a major benefit of hiring someone to do your website for you. It allows you to create your website in any way you want. You will not be limited to what certain website builders can and cannot handle.
- Making changes: When you hire a developer, they may give you the option to have a limited number of changes done to your website. If that’s the case then it will be very easy for you to implement any changes you would like.
Cons:
Cost: As mentioned before, this is the costliest way of building your coworking space website. Prices can range but they usually start at $2000 and can go up to an unlimited amount because everything is developed from scratch.
You’ll require an agency or a developer: Here you don’t have the option to do anything yourself, so you will have to hire a developer who knows what they’re doing and can commit the time and effort to build you a great website.
Possibility of a bad developer: You may run into the issue of hiring a bad developer who didn’t do a great job. If that’s the case then you will want to find a new one who can rebuild the parts that went wrong which will be even more pricey.
Hard to maintain: If your developer doesn’t give you any options for changes and just leaves you with the finished product, then you might have a very difficult time changing things on your website, such as adding pages or modifying certain aspects.
When deciding on which option to go for to build your coworking space website, you will want to consider each option thoroughly. Think about your budget, your ideas for the design, how big your space is, and how much you want to pour into your website. Websites can be a great way of standing out to your competitors, but building a great one can be done in many different ways, so just go for the option that you think is best suited for you.
Step 3: Pick a Domain Name
Once you have figured out what website builder you will use, it’s time to think of a good domain name. A domain name is also the website’s address, which is the first thing that a customer will see when they navigate to your website. It’s important to keep certain things in mind when choosing one to make the most out of your coworking space website.
Tips on picking a good domain name:
- Make it simple to spell. You must make the website as easy to spell as possible so that people navigating to it don’t have a hard time remembering it.
- Keep it short and sweet. You’ll want to keep it short for the same reason.
- Use keywords related to your business. To optimize your website and have a bigger chance of ranking high on google, you’ll want to consider using a keyword related to coworking in your domain name.
- Try avoiding any numbers or other characters. You want your domain to be clear and memorable. Adding numbers and hyphens make it hard to remember.
- Avoid using an odd domain name extension. It’s best to stick to .com if it’s possible unless it’s more fitting that you use another extension, such as an extension for your country.
- Check the competition. If your domain name is too similar to something else, and your competition sounds similar, you may want to rethink that. It will be harder for you to rank well if your domain name can’t be found easily in a Google Search.
Tip: If you’re stuck on what domain name to choose you could try using a Domain Name Generator to help you out.
Step 4: Choose a Theme and Build the Website
This is where depending on what you chose for your website builder, you will have different experiences with templates. Wix, Squarespace and Webflow all have great templates for websites that you can choose from. Depending on what you want your website to look like, you can browse and choose the template that most matches your design style.
For WordPress, although they do have free templates for themes, you will likely want to purchase the premium option of WordPress business themes, which offers you a different variety of templates specific to businesses.
Once you have chosen your template you can customize it in any way you would like. Choose how many web pages you will have and where they will go. Make sure you choose your colours and add your logo, as well as a consistent font that will be used throughout the whole website to maintain cohesion, and have your audience respond well to it as well as remember it.
Step 5: Structure your Website
Before you jump straight into adding content, you will want to think about the way your website will be structured. Which web page will go first, where you want to put everything on the web page, what kind of features you will like to have. Try mapping it out and figuring out what you visually would like it to look like. Before you create anything, ask yourself whether your client will be able to look at your website and find it easy to understand and navigate.
Checklist for your website:
Homepage: This is incredibly important for your business. When customers check out your website the first thing they will see is your homepage. Make sure it makes a great first impression by being aesthetically pleasing, as well as easy to navigate and understand. Make sure that the services you are providing are clear and concise so that your customer will not have to search much throughout your website to understand what they will be getting.
About us page/section: You will want to include a page or a section where you explain your business and values. Customers will like to read about your space to understand it and get familiar with it.
Pages for your services: You can either split these up into different pages or have them all on one page in separate sections. You will want to add your plans, rooms, event space, and basically everything you are renting in your coworking space.
Contact us page: Direct any booking to this page where people will be able to contact you and ask for more information or a tour. You’ll also want to add the address of your space, phone, and contact email in case they want to contact you directly.
Blog page: If you decide to do this, blog pages can be great ways of keeping your website up to date, and ranking higher on Google’s search. You can create weekly blogs which people can read to get familiar with your space and use your services.
Along with the basics, you can add any other section or page that you feel would be necessary for your site. Some examples could be a photo gallery where you can showcase your coworking space or even a page specifically dedicated to testimonials of people who have been to your work space and can attest to how great it is. Just make sure not to overcrowd your website, as that can be very overwhelming for your viewer.
Step 6: Optimize the Content for your Site
It’s important to understand that although you have a website, it must also be optimized to gain traffic on it. Before you create any written content for your coworking space website, remind yourself to make it as readable and as effective as possible.
Language and Purchasing
Language: There are two things to keep in mind when it comes to language. The first is that you need to align your vocabulary to what people search online so that Google will rank your website better. This will also help with your paid ads, as Google’s quality score will be higher which will cost you less when buying the ad. The second thing to keep in mind is to keep your language as simple as possible. It might be tempting to use a lot of coworking lingo, but your customers might not know what a hot desk or even a coworking space is, they simply want to book a desk or rent an office, so make it as easy for them as possible.
Purchasing: You will want to be able to rent your coworking spaces directly on your website. Most website builders don’t already have a built-in feature for this, so you’ll have to find a way to do this externally.
An option you have is to use Archie, a leading coworking space software, directly on your website. With Archie, you’ll be able to integrate payment directly on your website and use it for all your bookings. You will also be able to send automatic invoices directly to clients and configure your billing cycle in any way you’d like.
Using Archie’s external flow will remove user frustration as your customers will not have to call to book. Since it will remove that friction, more customers will purchase from you instead of looking for a simpler way to purchase from one of your competitors.
SEO and SEM optimization
SEO
You’ve likely heard of SEO which stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is the process of improving the quality and quantity of traffic to your website by ranking higher on search engines (mostly Google).
Your website should be SEO-friendly to gain as much traffic as possible. If you don’t know much about this process, try to familiarize yourself with it.
Some SEO tips for your website:
- Use keywords in your pages: Use words related to coworking that you think your clients might search for. Familiarize yourself with keyword search and try to use that for your website. Try using Google’s keyword planner to find specific keywords that can be helpful to you and your website.
- If you’re using a coded website, try asking your developer to implement SEO to the code itself
- Use external links to build more credibility. By linking to other credible sources, Google will rank your page higher.
- Have a mobile site. Having a mobile site along with a regular one could increase the chances of you ranking higher on Google.
- Good reviews are important and will help your business rank higher. Make sure you create a Google listing for your coworking space and ask your clients to review your space on it. The more good reviews you have the better.
SEM
Another thing to get familiar with is SEM, which stands for Search Engine Marketing. This is similar to SEO, but along with optimizing your website through words and links, you’re also using paid ads.
Some keywords to use:
- “office space”
- “coworking space”
- “rental”
- The location of your coworking space, so for example “Toronto”
Familiarize yourself with both SEO and SEM and find out the best way to market your website and services. You want to try your hardest to rank as high as possible so that you can stand out from your competitors. Once you’ve done everything above you’re ready to write your optimized content on all your web pages.
Step 7: Publish it!
Congratulations! You are almost done with creating your coworking space website.
Before you click on the publish button, double-check that everything is in the clear.
- Check over your content and make sure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes, and that all the information is accurate and credible.
- Give it a look and see if there’s anything left over from the built-in templates that don’t belong on your website.
- Preview it and double-check all the content again. See if you like the way everything is placed and how it would look to a customer. If there are any changes you would like to make now’s the time.
- Publish it! If you checked it and everything looks to be in good shape then you’re ready to click that publish button. Well done, you have built your coworking space website!
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