Search results

Marketers today face the challenge of information overload: with dozens of different channels to choose from and new forms of digital marketing emerging all the time, it can be tricky to cut through the clutter to directly reach an audience. Consumers, too, have endless branded ads to sift through day after day. That makes reaching and engaging them more involved than simply creating a website and social media accounts and waiting for customers to find them. If you’re restricted by a budget when it comes to promoting your website or business, this becomes even more challenging. That’s where integrated marketing comes in. With integrated marketing communications, brands can relay their messages across various channels in a way that’s engaging, consistent and doesn’t break the budget. Let’s take a closer look at what it means, how you can create your own integrated marketing strategy and some examples of how other brands have done it right. What is integrated marketing? Integrated marketing is a strategic approach for promoting your products or services in a consistent way across multiple channels and touch points. The goal is to ensure that all marketing efforts work together to create a cohesive and impactful experience for your consumer. Integrated marketing may involve a variety of channels including online ads, social media marketing , direct marketing, PR or even TV commercials. By grouping your marketing ideas into one campaign or coordinated effort, you can enjoy an easier time generating leads and creating a strong brand identity. Discover more types of marketing: Digital marketing , Affiliate marketing Key elements of integrated marketing In a nutshell, integrated marketing typically strives to achieve a few things: Consistent brand messaging in which your messaging on one channel isn't wildly different from your messaging on another. This applies to everything from your brand voice to your core values. This makes it similar to mass marketing too. Coordinated marketing efforts that involve various types of content and marketing channels, giving you multiple ways to reach your consumers. Customer-centric approach in which your customers' needs come first and guides your strategy. Data-driven decision making , which means that you're not relying on gut feeling but rather letting real-time and historical data inform your decisions. Cross-channel collaboration in which your team members are working together to establish a unified front. Learn how to build a smarter approach with an effective AI content strategy . How to develop a winning integrated marketing strategy It’s important that you develop a strategy before implementing integrated marketing for your brand. You’ll need to plan out certain aspects in advance, such as getting to know your audience and choosing which marketing channels to focus on. Here’s how you can get started. Pin down your campaign goal Get to know your target audience Define your brand’s unique selling proposition Outline your marketing communication methods Decide who owns which channel Build reusable assets Set and analyze metrics 01. Pin down your campaign goal You probably have a reason for seeking out a new marketing strategy right now. Maybe you’re launching a new product, rebranding or trying to reach a new audience. Whatever your reasoning is, you’ll need to set your goal in order to be able to build an efficient integrated marketing strategy. This reason will point you towards your goal. For example, if you have a new product, your goal might be to make consumers more aware of it and drive conversions. Knowing what you want as your end result will help you build your integrated marketing communications more effectively. It will also help you define key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure your progress, and to identify when you need to make a pivot. 02. Get to know your target audience For a strategy that's based on communication and building a relationship with your audience, getting to know our audience at a deep level is imperative. A good place to start is to build a buyer persona that, together with your campaign goal, will steer you in the right direction. To do so, begin by answering some of these questions: Who is in the target demographic? (Be specific, look at data like gender, age, location, and interests) What’s important to my target audience? What is the problem they are looking to solve? Which platforms do they use the most? How do these people prefer to communicate with the brand? Depending on the goal of your integrated marketing campaign, you might want to tweak your buyer persona to be unique to each channel and consider market segmentation . At this stage, it also helps to map out the customer journey to the best of your ability. Use the data at your fingertips—such as Wix Analytics —to track the current behaviors and entry points of your existing customers. Start developing a hypothesis around the value of each marketing channel, and how individual touch points work together to convert your customers over time. Along the same lines, plan a way to proactively re-engage leads across channels. Determine at which points you should be sending them product offers as opposed to educational materials (as an example), and in what formats. 03. Define your brand’s unique selling proposition Your unique selling position is what sets your business apart from the competition. When it comes to developing your marketing integration strategy, learning where your brand stands in the market will allow you to pinpoint unique areas to focus your campaign. Take your time performing competitive research, talking with your customers and consulting your team to understand where your brand shines. Find proof to back up your claims. For example, if one of your brand's pillars involves selling ethically sourced products—list out how you're doing this (e.g., "locally grown products"), as well as any social proof (e.g., any sustainability certifications you've earned). This ensures that your messaging has substance. From here, you can look to create a brand messaging doc or other guidelines that can be used by all of your team members, no matter which channel they manage. 04. Outline your marketing communication methods Your marketing communication method dictates how and where you’re distributing your campaign. A common mistake is to start by choosing which channels to focus on before outlining why they're important or validating that they matter to your audience. As you address this stage of your marketing plan , ask yourself: Where do your customers spend their time? Going back to your audience research, which channels—online or offline—are a majority of your customers already using? Consider whether your brand is missing out by not being present or more active on these channels. What channels are already valuable to you? What channels have worked for you in previous campaigns? Do you have more experience with one channel over another? It can be helpful to start with channels that you're already familiar with, and to use them as a baseline for newer channels. What is the goal of each channel? Every marketing channel should have a defined purpose. Avoid taking a spray and pray approach, and instead, know why you're choosing to engage on those channels and how you plan on tracking success. 05. Decide who owns which channels As you're coordinating your multichannel marketing efforts, you'll want to appoint clear channel managers. This ensures that all channels are accounted for, and that someone on your team is specifically responsible for becoming an expert on each channel. Trends and behaviors are changing all the time—so your channel managers should find ways to stay up to date, plus measure success. They should additionally monitor activity on their respective channels, ensuring that any content that goes out jives with your branding guidelines. 06. Build reusable assets Arm your team with messaging docs, graphics, videos, blog posts—or even templates—to help spread brand awareness across all channels. Keep in mind that one asset can be repurposed in multiple ways. For example, a three-minute YouTube video could be cut into shorter soundbites for Instagram, X or other social media channels. That same video could be converted into an audio file, or embedded and quoted in a blog post. Similarly, a blog post could be turned into a video, presentation or downloadable e-book. The idea: work smarter, not harder. Rather than developing unique assets for every single channel, see what you can reuse from other channels. Better yet, identify and repurpose your top-performing assets. See how behaviors vary across platforms or audiences and use that to inform your future decisions. Learn more about how to create a landing page.   07. Set and analyze metrics The goals you set initially will help determine the metrics you follow throughout your campaign. For example, you might look at social media brand mentions, website conversion rate, or an increase in engagement. When using multiple channels, you should analyze the results from each separately to gain an accurate picture of how your campaign is performing on different platforms. The metrics for each platform might be different as well, so you’ll likely need to set multiple KPIs to accurately measure the results of your integrated marketing communications. This step doesn’t only need to be done after your campaign is released, but can be tracked throughout in order to test different messaging and determine areas for improvement. Analyzing your campaign’s results will not only help you strengthen its performance, but also teach you how to optimize similar ones in the future. 5 successful integrated marketing campaigns Sometimes the best way to learn is to see how others have done it before you. Check out these iconic marketing campaigns for inspiration. Geico: The Gecko Geico used a common mispronunciation of its brand’s name and ran with it, using an anthropomorphic gecko in its ads. This is a good example of how to get creative with integrated marketing. Geico did more than just using the same tone or aesthetic, it created a mascot that relayed the brand’s story and message, all while using humor to draw people in. The campaign paid off, and resulted in a sales boom for Geico between 2002 and 2007 , rendering it the fastest-growing auto insurance brand. GoPro: Be a Hero Campaign In order to advertise its durable action Hero cameras, GoPro launched the ‘Be a Hero’ campaign that turned its users into brand ambassadors. People submitted user-generated content like footage of themselves using their cameras doing everything from extreme sports to everyday things, like swimming in a pool. GoPro used the “Be a Hero” messaging across multiple channels: in TV ads, on billboards, social media, and in digital communications. The campaign resonated with so many since it evoked the idea that with a GoPro camera, anyone could be a hero, an idea that helped the brand reach a whole new audience. Domino’s: AnyWare Campaign To draw attention to how easy it is to order a pizza from Domino’s, the company launched its ‘AnyWare’ campaign, which allowed customers to order via text, tweet and even on smart devices like watches, TVs, and voice-activated AI devices like Alexa. In order to do this, customers had to set up a pizza preference profile online to ease quick ordering. Domino’s used integrated marketing to push this campaign on social media, TV ads, and press releases with the goal of driving traffic to its website to learn more about quick ordering. The pizza giant set a goal of having half of all its orders placed digitally, which it readily achieved through this campaign. Dove: Campaign for Real Beauty What started as a study on how women and society perceive female beauty ended up as a global campaign that helped redefine a brand. Dove began by releasing billboard ads asking people to text in a vote whether the women portrayed in the ads were beautiful or not. This extended into similar marketing messages on viral videos, TV commercials, print ads, and social media. Dove went from a simple soap company to a brand that became synonymous with body positivity, making it a great example of how to use integrated marketing to rebrand. With this one campaign, Dove managed not only to spark a conversation and repurpose its brand but also increased its sales from $2.5 billion to $4 billion in the 10 years following its release. OldSpice: Smell Like a Man Another example of a company rebranding itself, Old Spice’s original The Man Your Man Could Smell Like commercial gained so much momentum that the brand launched it into an entire campaign. The 30-second TV ad was being shared so much on social media that Old Spice decided to run with it by creating more similar ads along with interactive videos on social media. The company also rebranded its website, product packaging, voice, and messaging to reflect this new campaign that resonated so strongly with its audience. This resulted in millions of online video views, increased engagement, and doubling sales less than a year after the campaign launched . Key benefits of integrated marketing techniques Using an integrated marketing approach is effective in more ways than one, as there are significant advantages to unifying your brand messaging on all channels as opposed to running entirely unique campaigns on each one. Cost-effective: When searching for new marketing strategies , the first question you’re likely to run into is whether it is effective and affordable. Integrated marketing is actually likely to be more cost-effective since you’re creating content that can be used for multiple purposes across several platforms. Not only that, but some integrated marketing campaigns rely on user-generated content, which can also help drive your costs down while increasing efficiency and engagement. Builds brand relationships: A key purpose of integrated marketing is to form a relationship with the customer. This approach helps promote awareness and trust by being reliable in the messaging you deliver across all your channels. Your audience will slowly start to recognize your brand wherever it appears, and by being consistent with your brand experience, they’ll also grow to trust your messaging. Creates cohesion: As consumers, we like things that fit together nicely. By running multiple unrelated campaigns simultaneously on your different channels, you’re presented with a disjointed picture of your brand. Consumers are already exposed to endless information every day, so instead of throwing another five different campaigns at them, present them with one that spans across the board to ensure you don’t overwhelm their attention span. Common challenges of integrated marketing (and how to address them) As you seek to recreate some of the examples from above, keep your eyes peeled for these common pitfalls. Misalignment in priorities: Coordinating efforts across various marketing channels and team members can be challenging. Each channel owner might have different priorities, timelines and approaches, which can lead to conflicts and misalignment. To avoid this, make sure to set a common campaign goal that stretches across all channels. Inconsistency in messaging : Try as you might, there's always a chance that your messaging gets confused across multiple channels. Even slight variations in messaging can dilute the intended brand image and confuse consumers. To avoid this, create clear guidelines and establish a primary point of contact if anyone has questions. Difficulty juggling multiple channels : Integrated marketing may require investing in a wider range of marketing channels and platforms. Allocating resources effectively across these channels can be challenging, especially for smaller businesses with limited budgets. To avoid this, don't bite off more than you can chew. It's better to have fewer channels that you can devote more time into mastering than to have too many channels to stay on top of. Difficulty integrating data : Combining data from various sources and channels to gain a comprehensive view of customer interactions can be difficult. That's why you'll want to make sure to use a platform like Wix, where you can manage multiple channels (such as your website, emails and social media) in one place. Challenges measuring ROI: Determining the exact contribution of each channel to overall success can be challenging. From the get-go, you'll want to be extra specific about your goals per each channel and define the analytics tools (plus KPIs) that will help track performance. Integrated marketing plan example To help you get your integrated marketing campaign off the ground, we've put together this simple template for your business. It can be edited and adapted for your own specific needs. Executive summary Briefly summarize the key points of your marketing plan, including goals, target audience, strategies and budget. Include a heading and section for each one of these. Make sure to start with the broader ones, like goals and then narrow down to the more detailed ones, like budget. Market analysis To fill these in you'll need to do the following: Evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced by your business. Identify your main competitors and analyze their marketing strategies strengths, and weaknesses. This research should help you improve your own plan. Define your ideal customers, including their demographics, interests, pain points and buying behavior. Identify relevant market trends in your industry to inform your marketing strategies and planning. Marketing goals Define the specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound goals for your integrated marketing efforts. Examples of goals: Increase website traffic by 20% in the next quarter Generate 100 leads per month through social media Achieve a 15% conversion rate for online sales Marketing strategies Create and distribute valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and engage your target audience. Build a strong and engaged presence on relevant social media platforms

If you have a business you want to promote, there are so many directions you can go with your marketing efforts - build your own website , post on social media, send out email blasts and more. With a plethora of both free and paid options for promoting your business online, marketing has become easy and accessible for everyone. Still, it’s no secret that marketing requires time and money. You’ll need to use your resources wisely if you want to scale efficiently and have a high return on investment. For that reason, it’s wise to avoid haphazard promotional efforts, and come up with a marketing plan: a cohesive operation that aligns all your marketing efforts and directly ties back to your business’s goals. Here’s everything you need to know about how to create a marketing plan - including a template you can use to write your own. By outlining your objectives as a company, defining your KPIs , and then unifying your marketing strategies accordingly, this type of plan streamlines your promotional efforts and yields results. Start building your online presence with Wix . What is a marketing plan? A marketing plan is a roadmap that helps you manage, implement and track your various marketing efforts. In other words, it’s a structured framework that links together all your marketing activities into a single, cohesive operation. Typically, a marketing plan takes the form of a report that gives an overview of your marketing strategy for the upcoming year, quarter or month. The report defines your company’s goals over a given period of time, and clearly outlines the steps you’ll need to take to achieve them. It's an essential part of any SMBs marketing efforts. Here’s just a taste of what a marketing plan includes: An analysis of your competitors and your stance in the market A description of your target audience and their needs Your company’s unique selling proposition An overview of your marketing and advertising goals A timeline of the various tasks that need to be completed The key performance indicators (KPIs) that you’ll be tracking to measure success Creating a marketing plan is the most efficient way to generate demand for your product. Whether you’re running an online T-shirt store, working as a business consultant, or launching a blog for moms, mapping out your strategy in advance will help you drive people through the marketing funnel and get customers. Types of marketing plans Before we dive into the specific elements of a marketing plan template, let’s briefly touch on the different types of marketing plans, which can vary depending on your company. They include: Annual, quarterly or monthly marketing plan: Marketing plans are typically annual, but they can be quarterly or monthly depending on your business’s goals. This type of plan will highlight all your promotional activities within the specified period of time. New product launch marketing plan: This is a specific type of marketing plan that focuses on the strategies and tactics you’ll use to promote a particular product. Social media marketing plan: This kind of marketing plan provides a comprehensive outline of your goals, channels, and tactics for promoting your business on social media. Content marketing plan: Similarly, this type of plan provides a comprehensive outline of your various content marketing strategies and goals. Media marketing plan: This focuses on building a strategy using all media types: owned media (your own website, app or email marketing tools), paid media (advertising campaigns), and earned media ( word of mouth marketing , organic traffic, viral content) to support an integrated marketing approach. In this article, we’ll talk about the broadest type of marketing plan. This will outline all of your small business marketing efforts and help you map out a clear strategy. Using this marketing plan as a guide, you can then create more specific plans - such as a content marketing or social media marketing plan - based on the areas you want to focus on. Learn how to build a smarter approach with an effective AI content strategy . How to create a marketing plan in 7 steps Analyze your market and competition Research your target audience Set goals and KPIs Write a unique selling proposition Choose strategic marketing channels Brief your team Monitor your analytics 01. Analyze your market and competition The first step in writing a marketing plan is to identify your competitors. This is important so that you know who you’ll be marketing against, and how you can outshine them with your promotional strategy. Take into account that different competitors will be stronger in different areas. Your biggest competitor on social media, for instance, might be different from your competitor with the best SEO. With that in mind, do a SWOT analysis of your competition. Using this acronym - which stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats - gives you a systematic way to identify your competitors’ performance in your field: Strengths: What are the competitors’ advantages in the industry? What are they excelling in? Weaknesses: What could this company be doing better? What processes of theirs could be improved? Opportunities: Are there any new trends or upcoming events that are relevant to your industry? Identify them, and seize the marketing opportunity before your competition does. Threats: Are there external factors such as new government regulations, declining customer interest, or industry shifts that are threats to your competitors’ success? If so, find a way to navigate these threats and avoid making the same mistakes as your competition. Even if you’ve already done a SWOT analysis in the past, it’s important to reassess the playing field as you write your marketing plan. In particular, anticipate whether anything new is about to happen in the coming year or quarter, such as a change in government policy or the emergence of a new competitor in your market. And, of course, keep an eye out for niches your competitors haven’t gotten to yet. For instance, if you’re selling products to new moms, a SWOT analysis might reveal that none of your competitors are creating products for new dads. In this case, that would be an opportunity for you to expand your audience, attract new customers, and grow your revenue. As you create your SWOT analysis, use this free SWOT analysis template to guide you, and make it a part of your marketing plan: 02. Research your target audience Just as you research your competitors, you’ll need to look into your target audience . This is the specific group of people at which your product or service is aimed - and, as such, they’re the primary audience of your marketing strategy. If you’re unsure of who your target audience is, there are a few different ways to gather this information. First, think about which needs your product fulfills and which types of people it caters to. You can also use your SWOT analysis to point you in the right direction. Look at competitors’ websites, blogs and social media channels to determine the types of people they’re marketing to. To hone in on your audience even further, analyze your existing customers to understand which kinds of people you’ve attracted in the past. Talk to your current and potential customers as much as you can. Get their feedback, use focus groups, and analyze the data to figure out their shared behaviors and characteristics: Age: Does your product seek to address the needs of people of a certain age - for example, older adults or millennials? Location: Are your target customers within a specific country or region? Where are they, and what languages do they speak? Spending power: How much money are your target customers able to spend? Are they seeking out luxury, or could money be an issue when deciding whether to purchase? Stage of life: Can you identify your target customers based on their stage of life, such as new parents, college students or retirees? Hobbies and career: Can you group them based on certain hobbies, career paths, or other lifestyle interests? Track this information in an orderly way by creating buyer personas, or detailed descriptions of specific types of customers. Each buyer persona should reflect both existing or potential customers, based on the factors above: demographics, location, job title and more. Be sure to include this information at the beginning of your marketing plan, side-by-side your SWOT analysis, to provide a thorough assessment of the market in which your company is operating. Ultimately, these various audience types will represent customer segments - groups of people you can target with different marketing materials depending on their interests. 03. Set your goals and KPIs Next, set your business’s goals. What do you want to achieve next quarter? How about by the end of this year? 5 years from now? The more ambitious the goal, the more time, effort and money you should dedicate to it. Determine each goal, and break it down into small steps, either by month, quarter or year, depending on your time frame. Not only will this help you build a clear timeline, but it will also help you allocate your budget. Once you divide up your big goals into small goals, consider how to measure them. In other words, how will you know whether you’re meeting your goals, or falling short? This is where KPIs - key performance indicators - come into play. Essentially, KPIs are the specific metrics used to monitor your progress in achieving your goals. For instance, if you want to create an active online forum for pop music creators, then your KPIs should be site visits, your number of active visitors, and your number of returning visitors. Your position in Google search results for niche keywords, such as “pop music creator” or “music production software,” would also be a relevant KPI. Whichever KPIs you choose, include them in your marketing plan alongside your goals and write down the metrics you’ll use to measure your success. For example, if your KPI is to make more sales, you might want to track metrics like lead generation and conversion rate . By checking your achievements every quarter compared to your KPIs, you’ll learn about the pace and abilities of your businesses. If you achieve your KPIs relatively easily, you can set more ambitious goals. On the other hand, if you’re falling short of your KPIs, you might consider recruiting more people to help you get there. 04. Write a unique selling proposition If you were to give a 30-second marketing spiel to a potential customer, what would you say? Come up with a statement that would appeal to your target audience’s interests and increase demand for your business. If you’re already a market leader that offers high-quality products, you can claim that you’re “the best solution for” a particular need. On the other hand, if you’re still a relatively small player in the market, you can position yourself as being innovative and groundbreaking - the brand that offers fresh, modern solutions. Many smaller businesses tend to find that creative, funny, or even unorthodox branding gives them the attention boost they need from their audience. When targeting multiple audiences, you may find it challenging to create a single message that resonates with everyone. One tip for attracting many types of customers at the same time is to create slightly different messages for each buyer persona. Going back to the product lines for new moms and dads, you may find that you need to split your messaging between a few different customer types: New moms: Target them with the message that they need high-quality products for their babies. New moms who want their spouse to be involved in childcare: Target them with a new message that they’d have more time to relax if their spouse also used the product. New dads: Target them with a different message that these products can help them become good fathers and supportive partners. Be sure to record this messaging in your marketing plan so that you can use it throughout your various promotional efforts. 05. Choose strategic marketing channels Once you come up with your core messages, decide which marketing strategies you’ll use to spread the word. There’s an abundance of options here, both paid and free. Some popular paid channels include: Social media ads (Facebook, Instagram and more) Google ads Online ads on other sites Press releases Partnerships with other companies Outreach marketing Guerilla marketing Email campaigns Offline media such as magazine, billboard and radio ads Facebook ads are a particularly effective option because they reach almost every type of audience and can be targeted based on demographics and interests. They’re fairly simple to make, especially if you already have a Facebook business page. And, depending on your website platform, you can even create Facebook ads directly through your site . Paid channels are a reliable choice, but it’s also worthwhile to couple these efforts with free promotional options as well. These take a little more time to develop, but they’re also a valuable way to get more exposure and build a loyal audience. They include popular inbound marketing tactics such as: Blogging Website SEO Creating company social media pages Being active in online forums and Facebook groups When choosing what channels to use, it’s important to think about which ones will actually reach your target audience. If you’re marketing to elderly folks, for instance, then Instagram ads may not be the way to go. Similarly, build a strategy for the timeline of your campaigns. Take into account any holidays and other special events, such as elections or the Super Bowl, that you can use to your advantage when crafting marketing content. And remember - not all your campaigns will be planned in advance. You’ll need to set aside budget for on-the-fly campaigns, also known as real-time marketing (RTM). This involves taking advantage of precious opportunities like global events and new internet trends. For instance, the January 2021 Bernie Sanders meme was a great chance for companies to get easy attention, earn free media coverage, and go viral. Ikea even used the meme to promote its folding chair and oven mitts. Pro tip: Once you’ve established the right channels and timeline, you may be eager to launch your campaigns right away - especially if unexpected marketing opportunities arise. Resist the temptation until you’re absolutely sure your product is ready, with at least 85% positive feedback from users. Asking for a second chance will cost you much more than nailing a great impression the first time around. 06. Brief your team One of the main reasons to create a marketing plan is to develop a unified operation that your whole marketing department can participate in. For this reason, it’s critical that you keep everyone in the loop. Update your marketing team, as well as the suppliers that create the marketing materials for you. The best way to ensure everyone is aligned is to create a marketing brief - a one-page document that summarizes the market research, company goals, messaging, and action items established in your plan. You can use the marketing brief template below to create a quick, efficient overview of your plan. It includes guiding questions to help you analyze your competitors, determine your target audience, identify your KPIs, and craft a compelling company message. Fill out this document, and share it with anyone who works with you so that they’re on the same page about your strategy and goals: 07. Monitor your analytics Once you start implementing your marketing campaigns, you’ll need to closely monitor the results. To ensure your strategy is effective, continuously track your KPIs and see how the numbers stack up against your goals. That will allow you to adapt the marketing plan based on the goals you’re achieving and those you aren’t. Customer analytics can help you in this process. There are two places to monitor analytics: Google Analytics and your website. Google Analytics can easily be connected to your company website, and it’s a helpful way to track your site visitors and evaluate the performance of marketing campaigns. Wix Analytics is another useful tool that provides a comprehensive analysis of your performance, and it’s conveniently located within the Wix website dashboard. This tool allows you to create custom audiences based on their demographics, geographic location, or other defining features, and you can access it directly from your website. Using these two tools, look at the data. If the numbers indicate that you aren’t meeting your objectives, brainstorm action items for how to improve. If, for instance, you notice that some of your website visitors are located in Europe, try creating a multilingual website; it may just help convert them into customers. Likewise, if you’re getting traffic to your website or blog but are lacking in conversions, try creating content campaigns around specific products. Don’t be discouraged if, after two quarters, you aren’t reaching your goals. This happens to the best of us, and it’s simply an indicator that you’ll need to refine your marketing plan and go back to Step 1. Marketing plan template Now that you know how to create a marketing plan, use this marketing plan template to walk you through the process. It’s free for download and use, and can easily be adapted for any business. Marketing plan examples While the marketing plan template above provides you with everything you need, it may also be helpful to look at other examples for inspiration. If you’re seeking additional resources, use these marketing plan examples to guide you: 01. Marketing Plan Template from SBA The Small Business Administration provides a highly detailed marketing plan template that can be downloaded as a PDF and easily adapted to suit your company. The plan covers all the must-haves, like an explanation of your products and an analysis of your target market, but it supplements those with finer details like location analysis and product packaging. 02. Marketing Plan Template Generator from HubSpot Unlike most marketing plan examples, this isn’t a file that you print out and fill in. Instead, it’s an online generator - a fill-in-the-blank template that walks you through the creation process page-by-page. The generator feels almost like an AI bot, asking you to fill in your name and then replying “Awesome! It’s great to meet you, [Name]!” This is a great way to make the marketing plan process more dynamic and fun. 03. Marketing Plan Microsoft Word Template from More Business The advantage of More Business’s marketing plan template is that it’s downloadable for Microsoft Word, allowing you to fill in each section directly on the document. The document not only contains different strategies that you can use to inspire your own marketing efforts, but it also comes with examples of tables and charts for your marketing plan. 04. One-Page Marketing Plan Template from SmartSheet This template is available for download on Microsoft Word, Google Docs and SmartSheet, but we particularly like that it’s available as an Excel version. As a one-pager, it’s short and sweet - ideal for getting your marketing plan started without getting lost in too much detail from the beginning. It’s a helpful sheet for brainstorming, or for summarizing your marketing plan once it’s complete. 05. Marketing Plan Slide Deck Template from Slidesgo This marketing plan template comes in yet another format - an attractive slide deck that’s downloadable for both PowerPoint and Google Slides. This includes all the essentials, but in a more visual format, making it a useful asset for turning your marketing plan into a presentation.

Let Wix’s AI Website Builder build your site in minutes → Two years ago, I thought I had content strategy figured out. I'd spent years building SEO playbooks, running high-performing content programs and watching our work steadily climb search rankings. I'd helped Zapier build a content team with 450% ROI, led by SEO traffic to our blog. AI taketh away. The credit, the click, the relationship with the reader, all of that is bypassed in AI search engines and chatbots.  I've spent the last 12+ months knee-deep in that shift, reworking our content strategy , testing new content formats and having a lot of hard conversations about what we stop doing. Here's what I've learned about not just surviving, but winning, in the era of AI-powered search and generative engines. Zapier connects Wix with hundreds of popular apps , helping you extend your site’s capabilities. With the Wix Studio and Zapier integration , agencies and designers can automate workflows and keep projects moving. Building a website for your business, passion project or side hustle should feel exciting. With Wix’s AI Website Builder , you can create a professional site in minutes with just a few clicks. The AI takes care of the hard work, so you can focus on what matters most: bringing your ideas to life. Why wait? Your website is ready when you are. TL;DR: AI content strategy  AI is changing how content is discovered and consumed. Here’s how to keep your content seen and trusted by readers and AI: Accept AI engines influence search and citations Focus on irreplaceable content that AI can’t replicate Map high-value use cases to keyword gaps Experiment with LLM-friendly content alongside human-facing pages Build a distribution engine and make strategic trade-offs Focus Quick tip Irreplaceable content Share proprietary insights, templates or unique POV Use cases Show real-world examples and success stories LLM content Add structured data, process maps or code snippets Distribution  Syndicate content, engage communities, collaborate with experts "With AI-generated content taking the internet by storm, readers and search engines alike crave genuine narratives and unique firsthand experiences. Sharing personal experiences and insights not only humanizes your content, but also adds a unique value that cannot be found elsewhere. As a result, your site becomes a one-of-a-kind source of knowledge amidst an ocean of reshared, curated content, allowing you to build trust and authentic connections with your readers while strengthening your expertise." - Judit Ruiz Ricart, blog strategy expert at Wix Learn more: AI marketing How to drive traffic to your website Marketing strategies How to promote your website How to build an AI content strategy for AI-powered search AI is changing the game for content. Readers aren’t just searching, they’re asking  AI tools , chatbots and generative engines, which can surface answers without ever visiting your site. That means your content needs to do more than rank, it needs to be irreplaceable, cite-worthy and structured for both humans and AI. Here’s how I’ve approached building an AI content strategy that keeps your content visible, valuable and ready for whatever the next wave of AI brings. Accept that the content playing field has changed Shift from “findable” to “irreplaceable” content Treat use cases as a core asset Experiment with content designed specifically for LLMs Build a distribution engine Make strategic trade-offs Build for resilience, not just reach 01. Accept that the content playing field has changed Google didn't die when TikTok search blew up, and it's unlikely to die now. But now that people can get what they need from generative AI tools, things will  change. Ranking on page one still matters (both for SEO and GEO), but it's no longer the only, or even primary, measure of visibility. As marketers, we need to ensure AI engines are citing us, talking about us and pulling from our content when they generate answers. It's a hard pill to swallow, especially since AI engines aren't always citing us or even acknowledging the existence of our content. But accepting this shift, and proactively signaling your expertise and trustworthiness, is the first step toward staying visible in an AI-driven search landscape.  02. Shift from "findable" to "irreplaceable" content Traditional SEO rewarded content that matched queries and was optimized for keywords, backlinks and structure. That all still matters for GEO, but we need to go from high information gain to content optimization  that's literally irreplaceable, something AI chatbots can't reproduce. This is where demonstrating experience, expertise, authority and trustworthiness (EEAT) become critical.  In practice, that means: Surfacing proprietary data:  Share internal usage patterns, industry benchmarks or anonymized customer insights and gate them so AI can't grab it. Anchoring content in your brand's unique point of view: Emphasize the human behind the content can go a long way here. Offering templates: Provide detailed workflows, examples, scenarios or website templates that can't be scraped from public sources. Sure, AI will be able to find your content. But it'll be much more likely to give you that link, and qualified leads are much more likely to click through. 03. Treat use cases as a core asset One of the most effective GEO strategies we're using is mapping our highest-value use cases directly to keyword and question gaps. This ensures that when someone asks an AI tool, "How do I…?" in a domain where we're experts, our brand has a reason to be cited. For example, in my case, that might mean showcasing how folks are using Zapier to solve specific problems across departments. Especially if you can get folks to share that content, you can teach the AI that the answer to "How do I…?" aligns with whatever you're selling. Pro tip: Encourage  user-generated content and customer stories—they’re a goldmine for fresh content ideas  and give AI engines more authentic signals to cite when surfacing your brand. 04. Experiment with content designed specifically for LLMs We've started piloting machine-readable content layers—pages designed to be easily parsed by large language models (LLMs), even if they aren't flashy to human readers. Think structured datasets, highly formatted process maps and embedded code snippets. This approach doesn't replace human-friendly content, it complements it. While the human-facing page builds trust and engagement, the machine-readable layer makes sure AI sees the full depth of your expertise and authority. 05. Build a distribution engine You can talk about your own products or services all you want, but AI wants to know that other  people are talking about it too. That means focusing on off-site marketing as much, if not more, than on-site marketing. Some things we've been exploring at Zapier: Content syndication : Repurposing high-value content to run on partner platforms and communities. Community engagement : Participating early in relevant discussions on platforms like Reddit and LinkedIn, ensuring our expertise is part of the source material AI tools reference. Influencer collaboration : Partnering with domain experts whose content is likely to feed into generative answers. The goal is to get your content, and your business, into the conversations (and datasets) that AI is training on. Learn more: What is content marketing? Content marketing examples Content marketing tips 06. Make strategic trade-offs The hardest part of spearheading our GEO strategy wasn't deciding what to add—it was deciding what to cut. Every hour your team optimizes content that AI will never cite is an hour we're not investing in assets that could define our visibility for years. For us, this has meant pausing or sunsetting lower-impact content formats, redirecting resources to things like proprietary research, use case development and offsite marketing, and generally being ruthless about aligning content work with the realities of AI. It's all about focus. 07. Build for resilience, not just reach Just as SEO evolved over the years, and continues to evolve, GEO will too. We're still in the early days, and the landscape is shifting constantly. Just when we thought we understood Google's plans with AI Overviews, AI Mode was launched, and before we could fully adjust, Web Guide followed.  That's why we've built regular checkpoints into our process at Zapier: tracking which topics and pages are showing up in AI results, testing new content formats and channels and sharing cross-team insights in real time. And that's really what it comes down to: expect change, embrace it and adapt. Your AI content strategy roadmap Here’s a quick overview of the 7 key steps to building an effective AI content strategy, highlighting the actions to take and the results you can expect. Strategy Key actions Takeaways Accept the changing content landscape Recognize how AI-powered search changes visibility; focus on being cited by AI tools Signal authority and expertise to AI; visibility is no longer only about ranking Shift from “findable” to irreplaceable content Share proprietary data, anchor content in your unique POV, provide templates/workflows Demonstrate expertise and trustworthiness; create content AI can’t replicate Treat use cases as a core asset Map high-volume use cases to keywords/question gaps; showcase real-world applications Positions brand as authoritative; teaches AI the correct context for answers Experiment with LLM-friendly content Pilot machine-readable layers (structured datasets, process maps, code snippets) alongside human-facing pages Signals expertise to AI; complements human-facing content; reinforces authority Build a distribution engine Syndicate content, engage communities, collaborate with influencers Expand reach and credibility; off-site references increase trust signals for AI  Make strategic trade-offs Pause low-impact content; redirect resources to high-value content and research Focused investment in assets that build long-term authority and visibility Build for resilience, not just reach Track AI results, test new formats, share cross-team insights  Demonstrate expertise and adaptability; ensure content remains credible and authoritative as AI evolves Meet the expert Lane Scott Jones built and scaled content programs at B2B SaaS companies including Zapier, Campaign Monitor and Emma. She’s grown teams from zero to 20+, driven 450% ROI and 4.5M+ monthly visitors and managed $2M+ in annual spend all while positioning content as a core driver of business growth. Her work has been featured in Forbes, CMO and MarTech Advisor and she’s spoken at events hosted by Exit Five, Superpath, Digital Summit and Tech Ladies. AI content strategy FAQ What is AI content strategy? AI content strategy is the approach of using artificial intelligence to plan, create and distribute content that aligns with both user intent and AI-driven search results. It goes beyond traditional SEO by considering how generative engines pull answers. Think of it like building a marketing plan  that connects your business expertise to the questions people are asking in real time. Does SEO penalize AI content? No. Google and other search engines don’t automatically penalize AI-generated content. What matters is whether the content is original, accurate and helpful. Adding layers like expert review, content analytics  and real-world examples helps prove experience and trustworthiness. AI can support the process, but human oversight makes the difference. How to use AI for content ideas? AI tools can help you uncover trending questions, keyword gaps and new formats that resonate with your audience. For example, you might use AI to generate marketing ideas  or brainstorm “how-to” topics. Pair this with customer input or user-generated content to build assets that AI is more likely to cite. Which AI tool is best for content? There isn’t a single best tool, it depends on your goals. Some are better for drafting, others for research and some for scaling distribution. When evaluating options, look for SEO features like keyword optimization and organic marketing insights or integrations with channels like LinkedIn marketing  and advertising . Also, consider whether they play nicely with your existing systems (like what is a content calendar or CMS platforms ).

Get started by: Creating a website →  | Getting a domain → Whether you’re learning how to build a website  or thinking of updating your original one, understanding website architecture is key for great user experience (UX) and search engine optimization (SEO). Imagine visiting a library where books are not categorized or arranged in any order. Fiction mingles with non-fiction, children's literature is shelved alongside dense academic texts and there are no labels or signs to guide you. Seeking a specific book in such a chaotic environment becomes a frustrating treasure hunt, where the chances of leaving empty-handed or with an unwanted book are high.  This is how your website would feel without proper  website infrastructure . Just like organizing a library makes finding books easier, a well-structured website guides users smoothly to what they're looking for, enhancing their experience. In this article we’ll cover what is website architecture, why it’s important and how you can develop a strong foundation for your site. Get started with an AI generated website  today. What is website architecture? Website architecture is how a website’s pages are structured and linked together. It serves as a roadmap for both users and search engine crawlers to find what they are searching for on a website. A well-designed website architecture is crucial for both user experience and SEO. Organizing your site with an intentional hierarchy, signals which content is most important and how it connects to other pages on your site. It helps users easily navigate through the site, find the information they need and complete desired actions. Additionally, a hierarchical structure in website development  helps search engines crawl your site more effectively to understand what’s on your site. As a result, your website may stand a better chance of appearing on search engine results pages (SERPs), helping you gain visibility. The structure of a standard website resembles a rooted tree graph, with the home page serving as the root. Pages linked from the home page act as branches and these web pages  further extend into additional branches. These interconnected branches form the website's overall structure. Here’s what the tree typically looks like: 11 best practices for website architecture Reduce number of clicks to top pages Create an easy to follow navigation menu Implement breadcrumb navigation Add site search function Make category pages Develop topic clusters Use internal linking strategically Create an XML sitemap Craft SEO-friendly URL structures Be consistent in layout and design Optimize for mobile 01. Reduce number of clicks to top pages Aim for four clicks or less to improve website user experience  and boost your site visibility to search engines. Opt for a flat site structure, making every page accessible within a few clicks, unlike a deep structure where pages might need five or more clicks to be reached.  For example, a flat structure would be: Home > Products > Product A A deep structure would be: Home > Products > Category 1> Subcategory 1 > Sub-subcategory 1 > Product A. 02. Create an easy to follow navigation menu Your navigation menu is the roadmap of your site.  94%  of users say easy navigation tops the list of essential website features.. It should be easy to understand and follow, making it simple for them to find what they’re looking for. Use clear and concise labels for each menu item, avoid drop-down menus with too many options and prioritize pages based on their importance. Here are some tips to improve your navigation bar: Keep it consistent across all pages: Make sure your navigation menu appears on all pages, allowing users to easily switch between sections of your site. Limit the number of menu items:  Too many menu items can be overwhelming and make it harder to find what's needed. Keep your main menu items to the most important pages, six or less, using sub-menus if necessary. Use descriptive labels: Make it clear to users what they can expect when clicking on a menu item. Use straightforward and descriptive labels, avoiding obscure or clever options that might confuse them. Include a homepage link: This allows visitors to return to the homepage starting point at any time. Simply labeling it as “HOME” works, but for a seamless experience, consider integrating this link into your logo. Use HTML : Avoid using JavaScript or Flash for navigation as search engines may have difficulty crawling and indexing links within these elements. Stick to HTML  for your navigation menu to ensure It's accessible and visible to search engine bots. 03. Implement breadcrumb navigation Breadcrumb navigation refers to a text-based trail of links found at the top of a page, indicating the user’s current location within your site. It shows the path of pages that a user might take and it makes it easier for them to return to previous pages.  An example of breadcrumb navigation could be showing a larger category and then the smaller item page under the header. With the Wix website builder , you can add breadcrumbs  to your site.  Tips for using breadcrumb navigation: Use a clear and simple design : Breadcrumb navigation should be easy to read and understand, so choose the best website font  for readability. Place it in a consistent location : Make sure your breadcrumb navigation appears in the same spot on every page, usually at the top, making it easier to find. Include the homepage as the first link : This allows users to easily navigate back to the homepage. 04. Add a site search function Including a site search function allows users to quickly search for specific keywords or topics and navigate directly to the relevant pages, rather than having to click through multiple categories and pages. This is especially useful for larger sites with a lot of pages and information. Elevate your Wix site user experience by seamlessly adding Wix Site Search . Tips for implementing a site search function: Place it prominently on your site : Make sure the search bar is easily visible and accessible from any page on your site. Include an advanced search option : This allows users to specify their search criteria and find more specific results. Include a clear search button : Make sure users know how to execute the search by including a clearly labeled search button. 05. Make category pages Category pages are crucial when building an eCommerce website  since they serve as a hub for related content and can help improve the internal linking structure of your site. By organizing products or services into categories, you reduce the effort users expend to find what they need. This not only aids in delivering relevant content swiftly but also distributes your site's authority across various pages, boosting SEO. Learn more about how to build an eCommerce site . Tips for optimizing category pages: Include descriptive titles and descriptions : Make sure your category pages have clear and concise titles and descriptions, making it easy for users to understand what they can find on that page. Implement internal linking : Include links to relevant subcategories or product pages within the category page, increasing the chances of those pages being indexed by search engines. Use images or visuals : Including visual elements can make your category pages more visually appealing and help users quickly identify the type of content they can expect to find. 06. Develop topic clusters Topic clusters are a popular SEO strategy that involves organizing your website's content into clusters based on related topics and linking them together. This method involves creating a pillar page (a comprehensive and authoritative page) as the main hub for a particular topic and then linking related pages (subtopic pages) to it. For instance, your main topic could be restaurants. Your pillar pages might include how to create a restaurant website , restaurant marketing strategies , how to create a logo for a restaurant, creating a digital menu for a restaurant website and restaurant website creation  tools. Each of these pages would explore different facets of managing a restaurant's online presence, providing detailed insights on each aspect. To create a successful topic cluster: Identify core topics : Start by identifying the main topics or themes that your website covers and break them down into subtopics. Create pillar pages for each core topic : These are comprehensive pages that cover all aspects of the main topic and link to related content within the cluster. Identify sub-topics :  Create subtopic pages for each aspect of the main topic and link them back to the pillar page. Make sure all pages within the cluster also link to one another, creating a strong internal linking structure. Link related content together : Create links between various pages within the topic cluster, making it easier for users to navigate through different sections of your site. Optimize for keywords : Make sure to research and include relevant keywords within your content, both on the pillar page and related pages within the topic cluster. Keep your content fresh and engaging : Regularly update your topic clusters with new, high-quality articles relevant to your core subject. Leveraging a content management system (CMS)  simplifies this process, making it easier for you to stay relevant and authoritative in your field.  07. Use internal linking strategically Internal linking is the process of linking pages within your own website and helps distribute link authority throughout your website. It also makes it easier for users to navigate between related content, improving their overall experience. For example,  if you write a blog post about different types of yoga, you can internally link to other relevant posts on your site, such as "The Benefits of Hot Yoga" or "How to Get Started with Restorative Yoga." Tips for using internal linking effectively: Ensure relevance : Only link to pages that are relevant to each other, as this helps users find related content and improves the credibility of your site. Use clear anchor text : Make sure the text used for the link is descriptive and accurately reflects the content of the page being linked to. Avoid using generic terms such as "click here" or "learn more." Include links naturally within the content : Rather than adding a long list of links at the end of a page, include them within the body of your content where appropriate. This helps improve the flow and readability of your content. Link to both internal and external pages : Including external links can also be beneficial as it shows search engines that you are providing valuable resources for your users. Regularly audit and update links : Make sure to regularly check for broken or outdated links and update them accordingly. 08. Create an XML sitemap A sitemap is like your website's roadmap. It's an XML file that lists all the pages, images, videos and files on your website and their relationship to each other. It's designed in a search-engine-friendly format, ensuring your content gets crawled and indexed effectively, boosting your site's visibility. It also gives you a bird's-eye view of your website's structure, making it easier to see how everything connects.  Tips for creating an effective XML sitemap: Include all relevant pages : Make sure to include all the pages on your site, including ones that may not be linked within your site navigation . Prioritize important pages : You can assign priority levels to different pages within your sitemap, indicating to search engines which pages are essential. Update regularly : As you add new content or make changes to existing pages, remember to update your XML sitemap and submit it to search engines. 09. Craft SEO-friendly URL structures Keep your Universal Resource Locator (URLs)  short and sweet. They should mirror your site's categories, be easy to understand and include keywords that matter. This not only helps with SEO but also makes it easier for users to remember and share specific pages. As you connect smaller pages to their parent pages, you can build your URLs in layers to show users the path they took to get to that page. Tips for creating SEO-friendly URLs: Use descriptive keywords : Include relevant keywords in your URL to give an idea of what the page is about. Keep them short : Shorter URLs are easier to read, share and remember. Plus, search engines typically only show the first 60 characters of a URL in their search results. Use hyphens to separate words : Instead of using underscores or spaces, use hyphens to separate words in your URL. Include targeted keywords closer to the beginning : Placing relevant keywords closer to the beginning of your URL can help improve its SEO value. 10. Be consistent in layout and design Consistency is key in creating a well-designed user interface , and it also applies to what your website design is  and layout. Keeping a consistent layout helps users navigate through your site more easily, knowing where to find important information.  Website templates  can streamline this process, offering a cohesive and user-friendly design framework that enhances overall site navigation and usability. Tips for maintaining consistency in web design : Keep navigation menus in the same location : Users expect to find navigation menus in a certain place on a website, so keeping it consistent throughout your site helps with usability. Use the same fonts and colors : Using consistent fonts and website colors schemes  across your website creates a visually cohesive experience for users. Follow a similar page structure : Try to keep a similar website layout  and structure for all pages within your site. This makes it easier for users to find information and navigate between pages. Maintain a consistent brand image : Your website should reflect your brand's overall image and style, so make sure to incorporate your branding elements throughout the design. Learn more: How to design a website How to make an architecture portfolio 11. Optimize for mobile As more users browse on mobile devices, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly is key. Focus on optimizing your website architecture for smooth navigation on all devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets and smartphones. Remember, mobile screens are smaller and navigation is touch-based. Make sure all navigation and labels are easy to use on mobile. Try tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test  to check your site’s mobile usability. Tips for optimizing your website for mobile: Optimize images : Large image files can slow down your website's loading speed on mobile devices. Optimize images for mobile with an image resizer  to avoid sacrificing quality. Avoid using Flash : Many mobile devices don't support Flash, so it's best to avoid it altogether to ensure a smooth experience for mobile users. Design with touch in mind : Keep in mind that users will be navigating your website with their fingers on a touch screen. Make sure buttons and links are easy to click and not too close together, so users don't accidentally click the wrong thing. Why is good website architecture so important? Good website architecture is important when it comes to planning a successful website, as it directly influences user experience, search engine optimization (SEO) and overall website performance. Firstly, a well-structured website is user-friendly. It allows visitors to easily find the information they need, navigate through pages effortlessly and understand your site's content. A logical layout and intuitive navigation improve user satisfaction and encourage engagement — whether this is measured by people moving through several pages, committing to a sale or completing a lead gen action. Secondly, a strong website architecture helps with SEO. Search engines crawl websites to index their content, and a well-structured site makes this process easier. Clear URLs, relevant headings and internal links help search engines understand the site's content and potentially rank it higher in search results. Finally, a well-organized website improves performance. Efficient architecture reduces load times by optimizing file sizes and minimizing server requests. This leads to a faster, more responsive website that keeps visitors engaged and enhances user experience. Why is website architecture important for SEO? Website architecture plays a critical role in SEO. The way your site is structured affects how search engines crawl and index your content, which ultimately impacts your ranking on SERPs. Wix websites come integrated with powerful SEO features , ensuring optimal site structure for better visibility and ranking. Here is what you can accomplish. Improve user experience A well-organized site with a clear hierarchy makes it easy for users to find what they’re looking for. With intuitive navigation and a logical structure, users can easily browse through your content and complete desired actions. This boosts satisfaction and keeps them coming back, while longer visits signal to search engines your site's value.  Boost search engine crawlability Search engines use bots or spiders to crawl websites. These bots follow links from one page to another, collecting information about the site's content and structure to determine its relevance to a given query. With a clear website architecture, these bots can easily navigate your site, accurately index your content and understand how it relates to other pages on your site. Spread site authority Site authority refers to the credibility and relevance of your site in a particular niche or industry. It's determined by various factors, including inbound links, quality content and user engagement. The hierarchy of your website plays a crucial role in spreading this authority throughout all pages on your site. When you create a clear structure within your site that prioritizes important pages and interlinks relevant content, you’re effectively spreading the authority of your site across all its pages. This helps improve the overall ranking and visibility of your business website . Learn more on the Wix SEO Learning Hub .  What is website architecture FAQ What is site architecture vs website information architecture? Site architecture refers to the structural layout and organization of a website, including its navigation, hierarchy and relationships between pages. Website information architecture focuses specifically on how information is organized and presented within a website to enhance user understanding and usability. Which is better, pagination or infinite scroll? The optimal user experience design  varies with the website's specific context and content. Pagination, which divides content into discrete pages, is often more suitable for websites with a vast and varied array of content. This method allows users to navigate through the content systematically. On the other hand, infinite scroll, where content continuously loads as the user scrolls down, may be more advantageous for sites with continuous or time-sensitive material, providing a seamless browsing experience. Understanding user behavior and preferences is crucial in determining whether pagination or infinite scroll is the better approach for a given website. How is website architecture different from website design? Website architecture refers to the structural and organizational aspects of a website, while website design focuses on the visual and aesthetic components. Website architecture lays the foundation for a functional and user-friendly site, while design enhances its appeal and usability. Both elements are essential in creating an effective and successful website. What are the 3 basic types of website architecture? 1. Hierarchical architecture: A tree-like structure with a clear parent-child relationship, often used for websites with a lot of content, like e-commerce sites or enterprises. 2. Sequential architecture: Linear navigation, where pages are arranged in a specific order, often used by tutorial or step-by-step guide websites. 3. Matrix architecture: Allows users to navigate freely through pages via internal links, often used in blogs or knowledge bases.

Get started by:  Creating a website →  |  Getting a domain → It’s no secret that inflation and supply chain issues have made holiday predictions more difficult. Meanwhile, managing an eCommerce website  during the holidays has become increasingly complex, with more and more ways to shop online and in person. Despite these new challenges, the eCommerce holidays are shaping up to be a fun and wild time. You’ll want to make sure you’re ready for whatever may happen and start working on your eCommerce holiday readiness ASAP. To help you out, our team of eCommerce experts has put together a list of tips to prepare your online store  for this holiday season. Keep reading for ideas on how to make your store stand out and turn casual browsers into regular buyers. Ready to boost your holiday sales? Use a professional website builder to optimize your store and capture more customers this season. Read also:   What is eCommerce? How to start an eCommerce business How to start a business Types of businesses How to start an online store Understanding eCommerce holiday readiness Your business website  is your brand’s flagship destination, where shoppers can find the most comprehensive selection of products and engaging content. As the eCommerce holidays approach, your site needs to be ready for the surge in traffic. Achieving eCommerce holiday readiness means optimizing your loading speeds, making sure your site is mobile responsive and able to handle the extra load of visitors.  It also means prepping other aspects of your business, including your website, inventory , logistics and marketing campaigns. Ultimately, you want to check that everything is running smoothly before a tidal wave of orders comes.  The 15-step eCommerce holiday checklist Prepare for an influx of traffic Get your site for mobile ready Make sure that products are easy to find Fine tune your product pages Put your best offer on the table Optimize the checkout process Enhance your inventory flows Send inventory to fulfillment centers early Sell in-person with Wix point of sale Expand pickup and delivery options Set up your multichannel strategy Schedule email campaigns to boost conversions and loyalty Offer gift cards with cross-channel flexibility Leverage content to inspire holiday cheer Get social 01. Prepare for an influx of traffic There’s nothing worse than a site outage, especially during something big like a  small business Black Friday  sale event or a major product promotion. An outage doesn’t just prevent customers from completing a purchase—studies show that  brand trust is heavily impacted by site speed , so a glitchy or slow-loading site can put your reputation at risk. Poor site performance can even impact brand visibility, since Google factors in page speed when deciding on page rankings. To avoid unwelcome surprises, test your website across multiple devices and install any third-party eCommerce apps early on. Avoid launching new apps or rejiggering your site in the middle of the peak season, when most people are interacting with your store.  In addition to this, get your analytics in order. Connect your site to Google Analytics and other preferred tools that will help you understand who’s landing on your site during the holidays. Familiarize yourself with helpful reports, including the ones available with Wix Analytics , so you know where to look whenever you want to investigate site traffic, sales and/or site performance.   02. Get your mobile site ready This holiday season is set to be the most mobile-driven yet, with a record $128.1 billion expected to be spent via mobile devices, according to the Adobe Forecast . This would account for 53.2% of online sales. You’ll therefore want to cater to customers on-the-go by auditing and optimizing your mobile store. Ensure that your product pages are easy to find with a few taps. Avoid overcrowded or hard-to-read pages. Audit mobile loading times, and simplify menus and page elements to account for smaller screens. Want to give your site a holiday makeover?  Check out these eCommerce website templates  to create a festive shopping experience that attracts customers.  03. Make sure that products are easy to find Make it easy for your customers to discover relevant products by offering multiple pathways for finding the perfect gift. Features like video lookbooks, quizzes and gift guides can be very useful for shoppers who arrive at your site without a specific product in mind. When learning how to sell online  successfully, particularly during the holiday season, these eCommerce tools  can make a big difference. Alternatively, add “best sellers” or “related products” recommendations that can cross-sell or upsell buyers as they’re browsing your site. Or, add decorative flash sale banners and countdown clocks to your site that draw attention to your products, plus special deals.  Learn how to add a related products gallery to your Wix site , or install an app like Reconvert  that’s compatible with Wix and provides even more ways to increase AOV. For shoppers who already know what they want, your navigation menus and search bars should feature seasonal items or promos, including links to gift cards and themed collections. 04. Fine tune your product pages The holidays aren’t the time to skimp out on your product pages. Publish robust product pages that contain everything that shoppers need to know to confidently make a purchase. Some ideas for strengthening your product pages: Include detailed descriptions that avoid generic superlatives like “great” or “excellent” and instead demonstrate what makes your products unique. If you’re in a creative rut, use an AI-powered solution like Wix’s text creator to help turn your thoughts into easy-to-read descriptions. Touch up your photos using tools like Wix’s AI-powered image features, which let you crop or extend images, improve the resolution and/or erase objects from the background of a photo (among other things). Add a pre-order or a “notify when back in stock” option for not-yet-released or popular items that might sell out quickly, respectively (learn how to allow pre-ordering on your Wix site  or set up back-in-stock notifications on Wix ). Experiment with helpful elements like product comparison matrices, how-to videos and in-depth content about how your products are sourced (if appropriate). Clearly show delivery timelines or local pickup options, so shoppers know all of their options upfront. Clearly link to your return and refund policy, so first-time customers feel more confident about shopping with your brand. 05. Put your best offer on the table With inflation causing record-high prices, consumers are on the hunt for ways to save: 91% of Americans check for discounts before making an online purchase, according to research by Capital One Shopping , and 80% of American shoppers say they’d be open to buying from a brand for the first time if offered a discount.  Offering a discount can help convince your shoppers to hit “buy.” Remember, however, to balance the incentives carefully. While deep price cuts can drive holiday sales volume, they can also set the wrong expectations with new customers. New customers may expect low prices year-round if you’re not careful. During the holidays, free shipping is an especially attractive offer. In fact, recent eCommerce statistics show that nine out of 10 consumers say free shipping is the top incentive to shop online. Online consumers are also six times more likely to value free shipping over fast shipping, and most (93%) will buy additional items just to qualify for free shipping, reports Capital One Shopping .   Of course, it’s important that you protect your eCommerce profit margins. So, deploy free shipping offers strategically for limited-time periods or for purchases above a spending threshold. 06. Optimize the checkout process A simple, clear checkout process is paramount to closing the sale. In fact,  roughly 20%  of shoppers abandon their carts because the checkout process is too complex. To avoid losing sales in the final stretch, design a checkout flow that caters to various payment preferences and devices. Connect Wix Payments  to  accept major debit/credit cards , PayPal, digital wallets, BNPL and other popular forms of payment. If you have a brick-and-mortar store, use  Wix Point-of-Sale  to ensure synchronization between your online and offline transactions. When it comes to the eCommerce checkout experience, be mindful of the amount of information you require to complete a purchase. Opt for a shorter, simpler flow that only requires essential details. For optional settings—such subscription opt-ins or “save cards on file”—present these as checkboxes that require minimal effort on the buyer’s part.  More tips: How to customize the checkout page on your Wix store How to set up and managed abandoned carts via Wix   07. Enhance your inventory flows In normal times, inventory management can already be difficult. The holidays only add to the pressure—and safe to say, you won’t want to be testing shoppers’ patience. Protect your brand from overselling, late shipments and other costly mishaps by setting up the right  inventory  flows ahead of time. Harness inventory management tools that can automatically sync quantities across your sales channels. Connect with your 3PL or suppliers and discuss ways to ensure order accuracy, fast shipping and custom packaging if necessary. Set reorder points, reserve safety stock and even accept pre-orders to keep your inventory in check. If you’re looking to take a more hands-off approach and potentially expand your holiday offerings, you can always explore dropshipping or print on demand. Both allow you to outsource storage and fulfillment and only pay for what gets sold. More inventory management tips: Breaking down the basics of inventory management for SMBs What is inventory turnover? 08. Send inventory to fulfillment centers early While forecasting demand is tricky, it’s crucial to get an early start and stock up on your merchandise, especially if you plan to run any special promotions during the holidays. It’s also your responsibility to move stock to where it’s likely to be needed most, whether that entails your physical stores, fulfillment centers or local warehouses. Send ample amounts of stock to each provider and make sure any shipping partners are aware of upcoming discounts or marketing campaigns that might spike sales. Be mindful of cutoff dates for partners like Amazon FBA that require holiday inventory to be sent early. Double-check that your items and packaging comply with 3PL requirements to prevent any foreseeable delays, and test your order management system to ensure shipments are routed properly. 09. Sell in-person with Wix Point-of-Sale While times have changed, physical retail is no less valuable. Warby Parker, Everlane and even Amazon are just some of the brands establishing physical stores to grow their business. Even if you don’t have a physical footprint year-round, the holidays are ideal for temporary store formats. Think: standalone pop-ups, mobile units or “store within store” concepts like the recent matchups between Kohl’s and Sephora or Macy’s and Toys “R” Us. Holiday craft fairs and markets present other opportunities. Whether your physical sales location is a temporary experiment or a permanent community fixture, take advantage of  Wix Point of Sale (POS) . Wix POS offers both mobile and docked solutions for accepting payments wherever you sell, and keeping orders, prices and quantities consistent across channels. 10. Expand pickup and delivery options Nearly a quarter of online holiday orders  were fulfilled using “Buy Online, Pickup In-Store” (aka BOPIS) in 2022—and for good reason. BOPIS offers a fast, free fulfillment option for customers, while minimizing shipping costs for sellers. Given that BOPIS users may be inclined to purchase additional items while in store, this strategy can be a revenue-winner. If you have physical locations, see if offering store or curbside pickup makes sense. Pair this with other shipping options, taking care to update your shipping policies (e.g., your delivery timeframes, delivery areas and costs) for the holidays. Tip: to help level your shipping costs, you can require minimum order values to qualify for specific delivery options.  11. Set up your multichannel strategy While your online store is your digital home, you’re likely to attract a wider audience if you branch out to other popular destinations like Amazon, eBay and others. Google once found  that during the holidays, 54% of consumers used at least five channels to search for gifts in the course of a typical two-day period. So, the more locations your brand can be found, the greater your chances of driving new business. That said, you don’t need to be on every channel, whether through ads or native product listings. Focus on where your target audience already hangs out online. See if your eCommerce platform offers native integrations or tools for  managing multichannel sales  to simplify your work. As you expand to more channels, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with how items are ranked, displayed and promoted on those channels.   Make sure your product listings and promotions are synchronized; the goal is to offer an intriguing assortment of items across channels, without undercutting your core eCommerce site business. Themed selections, trending items and unique gift picks are all good options to showcase on third-party channels. More tips: A guide to online marketplaces   How to set up Facebook and Instagram ads through Wix 12. Schedule email campaigns to boost conversions and loyalty Email is the quiet workhorse of eCommerce marketing: 47.5% of marketers report that it’s still very effective for achieving business goals (across many types of eCommerce  businesses),  according to Hubspot . Context and timing are crucial, so use early-season campaign results to better hone subsequent promotions. “The most powerful marketing action you can take is to think of the entire holiday season as one large, multi-part campaign,” advises Mike Rossi, co-founder and CEO of   Smile.io , a Wix partner. “Before you draft your first email, you need to have a cohesive plan for what you’re going to do with the results of that first campaign. How will you market to newly acquired pre-Black Friday shoppers in the coming months to retain them? Do you want to reactivate past customers during Black Friday and Cyber Monday when everyone else is marketing to them, or hold off until the post-holiday season when sales are typically lower?” “Having a cohesive plan to know which of your customers you want to market to at each point of the holiday season is crucial if you want to make the most of this critical time for your brand,” Rossi adds.  When you’re ready to set up your email campaigns, Wix’s AI email tools can lend a hand in designing and writing catchy holiday emails. Alternatively, apps like Klaviyo  can help you further segment and personalize your emails, in addition to SMS.  13. Offer gift cards with cross-channel flexibility In uncertain times, gift cards are a reliable hit. These days, gift cards are no longer just presents for other people— 21.2% of gift card buyers  intend to use those cards on themselves to access certain discounts, manage their money better or receive other benefits.  This year the trend is set to continue, so offering gift cards and highlighting them prominently is a smart move. Even smarter: allowing shopping credits to be used both in-store and online, regardless of the gift card format. Be inspired: Holiday card design 14. Leverage content to inspire holiday cheer Content such as videos, blog posts and gift guides can be useful for a number of reasons. Not only do they inspire your customers to take action, but they also help you to powerfully reach new audiences. Establish a holiday content calendar that can help you engage customers in a number of ways. Consider partnering with another brand or influencer for unboxing videos, blog features, live stream and other collaborative content. Or, invite user-generated content (UGC) by asking your customers for reviews, launching a hashtag campaign and hosting a contest through which participants can win rewards by creating or sharing content around your brand. Tools like Wix’s AI blogging and image tools can further speed up the process of creating new, attractive content. Just remember to prioritize quality over quantity; every piece you publish should provide value to your buyers and remain on-brand.  15. Get social More than half of 2021 consumers (58%) said that they planned to turn to social media for gift inspiration during the holiday season,  according to McKinsey . With the meteoric rise of channels like TikTok and ever-more-seamless tools to buy within social apps, you can expect that number to grow this holiday season. To focus your efforts, consider which social networks your target audience already uses and what content resonates with them on those channels. Hashtag campaigns might be ideal for Instagram, while Pinterest users are more likely to pay attention to beautifully curated boards. Meanwhile, TikTok viewers might follow your brand after seeing a funny video set to a trending tune. Get creative and harness the social channels at your disposal. Ecommerce holiday trends to boost your marketing campaigns This holiday season, keeping up with the latest eCommerce trends is crucial for maximizing your marketing efforts. Here are a few trends to keep in mind:  Early promotions: Holiday shopping is starting earlier than ever, with many brands launching sales as early as October. Personalized deals: Shoppers are responding more to personalized offers tailored to their preferences.  Sustainability: Eco-conscious consumers are looking for brands with sustainable packaging and products. Omnichannel presence: Customers expect seamless shopping experiences across multiple platforms, from social media to online stores.  Your goal is to capture attention without getting lost in the noise. From email marketing to using social media to showcase limited-time offers or flash sales, focus on creating a sense of urgency and connection with your audience. You can also consider leveraging holiday-related SEO strategies to increase visibility during eCommerce holidays like Black Friday, Cyber Monday and beyond. By tapping into current eCommerce holiday trends, you’ll increase your chances of attracting eager shoppers and driving more conversions.  Ecommerce holiday readiness FAQ What is eCommerce readiness? Ecommerce readiness refers to how prepared a business is to handle online sales. This includes a website that is prepared for high traffic, has secure payment options, reliable shipping methods and an overall streamlined customer experience to meet the demands of online shoppers. What is holiday readiness? Holiday readiness is the preparation retailers and eCommerce sites enforce to optimize their operations for peak shopping periods, like Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas. Holiday readiness includes ensuring website performance, stock levels, marketing strategies and customer service are all ready to handle the surge in traffic and orders during holiday sales and events. How much does online shopping increase during the holidays? Online shopping typically sees a significant boost during the holiday season, with sales increasing by 20-30% on average, and sometimes even more during major events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Do retailers ensure website readiness for the high traffic on Cyber Monday? Yes, retailers, including eCommerce websites, take extensive measures to ensure their websites can handle the surge in traffic on Cyber Monday. This includes stress-testing servers, optimizing load times and implementing fail-safes to avoid site crashes, ensuring a smooth shopping experience for customers.

Get started by:  Creating an online store →  |  Getting a domain → Starting an eCommerce business  means navigating the vast world of online retail . To navigate successfully, you need clear key performance Indicators (KPIs) .  In the context of eCommerce , KPIs give you insight into how well your store is performing and areas for improvement. These eCommerce metrics encompass a broad range of data, from the percentage of visitors who become customers to the lifetime value of a customer to your brand. Keep reading to understand which eCommerce KPIs are important to track and how to position your business for success.  Get your online business started with an eCommerce website builder.   What are eCommerce KPIs? Ecommerce KPIs are metrics that help you understand and benchmark the health of your online business. By keeping a close watch over these indicators, you can make more informed decisions—whether it involves tweaking your marketing strategies , creating a flash sale on strategic seasonal events or improving customer service. These KPIs will touch multiple aspects of your operations, including: Online store performance  Manufacturing performance  Sales performance  Marketing performance  Customer service performance  Learn more: How to make an eCommerce website , Best eCommerce platforms 47 eCommerce KPIs that may be worth monitoring While you don’t necessarily need to track all of these metrics, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with them as they’re some of the most popular ones to track. There are hundreds of other metrics you could be tracking. However, these could give you a good starting point.   Traffic Top sources Organic vs paid visitors New vs. returning visitors Bounce rate Average session duration Pages per session Conversion rate Cart abandonment rate Top exit pages Search engine rankings for key terms Production volume Production downtime Defect rate Cycle time Yield rate Supplier on-time delivery Inventory turnover rate Product return rate Cost of goods sold Total sales revenue Gross merchandise value Gross profit margin Average order value Customer acquisition cost Repeat customer rate Revenue per visit Customer lifetime value Subscriber growth rate Email engagement metrics Follower growth rate Social engagement metrics Social share of voice SMS marketing tactics Affliiate marketing metrics Event marketing metrics PPC metrics Net promoter score Customer satisfaction score First response time Average resolution time Customer effort score Ticket volume Ticket backlog Resolution rate Churn rate Escalation rate KPIs for online store performance  Your website is where business gets done. Unlike brick and mortar stores, where sales associates can interact with guests face to face, your online store, created with an online store creator , is a place where people can enter anonymously at any time of the day. The below metrics can give you some much needed visibility into what your customers are doing on your site and where they’re coming from. 01. Traffic   Website traffic refers to the total number of visits to your website. Traffic indicates the reach of your business online and the impact of your marketing strategies.  02. Top sources  Top channels refer to the channels generating the most traffic or engagement for a website, such as search engines, social media or referral sites. Knowing where your traffic is coming from is nearly as important as knowing who’s entering your site.  03. Organic vs. paid visitors  Organic site visitors are individuals who find your website through search engine results. In contrast, paid visitors come to your site through advertisements that you pay for (such as social media ads). Comparing these two audiences can help you see how reliant you are on paid versus unpaid marketing activities, though you’ll want to dig deeper to understand the quality of those visits.  04. New vs. returning visitors  New visitors are first-time visitors or buyers on your site, whereas returning visitors are people who’ve visited your site before. Viewing these two audiences together can indicate the effectiveness of your acquisition, plus retention, efforts.  05. Bounce rate  Bounce rate is the percentage of visitors who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page. A high bounce rate could indicate that the site is not engaging enough or does not meet visitors' expectations. 06. Average session duration Average session duration is the average amount of time visitors spend on your site. Longer sessions can indicate more engaging content and a positive user experience. 07. Pages per session Pages per session refers to the average number of pages viewed during a session on your site. A higher number suggests that users are more engaged and exploring your site more thoroughly. 08. Conversion rate (CR) Conversion rate measures the percentage of site visitors who make a purchase or take another desired action (such as signing up for your newsletter). Calculate this by dividing the total number of conversions by the total number of visitors and multiplying that by 100.  09. Cart abandonment rate  Cart abandonment rate is the percentage of shoppers who add items to their cart but leave without completing their purchase. This points to potential issues in the checkout process or pricing. Calculate by dividing the total number of completed purchases by the number of shopping carts opened and multiplying that by 100.  10. Top exit pages Top exit pages refer to the pages from which visitors are most likely to leave your site. This can highlight areas where the user experience may be lacking or where there are obstacles that block them from converting. 11. Search engine rankings for key terms Search engine rankings refer to the positions of your web pages in search engine result pages when users search for specific keywords. The higher your rankings for key terms, the more visible your site pages (e.g., your homepage, product pages, blogs, etc.) are.  KPIs for manufacturing  Having visibility into your supply chain and manufacturing operations is crucial, no matter what type of eCommerce business you run. After all, these processes can have a big impact on your bottom line and customer satisfaction. In general, the metrics below can help you assess the efficiency of your operations and avoid costly errors.  12. Production volume Production volume measures the total quantity of products manufactured within a specific time frame, indicating the capacity and efficiency of production operations. 13. Production downtime Production downtime tracks the amount of time production was halted due to issues like equipment failure or maintenance. This highlights areas for improvement in operational efficiency. 14. Defect rate Defect rate is the percentage of products with defects compared to the total production volume, indicating the quality of manufacturing processes. It’s calculated by dividing the number of defective products by the number of units tested and multiplying that by 100.  15. Cycle time Cycle time is the total time taken to manufacture a single product, from start to finish, which helps in assessing production speed and efficiency. 16. Yield rate Yield rate calculates the percentage of products manufactured correctly and to specifications on the first attempt. This measures the quality of the production process. 17. Supplier on-time delivery Supplier on-time delivery shows the reliability of suppliers in delivering raw materials or components on time, which is crucial for maintaining uninterrupted production schedules 18. Inventory turnover rate Inventory turnover rate measures how often inventory is sold and replaced over a period. This helps you gauge product demand, in addition to the efficiency of your inventory and eCommerce management . Calculate this by dividing the cost of goods sold (COGS) by the average inventory value for a specific period.  19. Product return rate Product return rate is the percentage of products returned by customers. This can point to issues with product quality or customer satisfaction related to manufacturing.  20. Cost of goods sold (COGS)  Cost of goods sold represents the direct costs attributable to the production of the goods sold by your company, including materials and labor. Understanding COGS is essential for understanding profitability. KPIs for sales  The right set of sales KPIs can offer insights into how effectively your business is reaching its targets, which strategies are driving success and what improvements need to be made. Given how quickly eCommerce moves, it’s important to stay on top of these numbers and address any challenges head-on.  21. Total sales revenue  Total sales revenues is the total income generated from online sales, after subtracting returns, discounts and any allowances for damaged or missing goods. It reflects the actual revenue that a company recognizes and records in its accounting books as a testament to your company's financial performance.  22. Gross merchandise volume (GMV)  GMV refers to the total value of merchandise sold over a certain time period through a particular platform or marketplace, before any deductions are made for costs or fees. It's a measure of the volume of goods sold, not how much money your company actually makes. 23. Gross profit margin Gross profit margin tells you what percentage of the money from sales is left over after paying for the products or services you sold. It’s calculated by subtracting COGS from total revenue to find the gross profit, then dividing this gross profit by the total revenue. 24. Average order value (AOV)  Average order value is the average amount spent per transaction, which helps in understanding customer buying behaviors and the impact of your pricing strategies. 25. Customer acquisition cost (CAC) Customer acquisition cost is the total cost associated with acquiring a new customer, including marketing and sales expenses. This is crucial for understanding the ROI of your efforts.  26. Repeat customer rate Repeat customer rate is the percentage of customers who have made more than one purchase, indicating customer loyalty and satisfaction.  27. Revenue per visitor (RPV) Revenue per visitor reflects the average amount of money visitors spend on your website. It combines conversion rate with AOV to assess your website's overall efficiency in generating revenue. 28. Customer lifetime value (CLV) Customer lifetime value  predicts the total value your business can expect from a single customer account. This metric helps you understand how valuable a customer is to your company over time. KPIs for marketing  Understanding the health and trajectory of your business requires more than just a cursory glance at your sales numbers. Marketing KPIs can help you dive deeper into each channel, campaign and strategy that might be affecting your growth.    29. Subscriber growth rate Subscriber growth rate shows how quickly your email list is expanding over a specific period. You’ll want to dig into what’s driving this growth, and who’s actually subscribing.  30. Email engagement metrics Email engagement metrics can include open rate, click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate. They help you evaluate the effectiveness of your email marketing experiments and campaigns. 31. Follower growth rate Follower growth rate refers to how quickly your social media following is increasing. Checking the growth rate can help you track down what’s attracting people to your profile.  32. Social media engagement metrics  Social engagement metrics are intended to gauge interactions (likes, comments, shares, etc.) on your social channels. By tracking these, you can better identify what’s working and what’s note when you’re promoting your business.  33. Social share of voice (SSoV) Social share of voice measures your brand's visibility and how much you're mentioned across social media platforms compared to your competitors. It reflects the level of brand awareness and market presence. 34. SMS (texting) marketing metrics SMS marketing can include open rate, click-through rate and conversion rate. These ultimately show how effective your text messaging campaigns are in driving actions, such as making purchases or visiting your website. 35. Affiliate marketing metrics  Affiliate marketing metrics may include things like the number of sales, conversion rate and commission paid out to affiliates. They’re meant to evaluate the performance and profitability of affiliate partnerships. 36. Event marketing metrics For webinars, workshops and other events, key metrics include registration numbers, attendance rate, engagement during the event and follow-up conversion rate to measure the event's impact. 37. PPC (pay-per-click) metrics For ad campaigns on search engines and other platforms, cost per click , click-through rate and conversion rate can help you determine the ROI on your ad dollars.   KPIs for customer service  It’s hard to overstate the importance of customer service on brand loyalty. No matter how big or small your operation is today, it's essential to monitor KPIs that truly reflect the quality of service being delivered to your customers.  38. Net promoter score (NPS) Net promoter score is an index that ranges from -100 to 100. It measures the willingness of customers to recommend your company's products or services to others.  39. Customer satisfaction score (CSAT) Customer satisfaction score measures customer satisfaction with a recent service interaction or purchase, typically through a survey asking customers to rate their satisfaction on a scale. 40. First response time First response time is the average time it takes for your customer service team to respond to a customer inquiry or complaint for the first time. The lower the time, the better because it means that customers are waiting less time to receive an initial response. 41. Average resolution time Average resolution time is the average amount of time it takes to fully resolve a customer's issue or inquiry from the moment it's reported. It reflects the efficiency of your customer service team in addressing and solving problems, directly impacting customer satisfaction and loyalty.  42. Customer effort score (CES) A customer effort score evaluates the ease with which customers can get their issues resolved. Low-effort experiences are usually linked to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty. 43. Ticket volume Ticket volume refers to the total number of customer service inquiries or issues reported in a given period. This number can help identify patterns, peak times and areas of your product or service that may need improvement. 44. Ticket backlog Ticket backlog is the number of unresolved customer service tickets. This helps track your team’s workload and any potential delays in resolving customer issues. 45. Resolution rate The resolution rate is the percentage of customer issues resolved on the first contact without the need for follow-up, demonstrating the effectiveness of your team in addressing problems quickly. 46. Churn rate Churn rate is the percentage of customers who stop doing business with you over a certain period. A low churn rate indicates high customer retention, which is vital for sustained growth. 47. Escalation rate Escalation rate is the percentage of issues that require raising up to a higher authority or department, indicating the complexity of problems and the potential need for additional training or resources. How to implement KPIs in your eCommerce business strategy To embrace the full power of your eCommerce KPIs, you need a structured approach to selecting and implementing them. Follow the steps below to set your business on the right track: Identify your business goals.  Before diving into data, clarify what you primarily want to achieve. Are you looking to increase sales, improve customer satisfaction or reduce costs? Your goals will determine which KPIs are most relevant at this moment. Select the relevant eCommerce KPIs. Choose KPIs that directly reflect progress towards your goals. If increasing customer loyalty is the aim, focus on metrics like CLV and NPS. Set benchmarks and targets.  Determine what success looks like by setting benchmarks based on industry standards or past performance. Then, set realistic targets for improvement. Use eCommerce KPIs templates and dashboards. Templates (such as pre-designed tools, spreadsheets or reports) can provide a starting point for tracking and automatically calculating key metrics. Ultimately, you’ll want to establish a dashboard that includes all of your essential KPIs and allows you to check on them regularly. Regularly review and adjust.  Continuously monitor your KPIs and compare them against your targets. Use this data to make informed decisions and tweak your strategy as needed. The significance of KPIs on the growth of your eCommerce business KPIs are like a GPS for your business. Whether you’re just starting a business  or growing an existing one, these indicators help guide you toward your destination. More specifically, eCommerce KPIs can guide you on things like:  Customer acquisition : Knowing how much it costs to attract a new customer and which channels are most effective, for example, can point you in the right direction while saving you money and time. Customer retention : By measuring repeat purchase rates and engagement, you can tailor your efforts to keep customers coming back. Profit margin : Understanding your eCommerce profit margins helps in identifying areas where you can reduce costs or increase prices without losing customers. Inventory management: By tracking turnover rates, defect rates and more—you can save yourself from common inventory management  mistakes and keep more money in your pocket.  The above is not an exhaustive list—but each of these elements plays a pivotal role in sustaining and scaling your business. Without visibility into these things, you’ll be flying blind. You might be moving forward, but you won’t be sure of where you're headed or how fast you're getting there. By focusing on the right KPIs, you can ensure that every decision made is informed by data that correlates with your business goals. Examples of how eCommerce KPIs are used  Learning from real-world examples can be helpful if you’re not sure where to start. Here are some case studies that highlight how businesses have used eCommerce KPIs to drive growth and success: A fashion retailer's turnaround:  An online clothing brand  was struggling with high customer acquisition costs and low retention rates. By focusing on improving their CLV and churn rate, they developed targeted marketing campaigns and loyalty programs that increased repeat purchases and reduced acquisition costs. Tech gadgets store:  A tech gadget eCommerce site noticed a stagnation in sales growth. They honed in on their conversion rate and discovered that many customers abandoned their carts due to high shipping costs. By adjusting their pricing strategy to offer free shipping after a certain purchase value, they saw a significant increase in completed transactions. Beauty brand online : An organic skincare brand wanted to expand its market share. They tracked the net promoter score (NPS) to gauge customer satisfaction and implemented feedback mechanisms to improve product quality. As a result, their NPS improved, leading to more word-of-mouth referrals and a larger customer base. Tools and platforms for tracking eCommerce KPIs To effectively track and analyze your eCommerce KPIs, you need the right tools and platforms in your pocket to capture data and make sense of it. Here are some recommended tools that specialize in KPI tracking: Wix Analytics : For those using Wix  to host their online store, Wix Analytics provides tailored insights into your website performance, including traffic, sales trends and customer behaviors. Klaviyo : This is a marketing automation platform that excels in tracking customer interactions and can help you measure the effectiveness of email campaigns as well as SMS campaigns in terms of sales and engagement.

From the care instructions of your clothes to website design and favicons , icons are everywhere. They help simplify communication, conveying messages at a glance without the need for words. Yet despite their widespread presence, incorporating these small visual symbols into creative work requires much precision on the designer’s part. If you’re looking for website icons or new imagery for your work, remember that all icons in a single project should be consistent, adhering to the same visual and web design guidelines. It’s therefore best to work with one icon set that shares a unified look, guaranteeing that all of your icons will fit together. Using a free website builder  can make this process easier, helping you integrate icons seamlessly into your site and maintain a consistent design throughout. If you can’t find all of the icons you need in just one set, invest time in handpicking icons that match in style and language, noting parameters such as line width, corner shape (sharp or round), outline or filled, and more. Learn more: What is web design? 20 best free icon packs Below we’ve selected 20 of our favorite icon packs and resources for your projects. They are all free, but make sure to read into each one’s licensing, as some require attribution, some are free for personal work only, and so forth. You might also want to consider the different image file types they come in. Here they are, for all of your creative needs, including to use when learning how to make a website : Noun Project Material Design Icons Icons8 Softies iOS Edge Linearicons Feather Ionicons Jam Font Tonicons Mixed Computer Icons Wix Multimedia Justicons Geometric Line Icons Nucleo Streamline Simple Line Icons Minimal Icons Lynny Icons 01. Noun Project Format: SVG and PNG Total: 2M+ Launched in 2011, Noun Project is updated daily with new icons made by a global community of professional creators. These icons are formatted in SVG and PNG. It currently holds over two million icons, all of which are free, downloadable and customizable. Free members of Noun Project are required to credit the icon’s designer in each use. For those with a paid membership, attribution is not necessary. Lighthouse by Nook Fulloption and DTDesign from the Noun Project. 02. Material Design Icons Format: SVG, PNG and embed CSS Total: 1,000+ As part of Google’s Material Design resources (alongside its color palette generator , font directory and more) is this rich collection of open source icons. The icons are available in five different themes - filled, outlined, rounded, two-tone, and sharp. 03. Icons8 Format: PNG, SVG, PDF and embed HTML Total: 140,000+ Icons8’s vast collection, all produced and designed in-house, is made up of many icon sets. This way, you can choose the style that best suits your project and work with icons within that set. The website offers complete customization before download, from changing the icon’s color, size and format, to adding text. The icons are free , but linking to the icons8.com web domain is required for all non-paid use. 04. Softies Format: SVG and embed Total: 400+ Softies began as a personal project by Robbie Pearce , in which he designed an icon a day. After having accumulated hundreds of icons over the years, he released the project as an icon pack, free for both personal and commercial projects. 05. iOS Edge Format: SVG and AI files Total: 216 This free icon pack designed by Zach Roszczewski for Flaticons matches the Apple standards for the iOS interface. It comes in both outlined and filled versions. This free sample is part of a fuller paid set of 2,400 icons. 06. Linearicons Format: SVG, PDF, desktop font and embed HTML Total: 170 This collection of vector line icons is the free version of a larger premium set, consisting of 1,001 icons. The icons were designed on a 20x20 pixel grid. When using the free version, be sure to link to the website for attribution, and to mention Perxis as the designer. 07. Feather Format: SVG Total: 282 Feather is a collection of open source icons, made by Cole Bemis . The icons are designed on a 24x24 grid with an emphasis on simplicity, consistency, and flexibility, and licensed under the MIT License. You can also find these icons as a Sketch library , on Github, and more. 08. Ionicons Format: SVG and embed SVG Total: 318 Ionicons is an open source collection that’s MIT licensed. The icons all come in a Material Design style as well as an iOS style, so that they look great on both Android and iOS. They are also compatible for web, and can be used as a webfont. The collection was built by the Ionic Framework team. 09. Jam Format: SVG, JavaScript and font Total: 800+ Jam is a set of icons designed by Michael Amprimo for web, app, and print projects. The icons are designed on a 24x24 grid with a 2 pixel stroke, and come in both outline and filled versions. The set, licensed under the MIT License, can also be found on Github. 10. Font Tonicons Format: SVG, PNG, AI files and embed CSS Total: 300 This CSS icon font was made with website designers and developers in mind. The icons are vectoric, and the PNG versions come in both 32px and 64px versions. Note that it’s free for personal use only. For commercial purposes, Tonicons offers various paid icon bundles. 11. Mixed Computer Icons Format: EPS and JPG Total: 225 This collection of vector icons by Raw Pixel is royalty free, but requires a link to rawpixel.com for attribution. The icons included range in topic from science and medicine to travel, business, and more. 12. Wix Format: Web Total: 1,000+ If you’re in need of icons for your website building endeavors, Wix.com provides users with a diverse library of icons, vector art and badges. The icons are fully customizable and come in a variety of styles, to fit any design direction you wish to explore. In addition, the free Logo Maker by Wix comes fully equipped with many beautiful icon options for professional logo design. 13. Multimedia Format: SVG, PNG, and AI files Total : 50 This set by Iconfinder contains 50 vector line icons. It was designed by Sergey Ershov and is licensed under Creative Commons, requiring that the appropriate credit be given for any use. 14. Justicons Format: PSD Total: 140 This collection of vector stroke icons by Radmir Mingaliev is free for both personal and commercial use. 15. Geometric Line Icons Format: AI Total: 108 These icons are designed with only straight lines, using a line width of 2px. The icons are a maximum of 20px in size, so they’re best used in app or web UI design . 16. Nucleo Format: SVG and icon font Total: 60 This icon pack by Nucleo is a test sample for the company’s much bigger paid library of 28,502 icons. The more modest free collection is comprised of outline, glyph and colored versions of each of the 60 icons, as well as additional mini icons. 17. Streamline Format: PNG Total: 30,000+ The Streamline icons come in three different weights (light, regular and bold), and many categories, from interface essentials to outdoors and recreation. Free website members can download up to a 48px version of the icons, but paid users enjoy access to larger files as well as additional file types of SVG and PDF. 18. Simple Line Icons Format: SVG, EPS, PSD and AI files Total: 100+ These vector line icons were designed by freelance graphic designer, Mirko Monti . They are available for free for personal, open-source and commercial work. 19. Minimal Icons Format: SVG, EPS, PNG, and Sketch, PSD, and AI files Total: 1,800 This pack of minimal icons comes in two styles - sharp and rounded. It was designed on a 20x20 grid by Alexandru Stoica . 20. Lynny Icons Format: EPS, PNG and AI files Total: 450 Designed by Matthew Skiles , this icon set is free for personal and commercial use with attribution to 1001FreeDownloads.com. The icons cover the topics of electronics, eCommerce, web, weather and more. This Article is not sponsored or endorsed by any of the brands featured, other than Wix.com. Wix.com does not make any guarantees about these brands and their respective services, nor endorse the services for any specific purpose.

Ready to let your work shine? Build your portfolio →   Whether you’re considered an emerging, mid-career or established artist, an artist website is a great way to put yourself out there in the art world. A website is an effective networking and business tool, making your work publicly available for potential curators, gallerists and collectors to see.  If you’re an artist reading this, you've most likely wondered if you should make an artist website of your own. The answer is an enthusiastic “yes,” and if you don’t know how to make a website , don’t let that stop you. Below, we’ll show you how to make a website for an artist in nine steps, and how you can streamline the process using a website builder .   Showcasing your talent should be easy. With Wix’s portfolio builder, you can create a professional, eye-catching portfolio that shows your best work in just a few clicks. Wix’s customizable templates and easy-to-use tools let you present your skills with confidence–leaving a lasting impression on anyone who visits your site. What is an artist website?  An artist website serves as a link between you and the professional art community, designed to catch the eye of prospective gallerists, curators and collectors. This type of website  acts as your own virtual art gallery, portfolio and CV to effectively showcase the best of your artistic practice to visitors.  On top of basic web pages , such as a homepage, an artist website typically features a comprehensive gallery to engage visitors, accompanied by details about each completed work. It’s important to include your professional background and contact details to foster important connections, too.  As traffic grows, an artist website can evolve into an online store for selling directly to interested clients. This is a great way to benefit from the online market, expand your reach and generate revenue.   How to make an artist website in 9 steps  Establish goals for your artist website  Choose a website builder  Pick a template  Register a domain name    Set up your website pages  Showcase your artwork  Make your site mobile friendly  Review and publish  Maintain your artist website  01. Establish goals for your artist website  In the art world, you are your own brand—and your artist website will be an extension of it. That’s why it's important to set your own goals and expectations before you make your site. Clear goals will help define the purpose of your website, giving you a better idea of which design elements and features you need to achieve success.  Depending on the career stage, the goals of making a website for an artist include:  Expand your audience  Connect with galleries and collectors  Sell artwork online  Apply for grants and exhibitions  This is also a great time to look around at some of the best artist websites  to gain inspiration. As you go, take note of what features and visual elements you like, and how these can help your website achieve your goals.  02. Choose a website builder  You’re probably wondering how long it takes to build a website , and how you’ll balance this task with the time you spend in the studio. That's why we recommend using a website builder, which isn’t just time-saving technology, but also gives you design freedom and management tools to succeed.    Using professional templates ( Learn more: What is a template ) and custom design features, a website allows novice users to design their own site and publish it without hiring a developer. Platforms like Wix provide user-friendly drag-and-drop technology, even offering AI website builder  options to speed-up the creation process.  Learn more: Best website builders for artists Here are some important things you want to look out for when choosing a website builder:  Cost efficient Be aware of how much it costs to build a website   before you choose which platform and plan you’ll use. An average website builder will cost up to $200 per month. Most website creators like Wix include a variety of plans and pricing tiers to choose from, and often offer a free plan to get you started.     Reliable website infrastructure  Website infrastructure  includes the hardware, software, network and server components that work together to deliver the website's content and provide a smooth user experience. You’ll want a website building software that has a reputation for reliability, and includes features like web hosting , content management, security and monitoring.  Learn more: Web hosting cost Solid website performance Do your diligence and be sure to choose a builder with a reputation for good website performance . This means healthy core web vitals like quality media optimization and fast loading times.  Professional templates   Website templates are a helpful tool for getting started with an already pre-design website layout and integrations. These are completely customizable and are a great way to kick-start the website creation process.  If you’re thinking about selling your artwork online one day, you might want to choose an art template that already includes an  online store template  within it.   E-commerce and marketing tools  If one of your goals is sales, choose a platform that includes eCommerce functionality and marketing tools. Look for a website builder that tracks your website analytics (like Wix Analytics ) and SEO and offers marketing integrations such as email marketing and social media sharing.  Learn more: Wix vs Squarespace 03. Pick a template   Once you have a website builder, choose a creative arts template  that’s especially set up for displaying your art work and putting it in center stage. Something with a built-in gallery and an easy-to-view format is a great start for sharing your artistic vision. You can refine your website template’s design as you go along and customize it with your own colors, fonts and website backgrounds. 04. Register a domain name  No professional website is complete without securing a domain name , which is typically a service offered using a   platform like Wix. A domain name is the address you will give visitors to  find and interact with your website.  Domain names should be concise and easy to remember, and since it's a long term investment, we recommend using a simple format such as, www.namesurname.com . Your domain will include a top-level domain, too (that’s the .com  in Wix.com ), and there are several you can choose from. From the classic .com or .net  to newer ones that may be prevalent in the art world, like .art, . studio , . design , .photography, .gallery, or .artwork .  05. Set up your website pages  Now, it's time to enter the backend of your website creator’s dashboard to start adding and customizing your website pages. Keep in mind that because website design is an iterative process, you'll likely modify details as you build your site.  Each page should serve a specific purpose. You’ve likely chosen a template that includes the foundational pages you need, but to make an artist website that will succeed, we recommend that you absolutely include the following:  Homepage  Think of your homepage as the introduction to your site. It’s the first page visitors will see when they arrive, so it needs to make a strong impression, set the right tone and include a navigation menu to launch visitors into your portfolio or shop.  According to Adi Huri, head of product and creative director of Wow! at Wix: "Keep in mind that the menu is the map of your website. By adding the right pages to your menu in the right order, it can become the heart of your website’s success." Your homepage should display prudent information that communicates who you are as an artist, including images of your work and your name. Don’t forget to include contact details here, too—adding these or a contact form to the footer of your homepage is also a seamless way to encourage visitors to inquire about your work.  If you have an upcoming exhibition, your homepage is the perfect spot to promote it. You can invite visitors to attend by including a digital flier or adding a pop-up with relevant details.  Contact and email sign-up forms  These lead-generating tools are often included on the homepage footer, but can also exist as a pop-up or stand alone webpage. Contact forms allow visitors to contact you directly from your site, bypassing the need for a separate email and saving time. A sign-up form will allow you to connect emails from visitors—even if you don’t have a newsletter just yet, it’s never too early to start building your mailing list with interested fans.   About page An About page provides visitors  with more information about your professional background and practice. This is an opportunity to highlight your education, experience and talk about your inspiration and approach.  An About page should include an image of yourself, preferably in-action at the studio or a professional headshot. You’ll also want to tell your story, writing out a short biography and explanation of your artistic approach.  For exhibiting artists, your About page can also include a CV or updated list of exhibitions you’ve participated in. This is a great opportunity to post your artist statement if you have one.   Seamless navigation  Intuitive navigation is a necessary element when making a website for an artist. With a clear menu and well-structured user journey, it will be easier for visitors to identify exactly what they need. Include your main pages on the website main menu, making sure they are labeled clearly, and create an uncomplicated hierarchy that leads visitors to any subpages of your artist website.  Your own logo  If you don’t already have a logo, you can use a logo maker   to create one of your own. For artists, this isn’t a must-have, but it's a great way to brand your art website and amplify professional appearance.  Galleries  Your artwork will be the heart of your website, hence it’s a must to have dedicated gallery pages for visitors to experience them. At this stage, you can choose the portfolio pages or image galleries that you want to start with. Be sure to use a gallery layout that leaves ample white space and large enough photos that will help viewers be immersed in the works.   In the next step, we’ll show you how to design these galleries to best showcase your artwork.    06. Showcase your artwork  Now that you’ve got your gallery pages set up, you can start curating them to display on your website. With Wix Pro Gallery , it's easy to import your photos into the editor. From there you can edit, add and rearrange the photos into categories.  Here’s how to curate an eye-catching gallery for your site:  Choose your best artworks  It’s easy to overwhelm visitors with too much imagery, which is why it's important to select  a concise and powerful collection of your art. You’ll want to reflect a relevant but diverse body of work, honing in on past projects, recently completed artworks, and stand-out accomplishments such as award-winning pieces.  Occasionally, it's good to show off your artistic process with an image of a “work in progress,” but seasoned gallerists and collectors will mostly focus on complete works.  Use high quality photos  When performing a search on Google, 29% of users prefer using images  over written content. Since your own site will be abundant with images, that leaves a lot of potential for reaching more traffic with SEO. But in order for visitors to click on your photo, it needs to stand out with excellent quality.  Using quality visuals can not only attract new visitors, it also impacts the user experience of your website. Visitors want an experience that will closely resemble viewing your work in real life, and for that you need high resolution images (today, this can be achieved using a smartphone camera). If you’re using Wix, each image added to your site will automatically be optimized for the web  to ensure images look their best and download speedily.    Organize your portfolio gallery   Visitors will have a better time browsing through your portfolio with organized categories and descriptions. Your artworks within the galleries can be arranged by date, medium or collection, giving visitors a clear map to view your collection, and making it easier to find specific works.  Describe your art  Your descriptions should at least include the title of the artwork, medium and date created. You can add a bit more detail, such as the inspiration behind the piece—just be sure to keep it brief and impactful.  07. Make your site mobile friendly  You want to be confident that your artwork looks amazing for visitors, especially when they view it on a small screen. Wix provides an automated mobile-friendly version and an adaptive gallery for your images, ensuring they maintain high resolution even on mobile devices. While this feature simplifies the process, regularly reviewing the mobile editor is essential to confirm that the generated mobile site accurately reflects your design vision.   08. Review and publish  Before your site goes live, there are a number of things you should review. First, is the experience of the website itself. Put your site into preview mode and have family or friends use it for feedback on the user experience. You should also share the site with someone who has a good eye, taking note of design flaws and having them proof-read for grammar and spelling errors.  This is a perfect time to run a web accessibility  audit. Website accessibility involves making your site inclusive and user-friendly for individuals with disabilities, including visual, motor, hearing, cognitive, or situational challenges. You can also do an SEO  audit, which can help your site reach broader audiences and maximize its performance in search results.  Once you're satisfied with how your artist website looks, functions and performs, it’s time to press publish and make it live.    Pro tip: Use this website launch checklist for a reminder of essential steps to complete before and after publishing.  09. Maintain your website  Moving ahead to the post publishing stages, there are several website maintenance practices that will help your website improve over time. To make sure your site’s content is up-to-date and keeps up optimal performance, regularly check in on:  Content updates: Continuously add new artworks and update your professional details.   Website performance: If you're using Wix, utilize the Wix Site Speed Dashboard   to test, analyze, and optimize your website's performance on desktop and mobile devices. User experience: Consistently check your site’s mobile version, speed and user-friendliness. Promptly fix any bugs or glitches to provide a smooth user experience. How to promote your artist website  Now that your site is live, it’s time to share it with the world. Whether your goals involve gaining sales, networking or visibility, there are plenty of cost-effective ways to promote your artist website:     Social media: People will interact with your social media accounts more frequently than your website. This makes social media platforms a great space for promoting your website and advertising new works.    Email marketing:  With well-crafted email campaigns, you can regularly engage with your followers and drive visitors to your site. On Wix, an integrated email marketing tool  makes it easy to build your mailing list, create optimized emails, automate campaigns and track your results.  Art blog:   Starting an art blog  is a powerful tool for establishing authority in the art realm by writing about your work, techniques and or the dynamic landscape of the industry. Optimize blog posts for search engines by using relevant keywords, meta descriptions and proper formatting to increase visibility.   How to sell your art online  With the popularity of e-Commerce , it’s never been more relevant or achievable to sell art online . Once your artist website is up and running, you can add an online store  to showcase your products, manage inventory, receive payments and more. If you’re using a website builder like Wix, all of this is included in a single platform.  Now’s the time to set up shop and develop your digital storefront. Whether you choose an e-Commerce template or add the Wix Stores integration to your website, customize your shop’s pages using professional imagery, clear descriptions and prices. Finally, set up a smooth checkout process for visitors: keep required fields to a minimum and make sure each step of the process is clearly numbered. Benefits of an artist website  An artist website is much more than a place to show off photos of your work—it’s a place where interested buyers and followers can go to learn more about you, and dive deeper into your practice. While social media is a great platform for building a following, having a website makes it easier to manage your growth and opens up more possibilities.  Artists websites have the following benefits:  Encourages networking  Successful networking in the art world depends on getting your name out there whenever the opportunity strikes. But these opportunities don’t present themselves overnight.Whenever you encounter an interested gallerist, curator, or collector in person, sharing your website is a professional strategy that keeps their attention and fosters engagement.  Showcases your talent  With a portfolio gallery, you can ensure visitors see images of your artwork in more detail.  When curated properly, it allows visitors to easily browse through a diverse collection of works, getting a comprehensive view of your talent.     Reaches a wider audience  By utilizing digital tools like email marketing, SEO, and blogging, your website has the potential to expand its reach beyond your local art community. These tools can connect you with collectors from around the globe, allowing you to broaden your audience and increase your exposure. Five artist website examples  From illustrator websites to fine art and photography, the following are examples of artist websites that make the best use of online features. As you review these, take note of why each design stands out and what elements you should incorporate when you make an artist website of your own.  Jennifer Xiao  Jennifer XIao ’s illustration website greets visitors with an intriguing splash page that showcases her site's menu. This creative approach captivates and engages users, making them eager to explore further. Incorporating customized icons on the menu allows Xiao to showcase her custom vector art, enhancing the overall design and elevating the user experience. Miranda Sofroniou   The homepage of Miranda Sofroniou 's website features a full-screen image of an original watercolor print, immersing visitors in a tangible experience of her work. The design of the site is kept simple and subtle, creating a cohesive backdrop that complements her illustrations. A strong CTA at the bottom of Sofroniou’s homepage calls attention to her online shop, encouraging visitors to purchase prints.  Sharon Radisch  Sharon Radisch  has a portfolio website that’s incredibly user friendly thanks to well-organized navigation and a clear website structure. When hovering over an image within the portfolio, the title of the category appears, which is a great way to save space and enhance the user experience. Included on her homepage is a list of clients, showcasing her collaborations and profound professional experience.   William LaChance  William LaChance  is not afraid to inject personality and color onto his website homepage. He skillfully employs scrolling effects to separate content and captivate users. This is an easy feature to apply, and yields impressive visual results. By placing the website menu on the left side, LaChance deviates from the conventional, but combined with ample white space, this menu design attracts attention and enhances navigability.  Shayda Campbell  Having an online shop is essential for commercial artists. Shayda Campbell  has set an excellent example of how to do this. Creating a cohesive brand identity, the incorporates a logo and favicon onto her site. Campbell also connects it to regularly updated social media accounts like Pinterest and YouTube to help engage customers and grow her audience. Additionally, she includes a captivating biography and a striking portrait on her About page, adding a personal and inviting touch.     How to make an artist website FAQ How can I make a free artist website? Many website builders like Wix offer free plans, which include everything you need to create a website and get it live. You can always update your plan in the future to get more benefits and features. To get started, visit the website of your chosen platform and sign up for a free account. You'll need to provide some basic information like your name, email address and a password. Do artists need their own website? Making an artist website is not a necessity, but there are many advantages to having one. It can open up opportunities like audience engagement, building your visibility and even increasing sales. It’s also a professional asset that can enhance your credibility and help you network.  Making your own website requires some time, effort and possibly financial investment. Therefore, it's important to assess your goals, resources and preferences to determine whether a website aligns with your artistic practice and professional objectives. Is a website worth it for an artist? Many artists find that the benefits of having an artist website outweigh the costs of making it. Ultimately, whether a website is worth it for an artist depends on your individual circumstances, preferences and goals. The decision to create an artist website should align with your overall strategy for promoting your artwork and advancing your professional career. How much does it cost to have an artist website? The cost of building an artist website depends on the platform and features you choose. Expect to pay around $10–$20 per year for domain registration and $10–$50 per month for a hosting or platform plan. Wix offers plans that include hosting, templates and eCommerce tools to simplify the process.

This guide covers everything you need to learn how to sell crafts online. Turn your business ideas , hobby or existing business into an online venture that yields extra cash, flexible hours and the opportunity to be your own boss. As a crafter, there's nothing more satisfying than witnessing someone admire an item that you've poured your heart and soul into making-—except maybe getting paid for it as well. No matter what eCommerce business ideas  you have in mind, the online market is ripe for craft makers of every kind. This guide will take you through the process of selling crafts, from choosing what to make and sell, to how to build an ecommerce website or online store to sell. Learn more: How to sell on Wix How to sell crafts online in 6 steps Decide what to craft Determine your target audience Develop your brand Choose your eCommerce platform Build your eCommerce store Drive traffic to your business 01. Decide what to craft and sell online When deciding what to craft, you have two options: learn something new or stick with a craft you already know. If the former applies to you and you’ve already mastered a craft, you’re off to a great start. If the latter applies to you, no problem. Start by researching what types of handcrafted items are trending by checking best-selling items on marketplaces like Etsy  or Amazon's handmade category  (pro tip: when it comes to learning how to start a business , you always need to do your research). Select a product or craft business idea  that tickles your fancy, then dig more into the process for creating it, as well as the competition and the overall business opportunity. Ask questions like: What materials and equipment are needed for your craft? How much time do you need to produce each item? How much does an item cost to produce? What other business costs should you consider? What’s the competition like online? (And, who’s already doing it well?) Why are consumers choosing to buy these items, as reflected in their feedback, questions, and/or search histories? What is your break-even price? Are there special licenses, laws or regulations for your craft? Keep in mind that when it comes to handmade items, how  you feel about your work is often reflected in your craftsmanship. It’s not uncommon for makers to quickly burn out if they’re not passionate about what they’re doing (or aren’t clear about the “why” behind their work). Keeping all this in mind, here are some popular craft categories and niches to explore: Jewelry ( Learn more: How to start a jewelry business ) Home decor Furniture ( Learn more:  How to sell furniture online ) Canvas prints Printable or digital planners Candles ( Learn more: How to start a candle business , Candle business name ideas ) Wedding accessories, Subscription boxes ( Learn more: How to start a subscription box service ) Pre-made craft kits Pet treats or outfits Personalized gifts Party supplies Toys ( Learn more : How to sell toys online ) Learn more: Crafts to make and sell , How to sell products on Wix 02. Determine your target audience Aside from picking a craft that interests you, it's essential to define your target customer base and what solution or value your item provides. Who you choose to target will affect the following aspects of your business: The type of product or features you highlight The materials you use Pricing strategy Branding Packaging Messaging Marketing and advertising strategy Sales channels For example, “groovy fashion” designer Carmen Christine  sells a variety of handmade fashion accessories and pieces, all from funky textiles from the 1960s and 1970s. Christine targets young adults that love sustainable vintage fashion. Everything from her logo and product choice (e.g., headbands and tote bags), to her copywriting and site branding (which features bright colors, playful icons, and colorfully decked-out models) are all tailored towards this audience. In the same vein, you’ll want to target a specific audience that you know well in order to enjoy an easier time developing your products, your pricing, and your marketing strategy (among other things). Develop an ideal customer profile or buyer personas to help you think more from your customers’ perspectives. 03. Develop your online craft brand Your brand is much more than just a name or a logo. It's your company's vision, values, voice, style, image, personality, and quirks—all wrapped into one. Defining who you are as a company is the first step to creating a cohesive brand image and connecting with consumers on an emotional level. Identify the purpose and vision behind your brand. Carefully think through your unique selling proposition  (USP)—your core differentiators—and incorporate it into your branding. For instance, if sustainability is a top priority for your business, create a plan for using sustainable materials when crafting and/or packaging your items. You could also commit to sending a portion of your profits to support a non-profit organization and/or subscribe to other long-term sustainable practices. Build a strong, consistent brand identity with a unique logo, cohesive color palette and signature style. These elements set your products apart and make them instantly recognizable to your audience. Once the wheels are in motion, you can start thinking about your visual identity, voice, and other brand elements that reflect your commitment to this cause. Check out these craft business name ideas  for further branding inspiration. 04. Choose your eCommerce platform When you first start an eCommerce business , there are two core channels that you’ll likely consider selling on: marketplaces (like Etsy eBay) or a branded website. Both have their advantages, but starting out with a branded site provides advantages such as: Complete control over your branding, messaging, pricing, and overall user experience Higher margins due to low subscription fees and zero listing fees Full access to the entire customer journey, ensuring optimal user experience and retention in your funnel Ownership over your sales and customer data Professional business features  to help you drive sales and grow your business If you’re using a full-service website builder like Wix, you’ll be able to easily expand to marketplaces without duplicating your work, plus gain a central command center to manage your omnichannel operations It’s therefore wise to create a site that represents your brand in all its uniqueness, then use marketplaces to supplement it with additional brand exposure and sales. Note that most sellers who seek Etsy alternatives (as an example) do so because they’re frustrated by the lack of control and rising fees. When choosing an eCommerce platform to host your site and establish your web presence, consider the following: Ease of setup : If you don't have a developer handy, look for a platform that includes professional, mobile-responsive templates and easy-to-use editing tools that don't require coding skills. Security, speed and reliability : Look for an eCommerce platform with a proactive approach to security, ensuring your content and customer data remain safe. You’ll additionally want to check that your platform is set up to scale with your business, e.g., can it handle an influx of traffic without crashing? Does your site load quickly? Does it perform well on all devices? Back-office tools : The best eCommerce platforms  offer much more than a website builder. They offer the tools, automations and app integrations necessary for running your business smoothly. They should help to simplify your work across catalog management, inventory management, marketing and more. For example, Wix AI Site Chat  delivers real-time support that keeps customers engaged and ready to buy. Easy to set up and always on, it smooths the path to checkout so your store keeps moving, even when you’re off the clock. You can also check out the Wix AI Site Chat overview  for a deeper look at how it works. Multichannel tools : Look for a platform with direct integrations into key sales and marketing channels, including social channels and marketplaces where your customers shop. This will save you from hours of manual data entry, and keep all of your inventory and product data connected across channels. Support  – While support is often an afterthought, you’ll benefit tremendously from having a support team within reach. Make sure that help is easily accessible via chat, a self-help knowledge base and other convenient channels. 05. Build your eCommerce store Setting up your eCommerce store is relatively simple when you use Wix’s eCommerce website builder  to build your ecommerce website . In case you didn’t know:  Wix for eCommerce is a feature-rich, secure platform with 24/7 support and built-in tools for processing payments, tracking performance, managing multichannel campaigns and more—all for one low monthly price. Plus, there are hundreds of apps available in the Wix Apps Market  to enhance your online store further. Simply start by creating a Wix account  and following the below steps. Note: you can create a Wix account for free and upgrade to a paid account only once you’re ready to start accepting orders. Pick a design and make it yours: Choose from 500+ designer-made templates . Use Wix’s drag-and-drop editor to customize your site to fit your brand. Make sure to check the mobile version of your store too and make any adjustments as needed. Add products to your store: Upload your product details, including high-quality product photos . Handlebend , for example, infuses lifestyle photos throughout its site to help shoppers visualize how their copper creations would look inside their homes. Handlebend also includes videos and detailed product descriptions on every product page, leaving nothing up to the imagination when it comes to the quality of its products. Optimize listing with keywords: Use the right keywords in your product titles and descriptions to boost search visibility. Think about the words your customers are searching for and weave them naturally into your content. Clear keyword-rich listings not only help search engines recognize your products but also give customers the details they need to feel confident about their purchase. For example, instead of "Handmade Mug," try "Handmade Ceramic Coffee Mug – Artisan Design." This approach connects you with the right audience while creating a better shopping experience. Tell your story: Whether through an "About Us" page or your overall website copy, share your company’s origin story, values, and/or mission. For instance, candlemaker Coal and Canary  shares its beginnings on an “ Our Story ” page, plus weaves its personality and values throughout its store. The company even spotlights staff members on its homepage, allowing customers to see the face(s) behind the brand. By being genuine, authentic, and vulnerable, you can build stronger emotional connections with your customers. Manage shipping and fulfilment: Deliver your crafts safely and efficiently. Choose a reliable carrier and use sturdy branded packaging to make a strong impression. Add clear labels, tracking options and thoughtful extras like thank-you notes to create a memorable unboxing experience. Calculate accurate eCommerce shipping  costs upfront and decide whether free or flat-rate shipping works best for your business. Make your policies clear: Clearly explain your shipping, return and exchange policies, including details about return shipping and any fees. Place these policies in a visible, easy-to-find spot so customers know what to expect upfront. This helps build trust and avoids surprises after a purchase. Set up payment processing : Make it easy for shoppers to purchase your handmade items, no matter their preferred method of payment. Wix Payments allows you to accept major debit/credit cards, Apple Pay, Afterpay, and other popular methods to collect payments online . With Wix Point of Sale , you can additionally expand your business beyond one venue or platform and accept payments wherever you go. Pro tip: you can try discounting your products when you're first starting out to appeal to more buyers. Launch your site: Connect your site to a custom domain name and publish it for the world to see. 06. Drive traffic to your business Finally, it's time to start promoting your crafts. Focus on the one or two marketing channels that resonate most with your target audience. As you get more familiar with these channels, incorporate more tools and methods into your eCommerce marketing  strategy. Some techniques to try: Get social : Present your brand on major social platforms, particularly those that cater to shoppers and handmade enthusiasts, like Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Regularly post new, original content to build up your community and take the time to actually engage with your network. Create a blog : Adding a free blog  to your site and regularly updating it with fresh content can help to build up your credibility and improve our site’s search engine visibility (aka “SEO”). Of course, a blog is a long-term commitment; we don’t advise starting one if you don’t have the time, resources, and/or passion to manage it. Launch ads : Paid advertising can supplement your organic marketing efforts by helping you reach new audiences quickly. Consider online advertising on social media, search engines, and/or marketplaces. With Wix, you can easily set up Facebook Ads  and Instagram campaigns powered by Wix’s AI capabilities. Use email marketing: Email is not yet a lost art. It can be an effective medium for drawing attention to your new products, promotions, giveaways, customer feedback, and more. Moreover, you can use Wix's fully-integrated email marketing  services to automate a full-cycle email funnel to keep both prospective and returning customers engaged. Attend local events: Spread the word about your business by attending local fairs and events (or hosting virtual workshops and live events). Showcase your crafts and invite your attendees to join your mailing list to receive information on any upcoming sales or product drops. As a crafter, building an online store  is an expression of your creativity as much as it is a way to earn some hard-earned money. As you dive into the world of eCommerce, have fun with it. Remember to stay true to your initial vision for your crafts while acquiring new customers and fans. How to sell crafts online FAQ What is the best way to sell homemade crafts? The best way to sell homemade crafts is to create a high-quality product that is unique and in demand. You should also market your products effectively through social media, email marketing, and other channels. Is selling crafts online profitable? Selling crafts online can be profitable remote work, but it takes time and effort. You need to create high-quality products, market them effectively, and build a good reputation. If you do these things, you can be successful in selling crafts online. What crafts are in high demand? Jewelry:  Jewelry is a popular craft that can be made with a variety of materials, including beads, wire, and metal. Crochet and knitting:  Crochet and knitting are both popular crafts that can be used to make a variety of items, such as scarves, hats, and blankets. Sewing:  Sewing is a versatile craft that can be used to make a variety of items, such as clothing, home décor, and bags. Paper crafts:  Paper crafts are a fun and creative way to use paper to make a variety of items, such as cards, decorations, and jewelry. Woodworking:  Woodworking is a great way to create beautiful and functional pieces of furniture, home décor, and other items. Decorative painting:  Decorative painting is a fun and creative way to add personality to your home décor. Upcycling:  Upcycling is the process of transforming old materials into new and useful items. What products are the hardest to sell? Mass-produced items:  Mass-produced items are often difficult to sell, as there is a lot of competition from other sellers. Overpriced items:  Items that are priced too high are often difficult to sell, as customers are less likely to buy them. Items with poor quality:  Items that are made with poor quality materials or that are poorly made are often difficult to sell, as customers are less likely to be satisfied with them. Items that are not unique:  Items that are not unique or that are not in high demand are often difficult to sell. How do I price my handmade items? To determine the right pricing for your handmade items, consider the cost of materials, the time investedxfprodyc and factor in your skill level. Calculate the total production cost, including raw materials, labor hours, and any additional expenses. Additionally, research similar handmade products to understand market prices and ensure your pricing is competitive. Don't forget to account for your expertise and the uniqueness of your creations when setting a fair and profitable price. What kinds of crafts sell best? The popularity of crafts can vary, but items that are unique, functional, or have a personalized touch often perform well. Popular categories include handmade jewelry, home decor, personalized gifts, and accessories. Stay attuned to current trends and consider your own passion and skill set when choosing what crafts to create. Conduct market research and test different products to discover what resonates best with your target audience. Additionally, offering customizable or niche items can help your crafts stand out in the market. Why are handmade and crafted items popular? Personal touch : Handmade items carry the personal touch of the creator, offering something truly unique that mass-produced items can't match. Quality and craftsmanship : Consumers appreciate the high level of quality and craftsmanship that goes into each handmade piece. Support for small Businesses : There's a growing desire to support small businesses and independent artisans, which aligns perfectly with buying handmade crafts. Customization options : Many craft buyers enjoy the option to customize their purchases, making them perfect gifts or personal treasures. How canI leverage the trend of craft-along videos to boost sales and engagement? There are a few ways to use the trend of craft-along videos to help you sell more: Create live streaming sessions showcasing your crafting process Offer kits with materials needed to follow along, to monetize your videos Host virtual workshops or classes for specific projects that can be joined virtually, streamed live and sold on later Encourage participants to share their results on social media, to spread more buzz around your videos and crafts How can I use a growing demand for personalization to stand out in a competitive crafting industry? When it comes to selling crafts, personalization is relatively easy to incorporate into your business model: Offer custom color or material choices for standard designs Implement a design your own feature for certain products Create limited edition collections based on customer votes Offer personalized packaging or gift wrapping options Develop a system for customers to commission entirely bespoke pieces

Ready to share your ideas with the world? Start your blog → Starting a consulting blog is like opening a door to a world of knowledge and expertise sharing. It's your space to showcase your skills, experiences and insights to help others succeed in their endeavors. When you’re starting a consulting business , a consulting blog can help you connect with a wide audience seeking your guidance. You can offer valuable tips, share case studies and demystify complex topics, positioning yourself as a trusted authority in your field. So, if you're ready to make an impact and share your wisdom, go ahead and start that consulting blog. Starting a blog should feel exciting, not overwhelming, right? With the Wix Blog Maker, you get everything you need to create, design and grow your blog from scratch–without needing a tech degree. Use Wix’s intuitive tools to share your ideas with the world.  Why should you start a consulting blog? Starting a blog for business is a strategic way to showcase your expertise and attract potential clients. By consistently providing valuable content, you establish yourself as an authority in your consulting niche. Your blog can help you educate your audience on relevant challenges and solutions, positioning you as a trusted resource. This commitment to helping others builds trust and credibility, ultimately converting readers into clients—an essential goal of blogging for business. Learn more:  Blog vs vlog  and which to choose How to start a consulting blog in 6 steps Choose the right blog niche for your consulting business Select a blog maker Find the right name for your consulting blog Plan and write your consulting blog content How to promote your consulting blog Monetize your blog 01. Choose the right blog niche for your consulting business Selecting the right blog niche is the foundation of a successful consulting blog and indeed any type of blog . Your niche should align with your expertise and target audience. Here are five potential consulting-related blog examples to consider: Business insights and strategies: Share insights into strategic planning or starting a business , business development and growth strategies. Offer guidance on creating effective business plans, market analysis and competitive positioning. Leadership and management: Provide valuable advice on leadership skills, team management and fostering a positive work culture. Address topics like effective communication, conflict resolution and employee engagement. Marketing and branding content: Focus on marketing strategies, digital branding and online presence. Write about content marketing, social media strategies and building a strong brand identity. Financial consulting: Offer expertise in financial planning, budgeting, investment strategies and tax optimization. Help individuals and businesses make informed financial decisions. Career development and coaching: Provide guidance on career advancement, job searching, resume building and interview preparation. Share insights on personal branding and professional growth. These examples cover a range of consulting niches but the key is to choose a niche that resonates with your expertise and passion. A well-defined niche can help you attract a specific audience seeking your insights. 02. Select a blog maker Once you've defined your consulting blog niche the next step is selecting a reliable blog maker or blogging platform to bring your vision to life. Opt for a blogging platform that offers integrated hosting and enterprise-grade 24/7 security . This ensures that your consulting blog is not only easily accessible but also protected from potential online threats. A secure platform gives you peace of mind, allowing you to focus on creating valuable content and then promoting it. Wix, for example, offers a user-friendly interface and a variety of features tailored for bloggers. With integrated hosting, you won't need to worry about technical hosting matters. The platform also provides advanced security features and website infrastructure to safeguard your blog and readers. Branding is essential for your consulting blog's recognition and credibility, and you can use your blog design to establish it from the beginning. Choose a consistent color scheme, fonts and design elements that reflect your consulting niche and resonate with your target audience. You can get this started by choosing from a wide range of blog templates or from specific consulting website templates . A blog logo serves as a visual representation of your consulting brand. You can use a logo maker to design a logo that aligns with your consulting focus. Your logo should be versatile, scalable and easily recognizable. Incorporate it into your blog's header, social media profiles and marketing materials to reinforce your brand identity. Learn more about how to make a website from scratch with a free website builder . 03. Find the right name for your consulting business Selecting the right blog name and domain for your consulting blog is pivotal for creating a strong online presence. Your consulting blog's name is essentially your digital identity. A well-chosen name captures your niche, professionalism and sets the tone for your content. If you're struggling to come up with a blog name, try a blog name generator . While the final choice is yours, tools like these can spark ideas that resonate with your consulting focus. Your domain is your online address. It should align with your blog name and consulting niche. Keep it concise, memorable and easy to spell. It should also reflect your brand identity. . Examples of potential consulting blog names: StrategicAdvisorInsights.com LeadershipLighthouse.com BrandElevateConsults.com FinanceSavvyInsight.com Check out this extensive list of consulting business names for further inspiration. 04. Plan and write your consulting blog content High-quality content is the heartbeat of a successful consulting blog. To achieve consistency and quality, meticulous planning is essential. Here's how to establish a content strategy and write blog posts that perform well: Develop a content calendar outlining when and what to publish. Include a mix of evergreen content (timeless information) and current topics. A publishing schedule maintains consistency and keeps readers engaged. Kiera Carter, editorial director at Wix.com, stresses that "Blogging started out as a personal forum that felt casual and off-the-cuff. But don't be fooled—blogging takes a lot of work and planning. Create a content calendar that accounts for your schedule and goals, or you simply won't have a blog." Select blog topics that resonate with your consulting audience. Address common challenges, share insights, or provide actionable advice. Listen to your readers' needs and tailor your content to offer solutions. Incorporate images, infographics and videos to make your posts visually appealing. Visuals break up the text, emphasize points and enhance the reader experience. Use multimedia that complements your content. Keep an eye on blog format. Structure posts with headings, subheadings, bullet points and concise paragraphs. A well-organized format aids readability. Build a blog post checklist. Edit rigorously for clarity, grammar and coherence. Ensure all facts are accurate and well-researched. Focus on impactful but not clickbait-y blog titles that reflect your content accurately. Blog length and word count. Aim for posts to be long enough to provide depth, but concise enough to maintain engagement. There’s no hard and fast rule for how long a blog post should be . Examples of consulting blog article ideas: Unlocking Leadership Potential: Strategies for Effective Management Navigating Change Management: A Step-by-Step Guide Digital Marketing Trends for Consultants: Staying Ahead in 2023 Financial Consulting for Startups: A Comprehensive Financial Planning Guide 05. How to promote your consulting blog Promoting your consulting blog is essential for reaching a wider audience and building a strong online presence. Some effective strategies to boost your blog's visibility and engagement include: Search engine optimization (SEO) : Optimize your blog posts for search engines to attract organic traffic. Research relevant keywords in your consulting niche and seamlessly incorporate them into your content, headings and meta descriptions as part of your blog SEO strategy. This increases the likelihood of your blog appearing in search results. Social media promotion: Leverage social media platforms to share you r blog posts and connect with potential readers. Identify platforms where your target audience is active, create compelling visuals and use relevant hashtags. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and fostering discussions. You can utilize specific social media platform features, such Facebook's features like Pages, Groups and paid ads to reach a larger audience by promoting your blog on Facebook. According to Marissa Nicole Brower ,Social Media Manager at Wix.com, "I believe it's important to define clear goals, understand your target audience, create engaging content, monitor analytics, and stay up-to-date on trends, while maintaining brand consistency across platforms." Email marketing: Build an email subscriber list to keep your audience informed about your latest blog posts. Send out regular newsletters with highlights and links to your articles. Offering exclusive content to subscribers can encourage more people to join your mailing list. Monitoring your blog analytics is crucial for understanding how your blog is performing. Utilize tools like Google Analytics or Wix Analytics to track metrics, such as page views and user engagement. This data helps you refine your content strategy based on reader preferences. Explore a wide range of best blogging tools for tacking and blog analysis. 06. Monetize your consulting blog Monetizing your consulting blog is a rewarding way to earn income while sharing your expertise. Here are popular methods to make money through your blog : Affiliate marketing : Promote products or services relevant to your consulting niche through affiliate marketing. When readers make purchases through your affiliate links, which you insert into your blog content, you earn a commission. For instance, if you're a marketing consultant, you could recommend marketing tools or courses. Display ads: Display ads on your blog through platforms like Google AdSense . You earn money when visitors click on these ads. However, generating substantial income from ads typically requires a high level of traffic. Subscription content: Offer premium, exclusive or in-depth content to subscribers. This can include advanced tutorials, case studies, templates and more. Subscribers pay a recurring fee to access this specialized content. Some examples you could offer include: give subscribers exclusive access to advanced marketing tactics, case studies and live Q&A sessions; provide leadership insights, monthly webinars and a community forum for aspiring leaders; and offer subscribers personalized financial planning templates, investment insights and one-on-one financial advice. Online courses: Monetize your blog by creating and selling online courses or consulting services. For example, if you're a business strategy consultant, you could offer a comprehensive course on strategic planning. Looking for another blog niche to start? How to start a finance blog How to start a real estate blog How to start a gaming blog How to start a health blog How to start a teaching blog How to start a music blog How to start a tech blog How to start a mom blog How to start a sports blog How to start a fitness blog How to start a beauty blog How to start a lifestyle blog How to start a craft blog How to start a poetry blog How to start a consulting blog FAQ Do I need technical skills to start a blog? No, you don't need any technical or coding skills. User-friendly blogging platforms like Wix offer intuitive interfaces that allow you to create, design, promote and monetize your blog without coding knowledge. How often should I publish new content on my consulting blog? Consistency matters more than frequency. Start with a manageable schedule, such as one or two posts per week, and gradually increase if you can maintain quality. Regular updates keep your audience engaged. How can I assess the performance of my consulting blog? Monitor key blogosphere metrics like website traffic, traffic sources, engagement (comments, shares), subscriber growth and conversion rates (if you're offering services or products). These metrics reflect your blog's impact and help you refine your strategy. How can I continuously improve my consulting blog over time? Stay updated with industry trends and feedback from your audience and incorporate this into new and existing content. Regularly update your FAQ section, create fresh and relevant content. Starting a consulting blog requires effort, but it can significantly enhance your consulting business's visibility and credibility. By addressing common questions and providing valuable insights, you can attract and engage your audience more effectively.

Ready to share your ideas with the world? Start your blog → Starting a lifestyle blog gives you a space to share what you love—style, food, travel, wellness or whatever mix feels right. It's not just about posting pretty things. It's about building real connections with people who get your vibe. If you’re starting a business , your blog can do even more. It becomes a way to reach the right audience, build trust and grow something meaningful. A blog  isn’t just a personal outlet anymore—it’s a smart way to communicate, teach and promote what you do. Thinking about launching one? Here’s how to start strong. Starting a blog should feel exciting, not overwhelming, right? With the Wix Blog Maker, you get everything you need to create, design and grow your blog from scratch–without needing a tech degree. Use Wix’s intuitive tools to share your ideas with the world.  TL;DR: how to start a lifestyle blog Start your lifestyle blog by picking a niche that excites you, choosing a platform, naming your blog, planning your posts, spreading the word and finding ways to earn with ads, affiliate links or courses. Lifestyle blogs stay popular because they bring together creativity, community and real chances to make money. Readers want honest advice and useful tips, and your blog shows who you are and what you care about. Keep showing up, refresh your content and listen to your audience. Over time, you’ll build trust, connections and a loyal following. Lifestyle blog type What it covers Example topics Fashion and beauty Trends, styling tips, makeup tutorials Outfit ideas, product reviews, seasonal trends Food and cooking Recipes, cooking tips, restaurant reviews Easy dinners, baking guides, food travel Travel Destination guides, travel tips, itineraries Budget travel, solo trips, family vacations Health and wellness Fitness routines, mental health, nutrition Workout plans, meditation, healthy eating Home and DIY Decorating ideas, crafts, home projects Room makeovers, furniture hacks, seasonal decor Relationships and parenting Advice on dating, family life, parenting Communication tips, child development, self-care Personal development Productivity, goal setting, motivation Time management, habit building, work-life balance What is a lifestyle blog? A lifestyle blog covers a mix of everyday topics like personal style, home décor, food, travel, relationships and beyond. It’s a space where bloggers share their real experiences, honest insights and unique point of view. Instead of just delivering information, lifestyle blogs build communities—connecting readers who relate to that authentic voice and vibe. Fashion and beauty: Go beyond trends. These blogs teach you how to build a wardrobe that fits your lifestyle, shop smarter and care for your skin and hair in simple, realistic ways. They often include style guides for different body types, budget-friendly product picks and tips to feel confident in your own skin. Food: More than recipes, food blogs share cooking hacks, meal planning tips and ways to enjoy seasonal or special-diet ingredients. Many explore cultural food stories and offer honest reviews of kitchen tools or grocery finds, making cooking easier and more fun. Travel: These blogs offer destination guides, tips on traveling sites and smart travel hacks that save time and money. Whether you’re planning a quick weekend getaway or a long trip abroad, travel bloggers share insider info on hidden gems, packing advice and local experiences to help you explore confidently. Health: Focused on overall well-being, these blogs cover nutrition, mental health, self-care and mindful living. They provide simple ways to improve your lifestyle, from stress management techniques to healthy eating habits, making wellness feel achievable. Fitness: Fitness blogs offer realistic workout plans, motivation and tips for staying active in everyday life. They focus on balance, not extremes, with ideas for beginners, quick routines and ways to build strength and flexibility without burnout. Home décor and DIY: These blogs break down decorating into doable projects with step-by-step guides, budget tips and smart shopping advice. They also cover organizing, upcycling and seasonal refreshes that make your home feel welcoming without a full remodel. Relationships and parenting: Real-life advice on communication, conflict and growth in relationships and family life. These bloggers share personal stories, expert interviews and practical tools to help navigate everything from dating to raising kids while balancing your own well-being. Personal finance: Practical money tips that anyone can use—budgeting, saving, paying off debt and starting to invest. These bloggers simplify complex financial topics, share tools and apps and often tell their own money journeys to inspire readers to take control of their finances. How to start a lifestyle blog in 6 steps Ready to create your lifestyle blog? Let's break the process down into six essential steps: Choose the right lifestyle blogging niche Find a blogging platform Decide on the right name for your lifestyle blog Planning and writing lifestyle blog posts Promote your lifestyle blog Monetize your lifestyle blog 01. Choose the right lifestyle blogging niche Selecting the right lifestyle blog niche is crucial for creating focused and engaging content that resonates with your target audience. But remember that understanding what your audience wants to read is just as important as finding a topic you enjoy writing about. For Hanna Kimelblat, blogger and growth marketing expert at Wix, “Blogging can be one of the most fun activities you can do, but it could also feel like a chore if you’re not passionate about its content. Turning something you love and know a lot about into blog posts is a great strategy to attract readers; they’ll come for the knowledge, but they’ll stay for your authentic outlook and first-hand experiences.” Here are five lifestyle-related blog niches to consider starting, depending on your own personal interests and experiences: Start a travel blog: Share your travel experiences, tips, itineraries and destination guides. Cover topics like budget travel, solo adventures, family-friendly trips and cultural immersion. Great travel blog examples : Travel Destinations by Chris and The Travelling Artemis . Start a health and wellness or fitness blog : Focus on holistic well-being, offering articles on fitness routines, healthy eating, mental health, mindfulness and self-care practices. Start a fashion blog: Dive into the world of fashion, offering outfit ideas, trend analyses, fashion tips and advice on building a stylish wardrobe. Examples of inspirational fashion blogs: Franccho , Style and Repeat , Donuts and Denim. Start a food blog: Explore the culinary realm with recipes, cooking techniques, meal planning and food-related stories. You can choose to focus on specific cuisines, dietary preferences or cooking hacks. Examples of delicious food blogs: Jack’s Food Tour and BOOM Food Blog . Start a personal development and growth blog: Help readers improve themselves and their lives through articles on personal growth, productivity, time management, goal setting and achieving work-life balance. 02. Find a blogging platform Choosing the right blog maker sets the tone for everything that follows. Pick a platform that includes hosting , handles website security for you and gives you creative control over your design and branding. The easier it is to use, the more energy you can put into creating great content. The way your blog looks plays a big part in how people connect with it. Choose a blog template or theme that fits your style and matches the feel of your lifestyle niche. A customizable and free website builder lets you adjust the layout, colors and your blog's design so everything feels consistent and visually appealing. You’ll find templates made for every kind of lifestyle blog: personal blog templates , travel and food blog templates , fashion and beauty templates . Your blog logo is often the first thing people notice about your blog. It captures the style and tone of your content in a single image. Using a logo maker can help you create something unique and memorable—something that feels like you and speaks to your readers. 03. Decide on the right name for your lifestyle blog Choosing the right blog name and domain for your lifestyle blog is one of the most important steps. It sets the tone, builds credibility and helps you connect with the people you want to reach. Your blog’s name is the first thing people see. It shows what your brand is about and gives a hint of your style and focus. A good name helps you stand out, earn trust and stick in people’s minds. If you're struggling to find a suitable name, consider using a blog name generator or looking for inspiration from blog name ideas . It can help you generate creative suggestions based on keywords, your niche or even your personal preferences. Be inspired : lifestyle blog names . Your domain name is your blog’s  web address and a big part of how people find and remember you. When picking one, keep these tips in mind: Make sure it matches your blog’s focus, style and niche. Keep it simple, easy to remember and spell. Skip long or tricky words. If you can, use your blog’s name in your domain to keep things consistent. Add relevant keywords to help with search engines. Avoid numbers and hyphens—they’re easy to mishear or get wrong. Once you have a few ideas, check if they’re available. .com domains are popular but can be harder to get. Some examples of lifestyle blog names and domains: UrbanAdventuresDaily.com SerenityStyleHaven.com HealthyLivingJourney.net FashionablyFreeSpirit.com 04. Planning and writing lifestyle blog posts Creating content that grabs attention and actually helps your readers is the heart of a successful lifestyle blog. Planning your posts, sticking to a schedule and using photos or videos makes a big difference. Start by making a content calendar. Map out what you’ll post, when and any events or holidays you want to tie into. Mix evergreen topics—posts that stay useful over time—with timely ones about trends, seasons or current events. When picking blog topics, focus on: What your readers care about in their day-to-day lives Common problems, questions or goals they have in your niche A variety of post types like how-to guides, lists, personal stories and reviews High-quality images that break up text and make posts more inviting Videos that show how to do something, share your experiences or interview others Infographics to explain stats, data or step-by-step tips in a visual way Here are some lifestyle blog ideas to get you started: 10 Self-Care Tips for a Balanced Lifestyle A Guide to Mindful Eating: Cultivating Healthy Habits Exploring Hidden Gems in New Haven: Your Ultimate Weekend Travel Itinerary Sustainable Fashion: Building a Stylish Wardrobe with a Purpose Kitchen Adventures: Trying Out New Recipes for a Culinary Delight When writing blog posts , it’s important to focus on the following: Structure: Develop a coherent structure with an engaging introduction, informative main content and a concluding summary, if necessary. Titles: Craft attention-grabbing blog titles that convey the essence of your content and evoke curiosity. Format: Utilize subheadings, bullet points and short paragraphs for improved readability and formatting of your blog . Length: Longer posts tend to be much more in-depth in nature, but they’re not always necessary. Study the intent of your article (as well as the people searching for them) when deciding how long a blog post should be . Editing: Edit and proofread your posts for grammar, spelling and clarity. It’s always a good idea to build and follow a blog post checklist of pre- and post-publishing tasks, to make sure you don’t miss anything. 05. Promote your lifestyle blog Promoting your blog is how you get more eyes on your work and build a loyal group of readers. Starting with a solid plan for sharing your posts gives your blog the best chance to get noticed. Here are some proven ways to spread the word: Search engine optimization (SEO): Optimize your blog posts for search engines by using relevant keywords, meta descriptions and proper headings. This improves your blog's organic visibility and your overall blog SEO efforts. Social media promotion: Share your blog posts on platforms like Facebook , Instagram, X and Pinterest. Engage with your audience by responding to comments and using repurposed blog content. Learn more about blogging vs instagram  in our guide. Email marketing: Build an email subscriber list and send newsletters featuring your latest blog posts. This helps maintain a direct connection with your readers. Guest posting: Collaborate with other bloggers or websites in your niche to contribute guest posts. This exposes your blog to new audiences and establishes your authority. In order to understand how readers are arriving at your blog and how they behave on your posts, you’ll need to use web analytics and blogging tools to gain insights and improve your promotion efforts. Use blog analytics to understand your audience's demographics, interests and behaviors, shaping your content accordingly. Track traffic sources—search engines, social media, referrals or direct visits—emphasizing high-performing strategies. Identify popular posts and their appeal to refine your content strategy. 06. Monetize your lifestyle blog Monetizing your blog offers you the opportunity to turn your passion into a source of income. There are several popular strategies you can employ to make money blogging . Here are some effective ways to monetize your blog: Affiliate marketing: Affiliate marketing means you earn a commission when someone buys through a link you share. The trick is making those links feel natural—not forced. Recommend products you already use or genuinely believe in. If you blog about home decor, link to the exact rug or shelf you used. If you're in wellness, share your go-to supplements or workout gear. Running ads: Displaying ads on your blog can be a consistent income source. Google AdSense places contextual ads on your blog, allowing you to earn money when readers click on these ads. Subscription content and courses: Subscriptions and courses are a simple way to turn your blog into something more. If people love your content, give them a chance to go deeper. That might mean weekly meal plans if you're in wellness or a wardrobe-building course if you write about fashion. For travel blogs it could be detailed guides, local tips or access to hidden spots most people miss. To monetize your lifestyle blog successfully, keep these in mind: Make sure your money-making methods fit your niche and actually speak to your readers. Always be upfront about affiliate links and sponsored posts to keep trust strong. Put your readers first—your monetization should add value, not get in the way. Mix different ways to earn so your income doesn’t rely on just one source. Why should you consider starting a lifestyle blog? Starting a blog gives your business more ways to connect, build trust and get discovered. Give people a place to find you: If you’re starting a lifestyle brand, people need somewhere to learn what you’re about. Blogging for your business helps you share your ideas, your story and what you care about in your own words. Share what you’ve learned: Most lifestyle businesses grow out of something personal—travel, food, design, wellness. A blog helps you turn your experience into something useful for others. If you’ve figured out a great travel routine or a smart way to plan meals, write it down. That’s what keeps readers coming back. Build real connections: You’re not just writing into the void. Blog posts can start conversations. You’ll learn what your audience is into, what questions they have and how you can help. That’s how trust grows. Support what you sell: If you offer products or services, your blog helps explain them. Show how they fit into real life. Walk readers through why you created them or how they solve a problem. That context makes a difference. Bring in steady traffic: When you publish regularly, each post adds another door into your business. The more helpful content you have out there, the more likely people are to find you through search, recommendations or shares. Shape your brand naturally: Your writing style, topics and point of view all help people understand your brand. Over time, your blog becomes a reflection of your business—real, relatable and useful. Learn more:  Blog vs vlog  and which to choose What makes a lifestyle blog worth following? Most lifestyle blogs look good. But the ones people actually follow offer something more—something that feels real, useful and personal. A blog becomes worth following when readers feel like they’re getting more than content. They’re getting perspective, ideas they can use and a voice they trust. Here’s what that looks like: You have something to say: People don’t follow blogs that try to please everyone. They follow ones with a clear style, strong opinions and a consistent tone. That doesn’t mean being loud or controversial—it means being yourself and standing by it. You help solve everyday problems: Think small. Posts like “what to wear when it’s 60 degrees and raining” or “meals that don’t use more than one pan” are the ones people search for and save. You stick to a rhythm: You don’t need to post daily. You just need to be dependable. Whether that’s once a week or twice a month, showing up consistently builds trust. You’re relatable: You don’t need a picture-perfect life or constant travel to write a lifestyle blog people care about. Show the version of life your audience actually lives—flawed, interesting and worth talking about. You give before you sell: Readers can spot a blog that only exists to push products. But if you’re offering helpful ideas, honest reviews or thoughtful insights, they’ll keep coming back. And they’ll listen when you do recommend something. How to grow your lifestyle blog over time A lifestyle blog grows when it gives people a reason to return. Keep showing up, keep offering value and keep learning as you go. Traffic will come—but connection is what makes it last. You don’t need to go viral—you need to build trust, post by post. Here’s how to keep that momentum going. Turn one post into five pieces of content Blog growth is about getting more eyes on what you've already made. You don’t need to create more—you just need to stretch what you already have. Repurpose your content across platforms. For example: Turn a blog post into a Pinterest carousel Pull one quote into a graphic for Instagram Record a short Reel explaining one tip from the post Summarize the post in a newsletter Use key points as talking prompts on Stories Build your blog like a person, not a brand People follow people, not content machines. Share personal wins, struggles or thoughts when it fits. For example, instead of a generic “Fall morning routine” post, talk about how your routine changed after becoming a parent or moving cities. That human layer is what makes readers care. Refresh your best content regularly Update your high-traffic posts every few months. Add new examples, clean up old links and improve the structure. Let’s say you wrote a post called “10 self-care habits that don’t take an hour.” Go back and update it with a new intro, improved visuals or even a quick video version. That same post could bring in traffic for years if it stays relevant. Collaborate with others in your space Guest posts, email swaps, interviews or social collabs can put your blog in front of a new audience that already cares about your topic. For example, if you write about minimalist home decor, team up with a sustainable living blogger to write a joint post on “Low-waste home habits.” It builds backlinks and introduces your blog to the right crowd. Make your blog easy to explore Growth doesn’t just come from new readers—it comes from keeping them around. Use categories, tags and internal links to help people binge your blog. If someone’s reading a post about “budget-friendly weekend trips,” link them to your “travel gear checklist” or “packing tips for short getaways.” Think of it like creating a path, not a pile. Stick to a rhythm that works for you Blog growth is tied to consistency, not quantity. It’s better to post once every other week and stick to it than burn out after daily posts. A slow, steady rhythm gives readers something to rely on—and gives search engines fresh content to index. Tools like a simple content calendar or reminders in Google Calendar can help you stay on track. Use data to learn what people care about Not every post will land—and that’s part of the process. Look at your blog analytics to see what topics people actually click on, scroll through or share. For example, if your post on “easy 3-ingredient meals” performs better than your “weekly favorites” roundup, that tells you something. Adjust your content based on what resonates, not just what you feel like posting. Is it too late to start a lifestyle blog? Blogs are still a popular and effective way to share your thoughts, ideas and expertise with the world. Lifestyle blogs are popular and there is always room for new voices in the community. In fact, the lifestyle blogging niche is constantly evolving, so there are always new opportunities for bloggers to find their place. Lifestyle blogs are still relevant for a number of reasons: People are always looking for inspiration and advice on how to live their best lives. Lifestyle blogs can provide people with information and tips on a wide range of topics, such as fashion, beauty, food, travel and parenting. Lifestyle blogs can be a great way to connect with people who have similar interests. Readers can feel like they're part of a community when they interact with other readers in the comments section of blog posts or on social media. Lifestyle blogs can be a source of entertainment. Many lifestyle bloggers share personal stories and experiences, which can be interesting and engaging to read. Lifestyle blogs can be a platform for businesses to promote their products and services. Many lifestyle bloggers partner with brands to collaborate on sponsored posts or to offer exclusive discounts to their readers. Here are some specific examples of how people use lifestyle blogs: A person who is interested in learning how to cook healthy meals might read a lifestyle blog about food and nutrition. A person who is planning a trip to a new city might read a lifestyle blog about travel for recommendations on things to do and places to eat. A person who is struggling to manage their budget might read a lifestyle blog about personal finance for tips and advice. A person who is feeling overwhelmed by their busy life might read a lifestyle blog about self-care for tips on how to relax and de-stress. Overall, lifestyle blogs are still relevant because they offer people a variety of benefits, such as information, inspiration, connection, entertainment and the opportunity to learn about new products and services. Why are lifestyle blogs a popular choice for writers? There are a few reasons why lifestyle blogs are a popular choice for writers: Lifestyle blogs offer a lot of creative freedom. Writers can choose to write about any topic that they're interested in, from fashion and beauty to food and travel. This creative freedom can be very appealing to writers, especially those who want to explore different topics and styles. Lifestyle blogs can be a great way to build a personal brand. When writers share their personal experiences and insights on their lifestyle blogs, they're building a connection with their readers. This connection can help writers to build a strong personal brand and to establish themselves as experts in their niche. Lifestyle blogs can be profitable. Lifestyle bloggers can monetize their blogs in a number of ways, such as through advertising, affiliate marketing and sponsored posts. This can make lifestyle blogging a viable career option for writers. Lifestyle blogs can be a great way to network with other writers and bloggers. Lifestyle bloggers often collaborate with each other on projects, such as guest blogging and social media promotions. This can help writers to meet new people and to grow their audience. Lifestyle blogs can be a great way to build a portfolio of writing samples. Writers can use their lifestyle blogs to showcase their writing skills and to demonstrate their ability to write about a variety of topics. This can be helpful for writers who are looking for freelance work or who are applying for jobs in the writing industry. Lifestyle blogs can be a great way to learn new skills. Lifestyle bloggers often need to learn new skills in order to create and promote their blogs. These skills can include photography, videography, web design and social media marketing. Learning these skills can be beneficial for writers, both personally and professionally. Overall, lifestyle blogging can be a great way for writers to express their creativity, build a personal brand and earn money. It's also a great way to network with other writers, build a portfolio of writing samples and learn new skills. Is blogging still worth it ? Read more with our take on blogging's current and future relevance. How to start a lifestyle blog FAQ Do I need technical skills to start a lifestyle blog? No, with a website builder like Wix, you can create, start, promote and monetize a blog without any technical or coding knowledge. How often should I publish new blog posts? Consistency is key. Choose a publishing schedule that suits your availability and stick to it. Whether it's weekly, biweekly or monthly, consistency helps build a loyal readership. How do I stay motivated to consistently blog? Set goals for your blog, join blogging communities for support and remind yourself of your passion for your chosen niche. Consistent engagement will help you stay motivated. How much do lifestyle bloggers make? Earnings for lifestyle bloggers can vary widely depending on factors such as audience size, engagement level, niche focus, monetization strategies and partnerships with brands. While some lifestyle bloggers may earn a modest income through advertisements, sponsored content, affiliate marketing and product sales, others with large followings and diverse revenue streams can generate significant income, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per month or more. What do lifestyle bloggers do? Lifestyle bloggers typically create content centered around their personal experiences, interests and passions, covering a wide range of topics such as fashion, beauty, travel, wellness, home decor, food, relationships and personal development. They share stories, tips, advice, product recommendations and insights to inspire and engage their audience, often through blog posts, photos, videos, social media and other digital platforms. Can you make money blogging about your life? Yes, it's possible to make money blogging about your life, but success depends on various factors such as niche selection, content quality, audience engagement and monetization strategies. Lifestyle bloggers can generate income through avenues such as sponsored content, affiliate marketing, advertisements, product sales, brand partnerships, sponsored events and digital products or services. How do you create a lifestyle niche? To create a lifestyle niche, start by identifying your interests, passions and expertise areas that you want to share with others. Consider your unique perspective, experiences and voice that can differentiate your blog in the crowded lifestyle blogging space. Narrow down your focus to specific themes or topics within the lifestyle genre, such as sustainable living, minimalism, urban gardening, mindful parenting or DIY projects, to attract a targeted audience with similar interests. Develop a content strategy that aligns with your niche, creates value for your audience and showcases your authentic personality and style. Consistently create high-quality, engaging content across multiple platforms to build a loyal following and establish yourself as an authority in your lifestyle niche. Other blog niches to consider starting How to start a finance blog How to start a real estate blog How to start a gaming blog How to start a health blog How to start a teaching blog How to start a music blog How to start a tech blog How to start a mom blog How to start a sports blog How to start a beauty blog How to start a craft blog How to start a poetry blog How to start a consulting blog

If you’re thinking about starting a business in painting there’s a lot to consider. While painting allows you to showcase your creativity, work with clients to enhance their living spaces and build a trade teeming with soul, you’ll also need to think about the business side of things as well. As a painting business owner, you could offer a wide range of services like interior and exterior painting, color consultation, wallpaper installation, decorative finishes and much more. Whether you're interested in residential or commercial projects, the demand for professional painting services is ever-present. With an average of 12 weeks work in backlog, paint contractors have been in high demand in 2023, according to PPG’s Q3 earnings report . Hasta la vista DIY—the “do it for me” (DIFM) trend is picking up speed. Looking to get your business off the ground? Create a business website with Wix. What is a painting business? A painting business involves providing painting services to clients, whether they are individuals or businesses. As a painting business owner, you'll be responsible for tasks like surface preparation, color selection, applying paint or coatings and delivering high-quality finishes. Your expertise will contribute to enhancing the aesthetics of the projects at hand or they could be used for protecting the surfaces of buildings, both inside and outside. Why start a painting business? Starting a painting business can be a rewarding and lucrative venture for a host of reasons. Strong demand: The need for painting services remains constant as homeowners, property managers and businesses seek professionals to transform and maintain their properties. Whether it's a residential repaint or a commercial renovation, the demand for skilled painters is ever-present. Creative outlet: If you have a passion for artistry and enjoy working with colors and design, a painting business offers that creative outlet. You'll have the opportunity to help clients bring their visions to life, advise them on color choices and leave a lasting impact on their spaces all while doing something you love. Flexibility and independence: Running a painting business provides the freedom to set your own schedule, choose your projects and be your own boss. You can tailor your services to meet your clients' needs and create a work-life balance that suits you. Growth potential: A well-established painting business can experience steady growth over time. As you build a reputation for quality work and exceptional customer service, you can attract more clients through referrals and expand your business to offer additional services or take on larger projects. How to start a painting business: 8 basic steps If you’re ready to roll your sleeves up, take a look at these essential steps for getting started: Research the market and plan your business Choose your business structure and register your business Acquire the right tools and equipment Set your pricing and services Develop a marketing strategy Get the right insurance for your painting business Establish customer service standards Track and improve your business performance 01. Research the market and plan your business Conduct market research to understand the local demand for painting services, identify your target market and analyze competitors. Develop a comprehensive business plan that outlines your goals, marketing strategies, pricing, financial projections and operational procedures. Once you've written your painting business plan , write a concept statement to outline your vision. 02. Choose your business structure and register your business Select a legal structure for your painting business, such as a sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC) or corporation . Consult an attorney or accountant to determine the most suitable structure based on your circumstances. Learn more: How to start an LLC in New York At this point, you’ll also want to register your business name. If you don’t have one, think about something catchy to name your business with the help of a business name generator . Once you’re set on one and have registered it, obtain the necessary permits and licenses to operate legally. Be inspired: Painting business name ideas 03. Acquire the right tools and equipment Invest in high-quality painting tools and equipment that are essential for your painting business. This includes paintbrushes, rollers, drop cloths, ladders, sprayers, paint sprayers and scaffolding. Consider the specific needs of your projects and invest in the appropriate equipment to deliver professional results. We've put together an extensive, although not necessarily comprehensive list of tools and equipment needed to get your painting business off the ground. Paintbrushes: Various sizes and types of paintbrushes for different painting tasks. Rollers: High-quality rollers and roller covers for applying paint to walls and larger surfaces. Paint trays : Trays for holding and distributing paint to the roller. Drop cloths: Heavy-duty drop cloths to protect floors and furniture from paint splatters. Scrapers: Tools for removing old paint, wallpaper and imperfections from surfaces. Putty knives : Used for patching holes, cracks and gaps in walls. Sandpaper: Different grits of sandpaper for smoothing surfaces before painting. Caulking gun: For applying caulk to seal gaps and joints. Safety glasses : Eye protection to shield against dust, debris and paint splatters. Respirator : A mask designed to protect against inhaling paint fumes and particles Gloves : Protective gloves to keep your hands clean and safe while working. Stepladder: A sturdy stepladder for painting walls and reaching moderate heights. Extension ladder: For higher areas such as ceilings or tall walls. Scaffolding : For larger projects that require working at elevated heights. Paint : Choose high-quality interior and exterior paints in various finishes and colors. Primers : Primer helps prepare surfaces for paint and improves adhesion. Paint trays: To hold and distribute paint while using a roller. Grids : Inserted into paint trays to remove excess paint from rollers. Tape: Painter's tape is used to create clean, straight edges and protect areas you don't want to paint. Tape measure: For accurately measuring walls, spaces and dimensions. Level: Ensures your lines are straight and surfaces are even. Rags and towels: Used for wiping surfaces, cleaning brushes, and tidying up. Cleaning solutions: For cleaning surfaces before painting and cleaning tools after use. As your painting business grows, you may consider adding more specialized tools, paint sprayers for larger projects and additional safety equipment. It's important to invest in high-quality equipment and maintain it properly to ensure the best results for your clients and the longevity of your business. 04. Set your pricing and services The median pay per hour for painters is around $22 and $45,590 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , but you’ll need to determine your pricing structure based on a number of factors. Think about the size of the project, complexity, materials and the local market rates. Research the pricing of other painting businesses in your area to stay competitive. You should additionally consider offering services like color consultation, wallpaper installation or decorative finishes to expand your service offerings and cater to different customer needs. 05. Develop a marketing strategy Create a marketing plan to promote your painting business and attract customers. Establish an online presence by developing a professional website using a free website builder . Showcase your previous projects, provide information about your services and enable customers to request quotes or contact you. Implement digital marketing strategies like search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing and online advertising. Additionally, consider traditional marketing methods such as distributing flyers, advertising in local publications, or networking with local businesses and trade associations. 06. Get the right insurance for your painting business Protecting your painting business is a must, and insurance helps you stay covered if things don’t go as planned. Start with liability insurance to shield your business from potential claims, like property damage or accidents that might happen during a job. If you’re hiring a team, make sure to get workers’ compensation insurance, which helps cover medical expenses and lost wages in case of workplace injuries. You’ll also want business insurance to safeguard your tools, equipment and overall operations. Take the time to research your options and choose a provider that understands your industry. With the right coverage, you can focus on getting the job done while knowing your business is secure. 07. Establish customer service standards Providing exceptional customer service is crucial for the success of your painting business. Train your staff to be professional, reliable and responsive to customer needs. Communicate clearly, manage expectations and ensure customer satisfaction throughout the painting project. Encourage customers to provide feedback and testimonials to showcase your work and build trust with potential clients. 08. Track and improve your business performance Implement systems to track your business performance and gather customer feedback. Monitor key metrics like revenue, customer satisfaction ratings, repeat business and referrals. Use this data to identify areas for improvement, optimize your business operations and refine your marketing strategies. Thinking of starting another type of business? Check out some of these creative service business ideas  to help get you started. Benefits of starting a painting business If the above reasons weren’t enough, here are some additional benefits that a painting business can offer. Low startup costs: Compared to many other businesses, a painting business requires relatively low startup capital . The primary investments include purchasing painting equipment, tools and supplies. As your business grows, you can gradually expand your resources and invest in additional equipment or specialized tools. Diverse customer base: A painting business serves a diverse range of customers, including homeowners, landlords, property management companies, real estate agents and commercial clients. This variety allows you to target different market segments and increase your potential customer base. Skill development and growth: Running a painting business allows you to continuously develop your painting skills, learn new techniques and stay updated with the latest trends and products in the industry. As you gain experience and expertise, you can take on more challenging projects and expand your service offerings. Word-of-mouth referrals: Satisfied customers are likely to recommend your painting services to others, generating valuable word-of-mouth referrals. By delivering exceptional work, providing excellent customer service and cultivating positive relationships, you can benefit from organic growth and expand your client base. Challenges of running a painting business While starting a painting business offers numerous benefits, it's important to be aware of the challenges you may encounter. Business management: Running a painting business involves more than just painting. You'll need to manage various aspects such as customer relationships, project management, marketing, finances and administrative tasks. Developing effective business management skills is crucial for success. Seasonal demand: Painting projects can be influenced by seasonal fluctuations. In some regions, you may find that painting demand decreases during the winter months or periods of bad weather. It's important to plan accordingly, diversify your services and develop strategies to manage those seasonal fluctuations. Competitive market: The painting industry can be highly competitive, with numerous established painters and painting companies vying for clients. To stand out, you'll need to differentiate your business by providing superior craftsmanship, exceptional customer service and unique value propositions. Physical demands: Painting work can be physically demanding, requiring strength, endurance and the ability to work in various conditions. It's important to take care of your health, practice proper safety measures and consider delegating or outsourcing certain tasks when necessary. Managing a painting business effectively After you’ve gotten your painting business up and running, you’ll want to study up on ways to manage your business well. Project management: Develop efficient project management processes to ensure smooth operations. This includes accurately estimating project timelines, managing resources effectively and communicating with clients and team members. Quality control: Maintain high standards of quality in your work. Regularly inspect completed projects, address any issues promptly and ensure customer satisfaction. Providing exceptional workmanship will contribute to your reputation and help generate positive referrals. Team management: If you plan to expand and hire employees, focus on hiring skilled painters who share your commitment to quality and customer service. Provide training and ongoing support to help them improve their skills and contribute to the success of your business. Professional relationships: Cultivate strong relationships with suppliers, contractors and other professionals in the construction and home improvement industry (or check out our guide on how to start a construction business ). Collaborate with them on projects, exchange referrals and stay updated with the latest trends and techniques. Financial management: Maintain accurate financial records, track income and operating expenses and regularly review your financial performance. Think about how you’ll raise money for your business , as well as who you’ll need to tap—like an accountant or bookkeeper—to ensure compliance with tax obligations and an accurate pulse on the financial health of your business. Tips and tricks to promote your painting business If you want to continue attracting new clients, you’ll need to effectively market your painting business. Here are a few tips for spreading the word about your business. Develop a professional brand: Create a compelling brand identity that reflects your expertise, values and unique selling proposition . Design a professional logo be it with a designer or logo maker —you can also take inspiration from similar industries like those from a clothing logo maker. Once you’ve got a logo you’re happy with, make sure to establish consistent branding across your marketing materials and showcase your portfolio. Grow your online presence: Making a website for your painting business is simple using a website builder like Wix. Ensure that it’s visually appealing, mobile-friendly and optimized for search engines. Showcase your past projects, include testimonials from satisfied clients and provide clear contact information for potential customers. Use social media marketing: Leverage social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to showcase your work, engage with your audience and attract potential clients. Share high-quality photos of completed projects, before-and-after transformations and behind-the-scenes glimpses. Engage followers, respond to comments and messages promptly and use relevant hashtags to increase visibility. Tune your SEO: Optimize your website and online profiles for local search engine optimization. Include location-specific keywords in your website content, title tags, meta descriptions and headings. Register your business with online directories, like Google My Business, Yelp and local business directories, to improve your visibility in local search results. For Mordy Oberstein, Head of SEO branding at Wix, 'Leveraging SEO and integrating it into the website creation process is vital. Various studies have shown that organic search is the single greatest provider of traffic to websites - with that being even more pronounced within the B2B context. To that, traffic from organic search, when done correctly is essentially built to last (with proper maintenance over time, of course) and forms a crucial part of a site’s long-term growth.' Network and create partnerships: Build relationships with local interior designers, real estate agents, contractors and property management companies. Offer your painting services as part of their package or collaborate on projects. Attend industry events, join local business associations and participate in community initiatives to expand your network and gain exposure. Give offers and discounts: Consider offering limited-time promotions, discounts or package deals to attract new customers and incentivize repeat business. Advertise these offers on your website, social media platforms and local community platforms to generate interest and drive inquiries. Remember, promoting your painting business requires consistent effort and adaptability. Stay up-to-date with industry trends, continuously improve your skills and listen to customer feedback to refine your marketing strategies and always make sure to provide exceptional service. Learn more: How to create a website . How to start a business in a specific state When looking to start a painting business in a specific state, you can check out some of these resources to ensure you abide to state-specific laws: Start a business in Florida Start a business in California Start a business in Washington Start a business in Ohio Start a business in New York How to start a business in Virginia How to start a business in Georgia How to start a business in North Carolina How to start a business in South Carolina How to start a business in Arizona Examples of successful painting businesses If you’re unsure where to start with your website, check out these Wix-backed painting businesses for inspiration. Pack Painting Pack Painting , a family-owned business that got its start over 20 years ago, offers residential painting services in Central Texas. The company prides itself on providing reliable, trustworthy customer service and offers a free color consultation for anyone who’s interested. B&P Painting B&P Painting is a full-service painting company that offers interior and exterior painting for homes in Washington State. Through its website, you can get a glimpse of their recent work and can reach out for a free quote. GCSP Short for Grand Canyon State Painting, GCSP offers everything from exterior painting to interior and cabinet painting. The company services homes throughout Arizona, promising high-quality painting techniques and materials. Fine Line Painting Fine Line Painting offers more than 20 years of experience in assisting with speciality paint projects for both inside and outside of the home. Based in San Francisco, Fine Line Painting takes on basic repainting projects—as well as more advanced projects, like front door refinishes, venetian plastering and repair work. For more inspiration, you can check out these service business examples to help you get your creative juices flowing. Explore & find out about other types of businesses that you might be interested in starting up: How to start an online business How to start a service business How to start a consulting business How to start a fitness business How to start a makeup line How to start a candle business How to start a clothing business How to start an online boutique How to start a t-shirt business How to start a jewelry business How to start a subscription box business How to start a beauty business How to start a rental property business How to start a plumbing business How to start a DJ business How to start a food prep business How to start a babysitting business How to start a car wash business How to start a baking business How to start an eyelash business How to start a painting business How to start a farming business How to start a plumbing business How to start a flower business How to start a home care business How to start a tutoring business How to start an eCommerce business How to start a dropshipping business How to start a painting business FAQ How profitable is a painting business? The profitability of a painting business can vary depending on a number of factors, such as the size of the business, the experience of the owner and the location of the business. However, in general, painting businesses can be profitable. According to a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average profit margin for painting contractors is 12%. This means that for every $100 in revenue, a painting contractor will earn $12 in profit. How much does it cost to start a painter business? The cost of starting a painting business can vary depending on a number of factors, but the basic costs include: Equipment: You will need to purchase painting supplies, such as brushes, rollers and ladders. The cost of equipment can vary depending on the size of the business and the type of painting you will be doing. Insurance: You will need to purchase liability insurance to protect your business from financial losses. The cost of insurance will vary depending on the size of the business and the location of the business. Marketing: You will need to market your business to potential customers. The cost of marketing can vary depending on the size of the business and the methods you use to market your business. Other expenses: There may be other expenses associated with starting a painting business, such as rent, utilities and payroll. The total cost of starting a painting business can range from a few thousand dollars to tens of thousands of dollars. Is painting a good business to get into? Whether or not painting is a good business to get into depends on your individual circumstances and goals. However, there are a number of factors that suggest that painting can be a good business opportunity. The demand for painting services is always high. People need their homes and businesses painted for a variety of reasons, such as to improve their appearance, to protect them from the elements or to fix damage. The start-up costs for a painting business are relatively low. You can start a painting business with a few thousand dollars, which makes it a more accessible business opportunity than many other types of businesses. The profit margins for painting businesses are typically good. As mentioned earlier, the average profit margin for painting contractors is 12%. Painting is a skill that you can learn relatively quickly. There are many online and in-person courses that can teach you the basics of painting.