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When you create a website for your business, you want it to do more than just inform prospective customers. While your website should educate, it should also actively help visitors achieve their goals. Your customer will visit your website with unique intentions, and you must consider how they’ll experience your site. To shape your site to create the best outcome for both you and visitors, user journey maps can tremendously benefit the design process. In the following guide, we’ll look at what a user journey map is and the benefits of using them for your website design —plus we’ll detail the steps you need to create one. What is a user journey map? A user journey map, also referred to as a customer journey map, is a diagram that depicts a user’s interactions with a product over time. Typically represented by a flow chart, user journey maps are a common UX design research and planning tool. Anyone designing a website can create journey maps to improve their site’s user experience. Typically, UX designers complete the research and planning involved in user journey mapping before they design a website for the following reasons: It’s a strategic exercise: User journey mapping gets you thinking about who your visitors are, their goals and what they want and need from your site to accomplish them. Helps visualize the user flow : By visualizing your visitors’ steps throughout the site, you’ll understand their thought process as they work to achieve their goal. What are the benefits of creating a user journey map? Designing a website with user journey mapping is a user-centered method that will help you empathize more with the user when designing your site’s content and information architecture . Because user journey mapping allows you to anticipate visitors’ behaviors, your design will result in a more positive user experience. User journey maps will also help you with: More confident decision-making Journey mapping allows you to remove inefficiencies and mitigate risks as you visualize your customers’ experience. Website optimization Business owners can use user journey maps to influence visitors to click on CTAs and increase site conversions. It can also help them build an intuitive website structure that people feel comfortable navigating. How to create a user journey map With user journey mapping, you should understand who your visitors are, why they’re on your site, and what’s going to help them achieve their goals. The steps below will enable you to create a user journey map that anticipates your visitors’ needs and how they browse it: Get an app to help you map out your user’s journey Figure out who your ideal users are Create user personas Define the scope of the user journey map List the key phases and touchpoints Think about user goals and actions at each phase Make an empathy map for the user journey Anticipate problems along the journey Think about opportunities for optimization Collect data, review and revamp your journey maps 01. Get an app to help you map out your user’s journey While you could use a spreadsheet or a flow chart maker to create a user journey map, it’ll take more time than using a UX tool built specifically for user journey mapping. Use these tools to add and remove fields to your map, rearrange the steps and edit its visual appearance. Many times, you’ll have the option of starting from scratch or using a pre-made user journey template that suits your needs. 02. Figure out who your ideal users are When starting a business, you usually have a general idea of your target audience. User journey mapping goes further to discover your niche. Typically, you’ll find your ideal segment of users at the intersection of what you’re good at, what you’re passionate about, and where there’s a growing demand for what you do. Go ahead and fill in the blanks: Experience: _______________________ Passion: __________________________ Demand: _________________________ What sits at the intersection between all three? That’s your ideal customer. 03. Create user personas Once you’ve identified your ideal user, research them to better know who they are. Use your insights to create user personas that realistically communicate the people most likely to visit your site. User personas are fictional users who represent the needs, personality and goals of a larger archetypal user group. In addition to adding a “real” name and photo to user persona profiles, you’ll fill in details related to: Basic demographics Interests Professional or personal details Motivations Core needs Pain points Quotes that describe what they think or how they feel Many brands have numerous user personas. Create profiles for each of your target personas. When you’re done, choose one to start with and include them in your user journey map. If your brand is new or yet to launch, you might not have much existing data to pull from. You can use tools to learn about your ideal user, even if they’re not your current user: User interviews: Round up interviewees who represent potential users, and ask them questions related to your brand. Keep in mind that this information needs to help you learn more about your average or potential user, as well as what kind of online experience will encourage them to sign up. For example, What do you do for a living? Why did you start your business? Have you ever considered using a service like ours? Why? What would convince you to work with our services? Rank your top 3 reasons. Social media listening: Social media is a powerful tool when creating user personas, since it helps you know potential users more personally. By gathering data on what your target users talk about, you’ll understand what motivates them to engage with other brands and can apply that to your site as well. 04. Define the scope of the user journey map The more granular your user journey maps, the more precise your web design. You can (and should) create user journey maps for the different interactions customers have with your brand and your website. When mapping out the user journey for new visitors, focus on what their first site experience should look like as they discover more about your product. Once you have an initial interaction with a target user, build on it. With returnees, for example, think more about what long-term loyal customers want when they enter the site, such as checking out new products or rewards programs. Break down the scope of each interaction with the following details: User: This is a segment of our user persona. For example, “it’s a lead we targeted on Facebook.” Goal: What is the user’s goal during this particular visit? If the user found an ad advertising a discounted course, for example, their goal is to find out more about it. User Flow: Provide a basic summary of how you expect this interaction to go. For example, you anticipate that a user who landed on your site through a Facebook ad will want to first read more details and then purchase your product. What follows in the user journey map will help you figure out what’s needed on your website to increase the likelihood that they will complete their purchase at the end of the visit. 05. List the key phases and touch points By defining certain phases of the user journey, you’ll start visualizing in detail how users get to your site, why they arrived and how they’ll interact with it. Each phase outlined in your map should include the various touch points where these interactions happen. You can also think of these phases as your goals for their visit. Discovery: Visitors find your brand and site through a targeted Facebook ad. Video: Visitors are brought to a landing page of your site featuring a video that introduces your brand. Learn: Visitors read more information about what you do and what they’re going to get from your offering. Purchase: Visitors pay for your services with a simple two-step checkout process. Email phase: Visitors receive a “thank you” email with relevant details to get started and stay in touch. As you fill in this part of the user journey map, consider the following questions: What is the source of this website traffic? In other words, what lured in these users? You can optimize these off-site touch points to increase not only your quantity of traffic, but the quality of it, too. What is the first page they’ll see on your site? For this particular user journey, does it make sense for them to enter through the home page? Or is it better to take them to a dedicated landing page where they can focus on a specific product or service? Where should they end their journey? When considering the best (and most realistic) ending point for visitors, think about both their needs and your own goals. For example, after visitors learn about your brand, you probably want to take them straight to a purchase page with the goal of converting. However, what if a visitor isn’t ready to purchase? You can still hold on to that lead by leading them to sign up for your weekly newsletter. 06. Think about user goals and actions at each phase Now that you’ve mapped the various phases, write out the user's specific goals for arriving at this touchpoint and what actions they’ll take to achieve it. Objective-setting will help you understand what drives your users forward and anticipate what most visitors want to happen when they get to each stage. For example: Discovery: If I click this ad, I’ll see if this offer is as legitimate as it seems. Video: If I watch this video, I’ll get a high-level overview of this course. Learn: If I read through this page, the coach will address any doubts I have about this course. Purchase: If I click this “Buy Now” button, I’ll be directed to checkout. Email: If I open up my email, I can get started on the course right away. 07. Make an empathy map for the user journey A user’s emotions heavily influence their journey. If your website doesn’t elicit the right kind of emotional reaction—be it relief, joy, excitement, or something else—visitors might not end up where you want them to. A user journey map should reflect potential shifts in the user’s mood, behavior and thought process as they continue through each phase. This information allows you to determine the best way to use or influence that emotional state to help them accomplish their goals. An “Overall Sentiment” section can depict your user’s mood. You can describe these using text or visuals, including emojis and colors and descriptions to show how their feelings transform over the course of their journey. Additionally, a “Think & Feel” section is where you can write out quotes that represent how your users feel during each phase. To complete this part of the map, go back to the research you did earlier. Through user interviews and social listening, you should have some helpful soundbytes. Familiarize yourself with your users’ language so you can craft feelings that sound just like them. 08. Anticipate problems along the journey No website is flawless. Even leading brands that have been online for decades must consistently work on refining the user experience. Knowing this, add a “problems” section to your user journey map. This section helps you anticipate where your users may encounter friction, so you can solve these issues in the future. In some cases, it could relate to your web design. For instance, a lengthy checkout form might lead users to abandon your site. In other cases, the problem could be something larger—like a lack of brand reputation. Writing the problems that may keep users from moving to the next step, will help you critically consider and solve how to design your website around them. 09. Think about opportunities for optimization The “Opportunities” part of a user journey map is where you’ll hypothesize ways to optimize the user experience. Treat this section like a brain dump for all the things you can do to improve the user journey. Once you’ve got a list of ideas, you can look around for case studies and research to back up your hypotheses. Tap into what’s worked for others and load up your “Opportunities” section with data-backed ideas to improve your own users’ journey. 10. Collect data, review and revamp your journey maps Your initial research helped you get to know your users and how you can optimize your site for them. However, your live website’s data unlocks the next phase in designing the ideal journey. Once your site goes live, start monitoring traffic to measure your initial user journey mapping’s effectiveness. Identify the following data: The most visited landing pages on your website Which pages users most commonly visit next How the subsequent flow throughout the website looks Which areas of the site experience the greatest loss of users You can use website analytics or visualization tools to watch your user journeys play out in real time and historically, plus see what happens when different users enter your website. One last thing you can do at this stage is get feedback from actual users. By conducting user interviews, adding a feedback form to your site or running online surveys, you can gain real input about your site experience Once you’ve identified the problems along your designed user journey, return to your map and update it accordingly. This real user data can help highlight new opportunities and revamp your user journey, making solid, data-backed redesign decisions for your site far into the future.

When spearheading a new or updated content strategy initiative for your clients, it’s vital that you help them understand what’s driven their success in the past. That’s why content audits are such an important part of the content strategy process; it’s an opportunity to assess the value of each piece of content you currently have in your arsenal. Armed with this information, you can discard or revise outdated content, or craft a plan to fill gaps in your current content marketing offering. Looking to understand how to start a blog ? Get started with the Wix blog maker . How to run a content audit for your blog or website Focus on performing content Locate all the content and prioritize new work Catalogue by desired KPI and key topics Asses whether the content needs updating Use analytics to find out what is (and isn’t) performing on search Determine where new content is needed Build a plan for outdated content Schedule regular content health checks 01. Focus on performing content A content audit helps illuminate content that’s already working in your client’s favor, giving agencies the potential to improve the site’s performance before new content is even created. In fact, more than half of marketers say that repurposing existing content can be one of a brand’s most efficient content marketing tactics, according to a survey by SEMrush. It also singles out pieces of content that are cluttering up their website and SEO ranking so you can take immediate steps fix or remove them. Cleaning out a site’s low-performing content helps Google recognize it as a reputable, authoritative source which can lead to improved SEO and traffic. For example, when Ahrefs cut 31.7% of their content i n a recent audit and saw a 7.57% traffic increase in just 60 days. 02. Locate all the content and prioritize new work Depending on your company's content marketing journey thus far you might have just a few years of content to audit — or they might have a decade or more of material to wade through. Tackle the content from the past three-to-five years first, since it will likely be most relevant. See what content within that window best serves your key metrics. Prioritize those items and use them to model future content creation. When you look through the entire content inventory, you may find articles from before that five-year window that are still drawing traffic. Those pieces merit prioritizing along with the newer material. 03. Catalogue by desired KPI and key topics Identify which metrics matter most to your client’s audience, such as audience engagement, sales conversions or SEO. Then focus on the content that is best suited to boost those metrics. Some of it may already be performing well, and other content that’s currently underperforming might have the potential to become a success with a simple refresh. Once you solidify the type of data you are collecting why, use your audit to improve your client’s labeling and archiving process. Content should be easy to find and access by anyone on the content team who needs to use it. Create your audit spreadsheet with tabs that clearly label each data point. 04. Assess whether the content needs updating While some outdated blog posts will need to go, odds are there are plenty that can serve your goals — they just need a bit of sprucing up. Save your clients time and money by repurposing pieces of content that were prescient or performed very well and just need a few updates to keep them relevant. You may need to update stylistic aspects as well, in case your company's brand voice and terminology has evolved or shifted in the past few years. A few copy edits will ensure that older but still helpful content doesn’t sound dated or in the context of your brand's newer messaging and verbiage. 05. Use analytics to find out what is (and isn’t) performing on search Improve SEO by updating out-of-date internal links, optimizing your metadata and URLs, and tagging your client’s content. Look out for pieces that might be overstuffed with keywords or too short. This sort of content can still be very informative and beneficial to your client’s audience; it just needs a quick copy edit or expansion to perform better. Learn more about how to use Wix Analytics to audit your content. 06. Determine where new content is needed Are all key topics represented in your current content mix? Once you have a comprehensive inventory of your content and have made sure that their existing pieces are set up to best help them, you can structure your content strategy around the type of content that organically performs the best for them. For example, a developer of enterprise technology certainly should feature content that illuminates the need for the company’s products. At the same time, the company’s acquisition strategy will benefit from content that solidifies its industry expertise. To achieve that goal, your content plan might include a blog series that features company leaders’ take on the significance of recent news in enterprise tech. 07. Build a plan for outdated content For every piece of content you audit, ask yourself: Is this piece bringing traction? Should it be? If the answer is no, trash it. If it has potential, see if it would benefit from trimming away the excess, or if certain parts of the blog post might be beneficial in a different piece altogether. Revise, trash, or replace each piece of content with a fresh piece that can live under the same URL and capitalize on the SEO standing of the outdated piece. 08. Schedule regular content health checks While a thorough content audit will set you up to improve your content strategy, remember that it’s worth briefly analyzing any content library about once a year to make sure that an organization’s content strategy continues to align with its business goals. The best content in the world only works if the right people read it and it delivers the desired results, so set your clients up to ensure that their content is always working for them.

You might not hang a Piet Mondrian in your living room, but when it comes to web design “less is more” serves a different purpose. I’m not referring to minimalism as a design aesthetic but as the very foundation of your interface. From purveying a clear promotional message to designing effective navigation, minimalism plays an important part in your website’s structure. Plus, if you're looking for a website that proves your in-the-know, minimalist websites are a web design trend that keeps making its way back. When it comes to learning how to design a website in a minimalist style, a website layout that embraces minimalism is a useful approach to keep in mind. First build the structure – with clean lines and a good use of white space. Once you have your clearly built interface layout you can then incorporate your personal design concept. Remember that creating a website isn’t always about fancy techniques, too much sparkle and flashes can create a chaotic messy feeling and distract the eye. To help with this we've prepared some tips to get you started and with them, some great web design inspiration examples and web design statistics too. Preparing Your Layout Wix Rulers- A Quick Easy Design Grid You can build your design grid through Wix. Click on Arrange – Rulers, you can add as many rulers that you like by dragging them out of the main ruler. When you open a new page on your website, the grid will remain consistent with the original plan. It will help you organize your graphic elements as well as keep them aligned. To close the rulers, click on the small arrow on the top right. What’s on the Menu – The Navigation Bar Your site should include a navigation bar. Whether horizontal or vertical it should always appear on the top of the page in your website header , and be easily accessible from each section of the site. Always keep it visible, and if adding sub-menus for more detailed viewing, or even a hamburger menu (which would allow for more space on your homepage), make sure the visitor can find their way home. Check out how Ben Hulse uses the menu bar on his website: Adding a Menu on Wix: Click on Page Parts – Add Mini page. Click on “Add Menu”. You can choose between horizontal, vertical and thumbnail menus. Under “Menu Settings” you can play with the menu properties. Use the “Manage” and “Format” options to edit the text. Fun Tips and Tricks for Keeping an Organized Work Space: The alignment box, Ctrl-k or “Arrange”- alignment options. Grouping – by selecting two or more elements simultaneously a small box will appear on the top left. Clicking it will connect the elements allowing you to edit them together. The transform box – under “Arrange”- the transform box gives you the option to move graphic elements around accurately by the pixel. This makes it easy to design an accurate layout. Locking elements – Once you planned your web layout, locking each element into place will create an easy work flow. Keeping your work space organized and taking time to plan your layout will allow you to build your own great accessible website. Of course, always update your website in the future to keep it relevant for users, or opt for a website redesign when you feel it is necessary. And some thinking material for the weekend: “Things should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.”—Albert Einstein Learn more about how to make a website with our extensive guide.

American writer Sylvia Plath journaled about a terrifying experience of creative stagnation. “If I want to write, this is hardly the way to behave - in horror of it, frozen by it. The ghost of the unborn novel is a Medusa-head,” she accounted before going on to write her semi-autobiographical masterpiece, The Bell Jar . Creative professionals across different fields, be it fine arts or website design , often face a similar problem. All pumped up on motivation and ready to create something great, they are simultaneously unable to pursue this very same motivation. The artistic gifts, in their capriciousness, can one minute sweep us away with ingenuity, then drain us free of any speck of imagination, the next. There are many possible reasons for a creative block to surface, apart from the wavering moods of creativity. Those reasons range from the emotional (such as fear, self-doubt, and perfectionism), to personal or financial issues that get in the way of the creative work. If you’re facing an artistic recession of your own, read on for actionable (and comforting) tips for overcoming a creative block, and for getting back to the task at hand feeling inspired and rejuvenated: Take a step back Brave through a digital detox Find new sources of inspiration Allow time for self-care Work your way through it Play and experiment Surround yourself with other creatives 01. Take a step back Creative block can sometimes serve as a much-needed pause for contemplating the project, before going into the execution phase. Remember that even when you’re not producing any actual work, you might still be moving the project forward. When a project gets sluggish, you might feel inclined to distance yourself from the drawing board for a bit. This initial gut feeling has its benefits, because while you’re being seemingly inefficient, your mental wheels could still be hard at work, getting it all formulated and ready to go out into the world. In case you have a deadline breathing down your neck, you might not have the privilege of setting aside some time off. Nevertheless, feeling stuck might be a good reminder to dedicate some time, even as little as a few minutes, to think the project through before diving deep into it. 02. Brave through a digital detox There are plenty of beautiful social accounts and inspirational online resources to get your ideas flowing. And while the internet does have its ways of filling us with great insights and quality content, it also tends to feel overwhelming during a creative block. It’s therefore recommended to step away from your laptop, mute your phone and put it away for a set amount of time. A decent dose of digital wellness can help you clear your head and reduce feelings of FOMO. It can also relieve the constant measuring of your work in comparison to other professionals in your field, as we too often do. To make the most out of your time offline, consider going for a long walk outside, an activity known to boost your mood and get your mind working. Alternatively, you could opt for a mind-numbing chore that uses up very little of your inner creativity - the more repetitive, the better. Doing the dishes or cleaning the house will allow your mind to wander, at the end of which you might find yourself fresh with motivation. A visit to a design museum might also help put the fun back into inspiration for your work. 03. Find new sources of inspiration Keeping up with works by other creatives in your discipline is a commendable practice and a reliable well of inspiration. Yet during a creative rough-patch, seeing other people’s polished and completed works often results in self-criticism and frustration. Overwhelmed by too many best portfolio examples ? Instead, try opening up to different sources of inspiration. You could leaf through interesting magazines, design blogs , or exquisite graphic design books , and listen to some of the best design podcasts out there. Meet up with your creative community in events and conferences, or visit gallery and museum exhibitions. Note that it’s worth to look outside of your own creative discipline, too. As a ceramicist, you might look to fine art photography for a breath of fresh air. A typographer or illustrator might turn to film, indulging in the many graphic design movies or explore design magazines . 04. Allow time for self-care Feeling invested and caring about the things that we do is always beneficial for getting them done right. When it comes to creativity, this truth becomes evermore pressing. The act of making things is inherently linked to our psyche, subconsciousness, sense of self-esteem, and many other things that most people reserve for the psychiatrist's couch. As a result, our artistic endeavors are hard to summon on demand. This next remedy for creative block is possibly the most fun of all: take care of you. Pamper your body and soul with anything from a soothing spa day to a good workout and nutritious meals, to an especially long beauty sleep. These acts of self-kindness can boost your wellbeing, helping you focus better and be more productive. Your graphic design portfolio and work will be better for the time you take away to care for yourself. 05. Work your way through it Despite the above mentioned claims, creative work can also be just that - work. And in some cases, you simply have to apply yourself, commit, and grind your way through it. You might also find it helpful to listen to your favorite feel-good productivity music at this point. Make as many bad drafts and dull revisions as it takes and go down endless different routes until finally reaching the one that you kind of, sort of like. Once you have that much - keep working to refine it until it’s gold. 06. Play and experiment One way to make perseverance easier is by treating your project like less of a chore, and more like a chance to play and experiment. Try to let go of the pressures of creating something amazing, and replace effectiveness for curiosity. Think outside of the box and attempt weird, silly methods of approaching the brief that you’re not accustomed to trying. Have fun and explore your own creativity in ways that would ultimately surprise you. 07. Surround yourself with other creatives For freelance designers and other creatives who work independently, work can often be an extremely solitary affair. When coping with creative block, meet up with friends whose professional opinion you trust, for advice or a brainstorming session. You could also schedule to meet with a friend to work side-by-side on your separate projects, a practice that can help inspire and motivate you both. Connecting with your creative community can also contribute greatly to your productivity. Attend events that are frequented by people in your professional circle, not only to mingle and network as you journey towards becoming a freelance graphic designer - but also to reignite the spark and remind yourself of what it is that you love about doing what you do. By then, hopefully, inspiration will be an effortless outcome. Check out our full guide to how to make a website .

Getting lost in the never-ending maze of online design inspiration is not uncommon. Here’s a handpicked selection of some of our favorite Dribbble shots. Searching for website design inspiration can be a never-ending scrolling experience when learning how to make a website . After the initial delight and excitement about the wonders you may have found, your eyes can very quickly become glazed over and you find yourself sinking into a midday snooze. The overload of information can be overwhelming. That’s why we’ve decided to start a new series, picking out 12 beautiful Dribbble shots and focusing on a different area of design each time. First up – lettering and typography . Whether you’re an illustrator, UX or web designer, we’ve uncovered some real gems by talented international designers that will provide you with top-notch typography inspiration when it comes to choosing the best design and fonts for your website . And at the very least, some gorgeous eye candy. Pierre Kleinhouse This multi-talented illustrator, designer and painter creates works whose concepts are just a touch more complex than you may realize at first glance. This beautiful and seemingly playful piece in fact addresses serious world issues. Hint: other than taking a closer look at the content itself, take note of the word choice. Adrien Ghenassia There’s a real sense of rhythm in this illustrator and animator’s work. The graphics and motion work together wonderfully to create pieces that balance both a complete and sketchy feel. The use of grain, a prominent motion graphics trend, adds a sense of volume. Mat Voyce Multidisciplinary designer, Mat Voyce, creates designs that are both minimal and just the right amount of cute. The very subtle motion is all that is needed to tell a whole story and convey a sense of personality in the characters featured. Mario Sestak With big bold text and a simple and beautiful typeface, this animation is just right. This gif is a celebration of the sans-serif font NB International™ , whose design is inspired by Grotesk typefaces. The composition is perfectly balanced, with certain parts aligned, while others break the grid. And as for the color scheme – has the word “perfect” already been mentioned? SDCO Partners Is there anything about this piece that we don’t love? It seems that this multidisciplinary studio has nailed everything from the simple color palette, to the illustrations, the composition and the large serif font. The illustrations are reminiscent of botanical drawings or old cooking books, and the number descriptions create a scientific look and feel to the design. Tifa Zhou Say “hi!” to this talented digital experience and motion graphics designer, Tifa Zhou, who makes picking just one piece of work from her Dribbble account a tough job. Everything about this animation is spot-on, from the retro color palette, to the simple shapes and playful motion that brings it to life. Ben Kocinski Specializing in a range of design fields, from illustration, to lettering and branding, Ben Kocinski’s works are fascinating. They have a nostalgic, almost mystical feel to them. This piece seems to nonchalantly combine an array of detailed tattoo-like illustrations, with a range of fonts as well as hand lettering – all the while, keeping a sense of balance between the many elements and colors. Mathieu L.B Head here if you want to see a diverse range of works, from 3D motion graphics to illustrations and 2D pieces. Despite the different styles, the aesthetics of Matt’s Dribbble account is incredibly accurate. This surreal illustration presents the letter ‘U’ in an obscure and intriguing way. Jack Harvatt This animation is just a snippet of Jack Harvatt’s talents. With elements moving at different speeds, from the ball seeming to slowly roll, to the brick-like object flying across the screen, this piece of work really conjures up a sense of rhythm. It’s official – we love a classic sans serif on the move. Jacek Janiczak With such a minimal and accurate piece of work, it’s clear that this web and graphic designer specializes in logo design. The movement in this iconic animation is both surprising and engaging. It’s hard to keep your eyes away. Sail Ho Studio With gorgeous gradients like these, need we say more? This design collective successfully combines illustration with motion graphics to come up with visuals that evoke emotion, as well as involving a drop of humor. Bettina Stovne If ever there was eye-candy, this graphic designer and illustrator’s Dribbble account is just that. She’s clearly taken the time to curate her page with the utmost care, using a color palette of pastel shades. Looking at each work individually, it may take a while to uncover which number or letter it presents, but that’s definitely part of the fun.

August is just around the corner, and for many people all over the world this means that the office walls and the daily shifts are becoming less appealing than ever. It’s time for a vacation, guys! Who doesn’t want to just hop on a plane and head out to a dreamy resort somewhere? We gathered together a pretty bunch of website designs from the traveling and hospitality industry to prepare you for the vacation of your dreams. These are some of the best websites representing travel destinations, all created by Wix users across the globe. Have a look and you might find the next destination on your road map. Find something that inspires you? Then get planning with how to create your website , and choosing your website type . Don’t forget to pack sunscreen! Tequila Sunrise Villa >> Delphic Motion >> Camping Les Oliviers >> Dream Like Destinies >> Oliva Nera Sicilia >> Hotel San Fernando Plaza >> Malama Tours Hawaii >> Pousada Vila Do Sossego >> Natur Hostel Etxebarri >> Red Rock Hotel Group >> Schloss and Park Imbshausen >> Southern Rockies Camp >> Charlesworth Bay Penthouse >> Xplora Cancun >> TC Rental Home >> Traviling >> Voyages Andes >> Ontdek Valencia >> Ty Mamgoz >> Corsica >> Learn more about how to create a professional website .

We’re outrageously happy and equally proud to announce that Wix just went public and is officially trading on NASDAQ! This is a huge milestone in Wix’s history and in our development from a fledgling start-up into a company servicing over 40 million registered users worldwide. Following today’s events we feel more committed than ever to keep pursuing our vision: giving people the freedom to create and manage a dynamic online presence that is exactly the way they imagined it. In 2006, we started our endeavors by simplifying the web creation process. We have now grown Wix into a comprehensive solution that lets anyone run their entire business online. Let us take you through some of the happiest moments we experienced in NY today – This is our day at NASDAQ,  in photos: VP at NASDAQ OMX, David Wicks, delivering an official welcome message to Wix and offering the floor to Wix’s CEO, Avishai Abrahami Final note for the day: We’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of our users. We couldn’t have made it to this happy day if it wasn’t for your relentless support. Thanks for believing in us – we’ll continue to work hard to earn your vote of confidence, every day. **Stay tuned for more exciting updates on our  Facebook page  to see how Wix users played a big part on our NASDAQ festivities! You can also learn more with these 10 Wix essential tutorials . Make a website your way.

After you make a website , you might wonder what's the best way to drive traffic to it. You can explore many different avenues—for example, search engine optimization (SEO) and social media—but pay-per-click (PPC) is one of the quickest ways to get more users to your website. In this article, we’ll go over the essentials of PPC advertising and how it works, from the best platforms to use and how to conduct keyword research, to optimizing your campaigns. What is PPC? PPC is an online advertising model where marketers pay each time someone clicks on their ads via a search engine. Unlike organic methods of driving traffic to a site or webpage such as SEO, PPC focuses on the paid opportunities to get more clicks. When users type in a search engine query, the search engine results page (SERP) presents them with a list of links. The links at the top of the list are usually PPC ads, and if you click on one of them, the advertiser pays a fee for that click. Advertisers use pay-per-click ads to gather more leads, increase sales or simply increase awareness about their brand's product or services. Since the goal of PPC ads varies, the ads themselves can either target a set audience or budget or rank based on predetermined keywords. How does PPC advertising work? Since tons of companies and brands vie for clicks from the same users, PPC ads aren't as straightforward as clicking and paying. There's a method to it. Each time a user looks up a query on a search engine such as Google, an auction is triggered for advertisers like you to bid on the ad placement. This auction is based on set keywords and budget. The ad that wins the auction appears on the user's search engine results page (SERP), and if the user clicks on it, only then does the advertiser pay their bid on it. This whole process is done instantly on every search, so you need to have campaigns ready to enter into ad auctions—this includes creating the ad copy and setting a budget for the maximum you're willing to spend on each click. In the process, you’ll also choose relevant keywords which help determine how high the ad is placed. Running PPC ads isn't only about creating eye-catching ads that users will click on. You'll also need to ensure that when they land on the desired page, they stay there and act. SEO vs PPC: What’s the difference? While both SEO and PPC advertising use similar tools (e.g. keywords) to drive traffic, they’re not the same. As we mentioned earlier, SEO takes a free approach to driving each click, such as optimizing content so that it comes up naturally in a SERP. Pay-per-click, by contrast, relies on paid clicks to display ads to users. The cost isn’t the only difference between SEO and PPC. The amount of time it takes for the advertising method to kick in differs drastically. Since SEO is an organic strategy, you’ll need to build it up over time and it can take months to see traffic come to your site. With PPC, results are based on how much you’re willing to pay, so you’ll see them a lot quicker. That being said, advertisers shouldn’t choose between paid and organic ads, but rather apply both to their marketing strategy . If you’ve already done the keyword research for your SEO strategy, you can apply them to your PPC campaign as well and increase your chance of ranking on the SERP. On average, SEO advertising converts at a rate of 2.4% compared to PPC at 1.3% , so by using both methods, you can increase your conversion rate even further. Best PPC platforms Several PPC platforms exist, but for the most part, when we talk about PPC, we're referring to either Google Ads or Microsoft Advertising (Bing). Google Ads Advertising on Google needs no introduction, it's the platform of choice for advertisers who want to present their ads to the broadest possible audience. However, since 86.6% of people turn to Google to search for answers to their questions and to run their ads, it's highly competitive and Google ads can cost more than on other platforms. Microsoft Advertising While "Let me Bing that" doesn't have quite the same ring to it, Microsoft holds nearly a 3% share of the search engine market . The audience here isn't as wide, but that also means you'll spend less on clicks. Many advertisers turn to Microsoft Advertising as a secondary platform for their PPC campaign to cover more ground. Facebook Ads While we don’t traditionally think of the social network as a search engine, Facebook Ads allow you to run paid campaigns similarly to how you would on Google or Bing. Like Google Ads, you can also target a specific audience with Facebook, and the ads natively appear in users’ feeds. Since Facebook also owns Instagram, you can use this ad platform to run your paid campaigns on both social networks. Other PPC platforms Aside from the above three ad platforms above, you might want to consider bidding on platforms like: AdRoll RevContent Bidvertiser Amazon Ads Adblade BuySellAds Best practices for running PPC campaigns Below you’ll find some important tips and methods to keep in mind setting up a PPC campaign of your own. Conduct keyword research Arguably the most important part of creating your first PPC campaign is the keyword research. To start, focus first on specific terms that are relevant to your niche. Then, slowly start expanding to include less common terms that users still might search for. Useful tools like Google Keywords Planner , Ahrefs and SEMRush can help you save time at this stage. Be sure to look for short-tail, long-tail and relevant keywords. You want to end up with an expansive list of relevant keywords to target in your campaign. It's common to have a list of hundreds to work with. Research negative keywords as well, or those you don't want to rank for. Excluding negative keywords to your PPC campaign ensures that you don't waste your ad budget on clicks that won't bring you users with high intent. For example, if you own a small business that sells women's shoes, a negative keyword might be "men's shoes," since you don't want to pay for unnecessary clicks. Similarly, create a list of branded keywords that users might search for. Branded keywords are search terms that include your brand's name, a competitor's brand name or something similar (including common misspellings). With a brand like Nike, for example, branded keywords would include "Nike sneakers," "where to buy Nike," or even "Nik shoes." Set the right budget To begin the ad auction process, set a budget for each keyword. Your budget can determine whether or not your ad has a good chance of winning an auction, so research keywords thoroughly to make sure you're paying for those that will most likely garner clicks. When you decide which keywords you want to focus on, you'll set a budget for each keyword or ad group. This will be the maximum cost-per-click (CPC) amount of each bid. So, for example, just because you set your budget at $1.00 for a specific keyword doesn't mean you'll pay that for every click. You might pay $0.50 most of the time, but $1.00 is the most you'll pay. Create quality ads When running a PPC campaign, target the right keywords and ensure your content is relevant to the query. Aside from your maximum CPC, other factors determining whether your ad will show up on a SERP include quality score and ad rank. Your ad's quality score depends on how useful users have found your ad. The score itself is determined by a few different metrics, including the expected click-through-rate (CTR) of an ad, its relevance to the user's original search query and the quality of the landing page. The higher your quality score is, the less you're likely to pay per click. Similarly, an ad with a low-quality score can expect to pay more. Search engines often penalize low-quality advertisers, so if you have a low score, your ads may not even show up on a SERP. How to target your audience with PPC advertising With the right research and strategy, pay-per-click advertising can help you get target audiences to see your campaigns. Keywords aren't the only way to target your audience in PPC campaigns. You can also target other elements to further define your campaign, like: Device Geolocation Day and time Demographics Previous online activity By targeting your ads to be highly specific, you have a higher chance of someone seeing your ad at exactly the right time. For example, if you know your audience shops online from their phones in the evenings, and that they're between the ages of 25-45, you can set certain ad parameters to target those customers exactly. You can also use this strategy when it comes to retargeted ads. This means that if a customer clicks on your paid ad but doesn't make a purchase, you can show them different ad messaging or use another type of advertising , like display ads, to grab their attention. How to manage and optimize your PPC campaigns Running PPC campaigns as a "set it and forget it" model won't work; you need to regularly monitor and update your campaign to get the results you want. When setting your goals, choose key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure if your campaign yields desired results. To measure your ad campaign's success, decide on your goals in advance. Whether it's generating brand awareness, promoting a new product, or driving more website traffic—the metrics you use to gauge your campaign's success will differ. If your campaign doesn't perform as intended, try tweaking the keywords, reassessing your CPC budget, targeting different users or creating new ad groups. Optimizing your campaign involves trial and error to see what keywords users engage with, what time of the week or day they're most active, what ads cost you the most, and which ones bring you the most traffic. Overall, any advertiser's goal with a PPC campaign is to generate the best results with the lowest cost per click. Optimize your campaign with the following methods: Ensure your ad groups are organized so that you can see if they focus enough on the right keywords. You can also consider if you're using the right type of ad - there are so many, from native advertising to others. Remember to use clear UTM links to properly track your campaigns. Use ad extensions to display products, contact details or anything else that engages audiences. Constantly reassess your landing page to make sure it’s relevant, loads fast and provides an optimal user experience. Run A/B tests using different landing pages for the same ad or different ad copy for the same landing page. Always search for new keywords or variations to use that might have lower competition. Regularly research and add negative keywords to avoid wasting ad budget. Update your match types so that you can include more broad keywords that might have a lower CPC than an exact keyword.

“The night that Threads launched was an exciting time for social media managers…It was like the first day of school, when you’re trying to find your friends and decide where you’re going to sit at lunch.” Like many other community managers, Drew Balis sat at the ready when Threads dropped on July 5. In fact, Balis authored Wix’s first-ever thread, joining the 30 millions of others who signed up for the app in the first 24 hours—and the 150 million downloads amassed in the first week (already achieving one-fifth of X's [formerly Twitter] weekly active user base , according to TechCrunch). Its entrance into the world was unlike any app before it, and though the buzz has cooled since its launch, Threads marks a significant event in social media history. But what, exactly, is Threads? Why does the world still seem to be pinning their hopes on Threads as a potential replacement for the bird app? Looking for a website builder where you can centrally manage your activity on Instagram, X and other social channels? Create a website with Wix. What is Threads? Threads is Instagram’s new sibling. It’s a new social networking app developed by the Instagram team that mimics some of X's finest qualities—but, albeit, is much simpler in its current form. Much like X, Threads promotes sharing short text-based posts to participate in public discourse. “We are working toward making Threads compatible with the open, interoperable social networks that we believe can shape the future of the internet,” writes Meta , alluding to Threads’ unique connection with Instagram. Threads’ integration with Instagram may seem like a minor detail, or simply a logical move for two apps invented by the same parent company. In reality, this signifies a revolutionary shift in how social platforms are designed from the jump. The ‘dopamine’ effect Threads’ explosive debut was hardly an accident. For one, it was well-timed, says Balis. It entered at a time when people have become disillusioned with X. “I got the impression that when [X] ran into issues with bad press, Threads said, ‘Okay now is the time’ and jumped on the excitement, instead of waiting for a perfect product,” muses Balis. At such a volatile time for X users, Threads not only presented a more positive, controversy-free environment—but also provided a very easy way to get started. It opened the door, as Harvard Business Review reports, for unified social media identities. “Today’s top social media applications such as [X], Facebook, and LinkedIn are designed as ‘walled gardens’—self-contained ecosystems that lock users’ data inside the platform, and tightly control access,” notes HBR. “All of this helps social media platforms entrench their market dominance. Because it’s a pain to move to a competitor, users stick around even when their experience degrades.“ By contrast, signing up for Threads is as simple as a click of a button for Instagram users. Instagram followers are instantly added as Threads followers, giving early adopters a solid follower base to start out with. “It gave people a way to reconnect with old Instagram friends. In the initial hours of using Threads, it was a pleasant surprise to see names that I hadn't engaged with in years. I experienced that 'dopamine effect' that most of us have come to expect with social media.” - Drew Balis, social media manager at Wix Moreover, Threads’ association with Instagram had the power to dispel the usual doubts around safety when a new app is launched. "Being associated with Meta is a big reason that I've taken Threads seriously," shares Balis, whose typical day entails managing Wix’s X account. "When a company like Meta shows enthusiasm for a project, they tend to put their best foot forward and give it a real shot." While Threads' daily usage has dropped since its launch and questions about Threads’ user retention is circulating the web, Threads arguably remains a strong contender given its tie-in with Instagram, plus the rate at which it's being developed. Just two weeks after its launch, Instagram announced several highly requested features, including a "Following" tab and translations. Many suspect that once Threads adds more sought-after functionality, it stands to regain traction, especially amongst X users who feel alienated from the X platform. How do you sign up for Threads? If you’re also thinking of adding Threads to your marketing strategy , here’s a quick overview of how to get started. As noted earlier, getting started is simple, requiring just a few steps: Create an Instagram business account if you don’t have one already. Download the Threads app, which is available for Android and iOS. Open the Threads app and log in using your Instagram credentials. (If you have multiple Instagram accounts, you can switch between them and choose which one to use for Threads.) Once logged in, you can create your profile, which includes the standard social media account elements (profile photo, bio, links, etc.). You can import your exact bio and associated elements from Instagram or customize your profile for Threads. Note: you can’t change your username in Threads. Set your profile to public or private. Anyone on Threads can see public accounts, but private accounts are only viewable to approved followers. (Optional) Select your followers. You can select all of your followers from Instagram, or handpick a few. If you choose to follow any Instagram followers who aren’t yet on Threads, their status will appear as "pending" until they've joined. Can you delete your Threads account? It’s important to note that if you delete your Threads account, you will be required to delete your linked Instagram account, too. That said, you can always deactivate your Threads account without disturbing your Instagram activity. Alternatively, if you have second thoughts about Threads, you can make your Threads account private. Hopefully Meta will sever the dependency between the two apps at some point, the way they do with Facebook and Instagram, but we’re not there yet. Threads vs. X (formerly Twitter): how the two stack up The source of hot debate right now: Is Threads truly an alternative to X? It’s too soon to say, says Balis. Threads still has a ways to go before it can unseat X—and X itself is still reeling from an advertiser exodus and other, put lightly, changes. However, billionaire mismanagement aside, both platforms have their merits. Here are some of the biggest differences and similarities to date: Core functionality : Both X and Threads allow users to share short updates that include text, images and video. They're like an online town square where you can post your thoughts and interact with others through reposts or likes. Timeline/feeds : X offers several different ways to track new content (e.g.,the algorithmic "For You" and the chronological "Following” feed). And as of July, Threads offers both an algorithmic feed (that, anecdotally, liberally shows branded content) and a "Following" feed. Character limits : X allows non-premium users to write tweets that are up to 280 characters long (meanwhile, X Blue users with paid subscriptions can post up to 25,000 characters ). Threads gives all users up to 500 characters for each post. Video limits : On X, non-premium users can post videos up to two minutes and 20 seconds long, while X Blue subscribers can post videos up to two hours long . Threads allows all users to post videos up to five minutes long. Desktop and mobile versions : X offers both desktop and mobile interfaces—a useful perk for social media managers—while Threads only offers a mobile experience. Searchability : X has a robust search feature that allows you to search tweets for specific words, phrases or hashtags. You can filter search results by various criteria like date range or language. Currently, Threads has no search function, which means that it doesn't support hashtags. Account creation : X offers a standard account creation process, whereas Threads offers a more instant experience, provided that you already have an Instagram account. Account deactivation and deletion : You can deactivate your account at any time on either platform. However, should you decide to delete your Threads account, you'll also have to delete your Instagram account. With X, you can deactivate your account, and it will be permanently deleted after 30 days if you don't reactivate it by logging in. Community : X's greatest strength is arguably its mature community, with active engagement around pop culture events (like the Grammys), news and interests (like SEO). By nature of being a new platform, Threads has yet to develop that level of community. So, is Threads worth your time? Despite its infancy, Threads is not something to be ignored. If you’ve already got an Instagram marketing strategy , then Threads could be a welcome addition. “I wouldn't recommend neglecting one platform for another,” says Balis to businesses that have an existing X account. "But if you're a young company without an established [X] account, then I'd argue it's more beneficial to focus on Threads. Strive to make an impact and establish yourself as a leader there, rather than trying to build from zero to 500 on [X] where it’s noisy." Balis additionally recommends factoring in your audience: If you're a B2B company whose appeal is discussing hot-button issues and engaging in those conversations, X might be a better fit because of its mature community and search capabilities. On the other hand, if you're a B2C company aiming to reach end customers with a physical product, Balis suggests leaning towards Threads. In these early days, it’s easier to stand out on Threads—with brands even attesting to receiving eight times more likes on Threads than they would on X. And, if this is the direction you choose to go, you can (and should) start simple. Repurpose your top-performing content from other platforms rather than creating Threads content from scratch. Combine your standout text posts and one-liners from X with your most engaging photos from Instagram. “Test, learn and have fun,” encourages Balis. “I think the best way to learn any social platform is to simply use it. Think of it like learning chess in your spare time. You can read about strategies all you want, but you won't truly understand them until you try them out in a game.” Examples of early Threads adopters It’s no surprise that celebrities and brands like Wendy's are already making their presence known on Threads. For inspiration, here are a few of our favorite Threads so far. Wendy’s Wendy's response to an ego battle between Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg involving their presence on Threads received over 23,000 likes and 900 replies within three days of posting. True to its reputation, Wendy’s fills its feed with witty, humorous posts. Anthropologie American retailer Anthropologie used a popular social media marketing strategy to gain new Threads followers and engagement—a giveaway. They promised to give out gift cards to users with the best Threads-inspired puns , which yielded some delightful banter. Tom Brady One of Balis’ personal favorites—the legendary quarterback posted a video of his mic-drop chant “We’re still here” to celebrate Threads’ three-day anniversary. The post seems to express what many of us are wondering in the back of our minds: Will Threads come out victorious? Or, will the hype fade in the likes of BeReal and Google+? What’s next for Threads? By any measure of digital achievement, Threads is impressive. (Consider that the 100 million sign-ups Threads received in just five days took X two years to reach.) In Balis’ eyes, Threads has the potential to last. One month in, it’s not so much a matter of if Threads will replace X, but how the two will coexist. “It doesn’t have to be—and likely won’t be—a knockout fight. They can both be prominent players. But many people will likely gravitate towards Threads to escape things that they don’t like about [X]. Threads just needs to be ready and invest its time into building a community that rivals that of [X]'s.”

Businesses of all types share a common goal: to make revenue. In order to do so, they need to reach prospective clients who might be interested in or can benefit from their product or service. As an entrepreneur, writing a proposal is one way to close the gap between you and your potential customers. At any stage of your business, from creating a business website to building a customer base, it’s crucial to effectively persuade people that what you’re offering is the best solution in your market. When starting a business , you want to stay one step ahead of the competition. We’ve created a complete guide on how to write a business proposal, as well as a list of the best practices to consider when crafting your own. What is a business proposal? A business proposal is a document written by a business that’s designed to convince a prospective client to award them a particular job contract, or to use their services. For example, a photography agency might submit a proposal to a firm that’s looking to get new company headshots. The proposal can be as short or as long as necessary to successfully communicate relevant information. Unlike a business plan (see our guide on the types of business plans ), which serves as a roadmap for how to structure, operate and manage a business, a proposal is created to help sell your offerings and reach new clients. Although there are three types of business proposals to consider, they all address the same points: what is the problem at hand, what is the proposed solution and how much does it cost. The different types of business proposals are: Formally solicited proposals are made in response to an official request - either verbal or written - by prospective clients. Most businesses prefer using RFPs (request for proposal), which is a document sent to another organization asking it to submit a business proposal. If your company is solicited a proposal, you’ll have the advantage of receiving all the vital information that the client is looking for, so you can write up a solid proposal. Informally solicited proposals are those that have been requested by prospective clients, although unofficially. They may come up in the setting of a casual conversation or meeting. If your company receives an informally solicited proposal, the preliminary research about the client will be done by you, unlike what happens during formally solicited proposals. Unsolicited proposals are sent to potential clients even though they don’t request one. Unsolicited proposals are comparable to a popular sales technique known as cold calling, in which a seller contacts a potential buyer who hasn’t previously shown interest in their offering. Implementing extensive market research , however, can help turn an unsolicited proposal into a personalized bid for your prospect client’s active attention. How to write a business proposal Start with a title page Create a table of contents Make your case with an executive summary Sketch out the problem in question Offer a solution Introduce your team Add pricing options Outline your terms and conditions Make room for signatures 01. Start with a title page Whether you’re starting a business or expanding an existing one, your business proposal's title page serves as an important anchor. Here you’ll introduce the fundamentals. List your name, business name and company logo, as well as the client’s name and contact information. Add the date the proposal was submitted and a compelling title to distinguish your business from the rest. Keep in mind good writing and grammar rules, such as capitalizing the letters in names and titles. Stay consistent with the formatting of all contact information and dates. In your layout, think about how you can help the most important elements stand out. The title should be front and center, followed by your name, company name and logo. People are drawn to aesthetically pleasing design, so make sure your title page is attractive to the eye and that it falls in line with your message. One way to do this is with typography or the visual aspect of type. When typing in your text, try to make it appealing and legible by carefully selecting the right alignment or font size. Choosing a specific typeface or font pairing can visually set the perfect tone for your proposal. For example, if you work in the publishing industry, then you may want to use American Typewriter to highlight your expertise. 02. Create a table of contents The average attention span for a person is down to eight seconds . That gives you just enough time to transmit a few words to someone else. To make your proposal easier for skim reading, consider adding a table of contents. That way, readers can easily navigate through different sections. Think of a table of contents like a cheat sheet in outline form. It lets your potential client know exactly how to find everything in your document. The table should mention all the main components of your business proposal, from the executive summary and pricing to the terms and conditions. When crafting a digital proposal, you can create a clickable table so that your reader will have the ease to revisit each section and quickly search across multiple pages. 03. Make your case with an executive summary In your proposal, the executive summary serves as a high level overview of your business. Explain why your business offers the best solution to a prospective client’s problem or issue. Use direct language that is persuasive and communicates all your key points clearly and eloquently. Take the time to talk about your business by writing a mission statement and vision statement and outlining the specific benefits clients can expect from your product or service. Articulate this by showcasing any milestones in your career, such as new customers a month or reaching a significant number of sales. 04. Sketch out the problem in question You want to show that you’ve got your customer’s best interest at heart. With that said, be sure to establish that your company truly understands the problem at hand. In order to do so, use clear and concise language to address the issue in question. You can explain in simple terms what difficulties your client is facing or what exact problem is holding them back. Readers will be able to better see themselves reflected in your proposal if you explicitly show their concerns are integral to the solution you’re offering. Additionally, you might also point out an issue that a potential customer hasn’t been made aware of, indicating a solid awareness of their needs. This can lead to forming a strong relationship with your prospective customer and gain their trust. 05. Offer a solution This section of your business proposal is about how you plan to address the client’s problem. Here, you’ll need to clarify the “how” and “when” of your proposal while avoiding industry jargon that may obscure any type of reader’s comprehension. At this stage, you’ve reviewed the challenges the client faces and showed you’ve got the best intentions to help them. Now, you’ll want to translate these approaches into a strategy. When laying out your offering, you may want to include a timeline detailing when each part of your plan will be taken. That way, the client knows when to expect what you’ve promised to deliver. For example, if you’re running a coaching business, you can walk the prospective client through each step of your proposed solution, from a pre-consultation meeting to the wrap-up session. 06. Introduce your team Now that you’ve addressed your potential client’s main priorities and your solution, the prospective customer is ready to spend some time getting to know your company in depth. Whether you’re a team of one or many, it’s important that the client identifies who the experts are. Feature your staff with their names and headshots, alongside their company titles and short bios. You should highlight details such as education levels, awards, industry-specific training and any other relevant background. Having an About Us section is not only a great space to introduce your team, but it also strengthens credibility and builds trust. For example, incorporating testimonials from satisfied customers helps boost your business’s reputation. This section is the perfect transition to telling the unique story behind your brand and talking about your business’s values, vision and goals. 07. Add pricing options You want to avoid any confusion when it comes to money. Creating a pricing table can bring clarity and accuracy to different payment options for each product or service that you're offering. This also lets potential customers quickly find what they are looking for and immediately see how much it will cost them. An organized structure like a table, where options may be viewed side-by-side, is also a great way to draw attention to your most important offerings and increase your chances to upsell. 08. Outline your terms and conditions Clarify what you and your client are agreeing to if they accept your proposal. This is where you want to specify formalities such as the duration of the business deal, payment dates and methods, the project timeline from start to finish, and the cancellation policy. Any necessary permits or licensing must be added in the section, too. It is highly recommended to consult with a member of your company’s legal team or an external lawyer to go over this section before finalizing your proposal. 09. Make room for signatures Conclude with a signature box for clients to sign and make it official that they are committing to your business proposal. Make sure to include a line for the signing date. Consider including a friendly prompt for the client to reach out to you in case they have any questions, accompanied by your contact information. For digital proposals, set up an e-signature field and make contact details clickable. Best practices for writing a business proposal Each section of a business proposal is composed of many components. To make the process easier, we’ve handpicked a few tips to get you started: Use visual content - From charts and graphs to photographs and illustrations, visual content can be used to enhance any proposal. Use images to better explain and highlight crucial information so the potential client doesn’t miss a thing. Embrace quantitative data - At the core of any decision-making process is data-driven research. Statistics such as demographics, market size, monetary figures and more can enrich our understanding and help validate your claim. Take it online - A digital proposal makes it easy for you to share it and get feedback. You can include audio clips, hyperlinks and videos to keep readers engaged, making the content more enticing. In case your proposal is meant for the eyes of individual clients only, you can password protect it to keep the content gated. Watch out for typos - Your proposal is a reflection of your business. It should look professional and polished. Proofread the final version of your proposal before it is sent off and watch out for any spelling mistakes and bad grammar. Remember your brand voice - Your brand is the way your business is perceived and what sets it apart from the competition. Stay true to your brand identity and values throughout your proposal. Maintain a cohesive tone and style of communication, whether that means being technical, playful or anything else. Implement a call-to-action - After reading your business proposal, a potential client should know what to do next. By using a persuasive call-to-action (CTA), you’ll be able to prompt your audience to perform a certain act or follow the final step to sealing the deal. ‘Join now’ or ‘contact us’ are good examples of strong CTAs.

Chasing clients? Forget about it. The modern freelancer has so many options to find work online (see our guide on what is freelancing ). On these following job boards, the digital creative can access leads to dozens of open positions. These boards are especially designed to fit the needs of the self-employed. Some display listings for all kinds of different professions, while others focus on a specific field (such as Wix Designers ). If you’re looking to expand your clients’ base and to increase monthly revenues, browsing through these boards is a great way to land more gigs regardless of whether you're just working from home or as a digital nomad . If you know more sites that can help the freelance community, feel free to share in the comments! And of course, another great way to turn your freelance ideas into gigs is to learn how to create a freelance website (or how to start a service business ). Read Also: How to start a business General Job Boards Authentic Jobs Web Pro Jobs Krop Upwork Freelancer.com Freelancers Union Simply Hired Your Web Job Go Freelance Design, Animation, Art The Wix Marketplace Coroflot Smashing Magazine Abduzeedo Design Crowd Blogging & Content Pro Blogger Online Writing jobs Freelance Writing Freelance Writing Gigs Blogging Pro

Starting a new business requires money. From manufacturing products, marketing your services to creating a business website , you’ll soon learn that nearly every step of the way, you’ll need capital to back up your growth plans. That said, most entrepreneurs cannot finance their businesses themselves. Instead, many small business owners learn how to get a startup business loan to secure additional funding. Even if you've managed to raise money for your business from other sources, such as crowdfunding , you'll generally need a loan to supplement this. While there is an array of business loans out there, finding the right option for you doesn’t have to be hard. If you want to get a loan, you must determine which one suits you and if you will qualify for this type business funding before you search for lenders and apply. Understanding the expectations can simplify the process, helping increase your chances of approval. This complete guide will go over how to get a business loan, help you evaluate which loan you qualify for and delve deeper into the different types of loans being offered today. How to get a business loan: Understand what type of business loan you need Check that you qualify for a business loan Research potential lenders Gather financial and business documents Apply for a business loan 01. Understand what type of business loan you need Taking out a loan is one of the most popular ways to raise money for a business , but the process can daunt first-timers. The market offers many different business loans, and not every loan suits every type of business. Term loans Term loans refer to the most classic loan type. This business loan can come in almost any amount. You borrow a lump sum for a specific purpose and then you pay back the loan, with interest, in equal installments, over a predetermined time period. Your financial situation will determine the terms of this loan, including interest rates and payment periods. Existing businesses may rely on their financial history when applying for a loan, while newer business owners may have to offer up their personal financial standing. Term loans often require collateral, such as real estate or other assets, which the lender can claim if you fail to make payments. Repayment on term loans usually starts immediately, as well. Banks and private lenders both offer term loans. Banks will require a high credit score and offer varying interest rates and loan terms. Private lenders will typically accept lower credit scores in exchange for high interest rates and short repayment periods. Government-backed SBA loans U.S.-based small businesses can apply Small Business Administration, or SBA loans . Private lenders provide these loans, but the federal government backs them, meaning they will repay the lender if the loan recipient fails to do so. Lenders usually provide better rates and more lenient loan terms. The SBA loans, however, require a lengthy and rigorous application and approval process. These loans also require collateral. While the government ensures repayment to the lender, they require you to risk your personal assets in return. Some common SBA loans include: 7(a) loans of up to $5 million. 504 loans of up to $5 million. Microloans of up to $50,000. The SBA offer additional loan options for purposes such as exporting, international trade or disaster relief. SBA loans offer relatively long terms, with up to 10 years on loans for working capital or equipment and 25 years for real estate. Similar to term loans, SBA loans also require some financial history, so not all loan options are available to new businesses. See the SBA requirements to check your eligibility. Business line of credit or credit cards Credit differs from traditional loans as it acts more like a personal credit card. Rather than receive a lump sum upfront that you’ll pay interest on, you’ll gain access to a line of credit and only pay interest on money you’ve used. Many view credit as a simpler, safer and more flexible option than a fixed-term loan. Many can easily acquire them from a wide range of lenders and they often don’t require collateral. Businesses usually use credit lines for short-term financing, rather than long-term projects. Although credit varies in size and terms, many lenders cap financing around $250,000. Some creditors may still require some business financial history. So new businesses may come across difficulties getting credit from a bank. Businesses can secure a line of credit or, if they don’t qualify, they can opt for a credit card to cover ongoing expenses, which are easier to get but incur higher rates and fees. Personal loans New businesses often face difficulties when securing a loan. Many new business owners take out a personal loan to work around this. These are similar to term loans in that the owner pays the lender back in fixed installments. Most personal loans are unsecured, so you won’t have to put up collateral. They’re typically unrestricted as well, so you can do whatever you like with the money you receive. Personal loans attract many types of entrepreneurs for their quick, flexible and relatively easy qualifications. However, personal loans may be a riskier option than a business term loan which offer a legal buffer. You’ll need to put your credit score on the line and assume a personal loan’s risk. Microloans New eligible businesses that need less than $50,000 can take out microloans from the SBA or other lenders. Many NGOs offer microloans to businesses that focus on issues like education, equality, or the environment. 02. Check that you qualify for a business loan All businesses need operational funds, but not every business can secure this funding with a loan. To get a business loan, you’ll need to consider your financial history, credit store, collateral options, and line of business. Make sure you understand your desired loan’s terms and conditions before applying. How new is your business? Every lender will want to know your business’ financial and operational history. New entrepreneurs may find it more difficult to get a loan. If those starting a new business can rely heavily on their own financial history, they will have a better chance of getting a personal loan. New businesses may also have luck applying for a business credit line or credit cards for short-term financing, as they pose less of a risk for lenders. How high is your credit score? No matter the type of business loan, all lenders will want to take on as little risk as possible and recoup the costs. They’ll want to see your financial situation before lending. Generally, the better your credit score, the better terms you’ll receive on your loan. On the flip side, if lenders see you as a higher risk, they’ll require a larger collateral, shorter return periods, and higher interest rates. To get a traditional business loan, you’ll need a good credit score. Generally, a bank or SBA loan requires a minimal credit score of 680. If you have a lower credit score, you may still secure a loan, but you will have more limited options and stricter terms. If your credit score falls within the 600-680 range, you may want to consider alternative lending options, such as a term loan from an online lender, or a line of credit. Credit scores below 600 make it more difficult to get a loan, especially if you’re a new business without a proven track record. However, you may still receive credit or other short-term loans. What is your line of business? While your line of business may seem irrelevant when getting a loan, lenders view some fields as more precarious or profitable and will consider this when determining risk. That said, even if your history or personal finances lock you out of certain traditional lending options, you can work with lenders who operate solely in your field. Additionally, some NGOs or private entities also provide financial assistance to businesses working on certain causes, like sustainability, human rights or environmental concerns. Do you have a detailed business plan? While lenders dig into financial histories, they’ll also want to consider your business’s future when determining risk. To secure a business loan, you’ll need a thorough business plan that calms lenders’ nerves and ensures that you’ll pay them back. A proper business plan includes expense and revenue projection, preferably broken down monthly or quarterly. It should also include a detailed description of your operation, marketing strategy and even a market analysis. Can you provide collateral? Some lenders will require you to provide an asset as collateral to ensure they receive their money back. If you fail to pay back the loan, the lender will assume ownership of this provided asset. Collateral can include assets such as real estate, equipment, inventory or cash. Collateral may also decrease the lender’s risk, and potentially provide you with better loan terms. While you can receive a loan without collateral, your lender may require you to sign a personal guarantee that offers your personal assets as collateral. To lessen your personal risk, you should ensure you can pay back a business loan before taking one out. 03. Research potential lenders These days, many lenders approach businesses offering different loan types, amounts, terms and requirements. Many consider commercial banks like Citibank and J.P. Morgan as the most traditional business lenders. If you qualify, they can provide decent terms for business or personal loans of all sizes. However, the approval process often tends to be longer and more rigorous than other lenders.Small businesses can also approach local banks for smaller loans. Many local community banks will give out loans with favorable terms to local businesses. Online lenders have also become one of the most popular ways to get a business loan, especially for new businesses. Many sites let you compare options and connect with different lenders offering different terms. Generally, the easiest application process comes from direct online lenders. Businesses may also want to check out peer-to-peer lending for smaller loans. Platforms such as SMBX connect small businesses with private lenders and investors offering lending options. 04. Gather financial and business documents Regardless of your chosen loan type, amount and lender, you’ll need to organize your paperwork before you apply. Your lender will ask you for common documents like bank statements and tax returns for your business or personal accounts. You’ll also need to provide credit reports, though most lenders can access your credit report on their end. If you already run an established business, you’ll need to provide financial statements, including a balance sheet and cash flow statements. New businesses can’t provide these, and instead may need to provide a detailed business plan with financial projections. Lenders will also want to see legal documents like your federal tax ID, state filings, etc. Some lenders may ask you to include additional information, like potential collateral, or require a certified public accountant (CPA) to review or audit your statements. 05. Apply for a business loan Before you approach your chosen lender, ensure you know your desired loan type and size, as well as the intended purpose. Once you’ve organized all your information, you can confidently apply for a loan. If your lender approves you, you’ll need to understand the terms and agreements before you commit. You’ll also need to know what reports you must file, any imposed restrictions (e.g. like a minimum cash threshold your business needs to hold), and the circumstances the lender considers as defaulting on the loan. Note the interest rate and any additional feed, the payment duration and installments as well as any penalties, like those for early payment. Finally, before entering an agreement with any lender, you should complete your due diligence and confirm their reputation within the industry and with clients. By Emily Shwake Wix Blog Writer