Resources
I thought it would be helpful to create a resource page that you can always check out for all of your creative business needs. I’ll always add and edit this page when I find new great tools and services that could help you with your website or marketing and SEO. Enjoy!
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I’ll earn a referral bonus if you decide to make a purchase. I share and recommend these because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. I have experience with all of these companies. Please only buy these products if you feel they will help you achieve your goals.
Website Essentials
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FREE COURSE: The Handmade Website JumpstartJoin my free mini course to figure out exactly *how* to get started with your website project. If you need help deciding which platform will be best for your business or how to get web hosting and your domain set up, this is exactly what you need. |
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Website Launch KitDownload my free Website Launch Kit. This handy download includes a website launch checklist, tech recommendations, AND some great free design tools and resources to get you started on your website. Newly updated and expanded for 2017! |
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SiteGroundYou need web hosting for your site and I highly recommend SiteGround. It’s my fave for so many reasons: easy WordPress installation, automatic WordPress updates, fast and secure, automatic daily backups of your website, free SSL included… I could go on. Just do it. FYI I suggest the mid-tier – “GrowBig” |
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BlueHostHere’s a second option for hosting your website. BlueHost has a 1-click WordPress installation which is super easy. |
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WordPress (Free)WordPress (.ORG) is a Free Content Management System (CMS) and Blogging Platform. It’s very robust and there are lots of free and paid themes to customize your design and plugins to add on. Install WordPress through your web hosting control panel. |
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WooCommerce (Free)WooCommerce is a free e-commerce plugin for WordPress! You can begin selling products on your site right away for no additional cost. There are also paid and free extensions available to extend the capabilities such as calculated shipping costs via USPS, UPS, FedEx or additional Payment Gateways. Download the WooCommerce plugin within your website dashboard. (Go to Plugins > Add New > Search for WooCommerce) |
Domain Names & SSL Certificates
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GoDaddyThe only thing I recommend using GoDaddy for is domain names. I don’t recommend them for hosting, email, or any other web services. I used GoDaddy for my initial domain purchases because of the low cost. You can get a coupon code from RetailMeNot or find one elsewhere on the web and spend about $1-5 on your first year. In the past you could also find renewal coupon codes but it seems GD has stopped offering discounts on renewals. So for subsequent years I transfer and renew through a different domain registrar. |
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NamecheapNamecheap is great for transferring to after your first year or after you run out of coupon codes with GoDaddy. Transfers and renewals with Namecheap run about $10/year. Namecheap is also a really cost-effective SSL Certificate provider. If you would like to accept credit cards directly on your website without sending to an off site payment gateway (like PayPal) you will need to have one. |
Branding & Design
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My Free Brand Design WorkbookIf you’re trying to develop a cohesive branding style, grab this free 5-page workbook to help you choose a color palette and fonts that match your brand personality and attract your target customer. |
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CanvaCanva is a free web-based tool to help you design beautiful graphics. These are great for your website or social media accounts. |