Building a website

Designing your own website is a cost-effective way to share your program's story, connect with families, and create an online presence that reflects your unique child care services Consider the following when deciding between hiring a professional or designing your own website:

Disadvantages of hiring a professional

• More expensive than using website building tools
• Potential long-term contracts that may be difficult to exit
• Loss of creative control
• Potential future ownership issues
• Less flexibility when making changes 

Advantages of using website building tools 

• Free or inexpensive
• Full creative control
• Convenient to update
• Designing is intuitive and easy to learn
• Many tools to choose from 

Building your own website is a great way to take ownership over the marketing of your business. It allows you to control the message you would like to convey and allows you to update your site at your convenience. There may be a small learning curve when you start using any of the variety of tools, you'll discover tools designed to walk you through the process of designing a site that looks professional with no experience needed. 

First, you must create and register a domain name. This is your website’s address (how people find your website). Domain names end in extensions such as .com, .net and .info.  

You must pay to register and maintain your domain name. Domain names ending in .com are usually the most expensive to maintain. Make sure you budget for the monthly or annual cost of keeping your domain name, so you don't lose access to your website. Some services offer a trial period, and the cost of domain hosting does vary from service to service. Some companies offer hosting for as little as $40 year, while others cost $500 a year, depending on the options offered. Research the cost of hosting and ask how much hosting costs after the first year. Some plans may require you to pay for more than one year at a time. 

Your domain name should be easy to remember and tied to your business’ name since you’ll use it in your marketing materials and on social media. It can be frustrating to find a domain name that isn’t currently being used, so consider adding your town name to your domain name. That way, anyone searching for you is sure they found the right site and you're less likely to have issues with finding a domain name that is available (an example would be www.123childcareaustin.com for a business named 123 Child Care located in Austin.)  

There are many sources online that help you check the availability of domain names and walk you through the domain registration process. 

Research what each brand offers. Popular options include Google Sites, Wix, Wordpress, Zyro, Godaddy, SquareSpace, and Weebly. Please note that we do not endorse any vendor.  

Think about your own style of expression and your business marketing approach to find the tool that is right for you. You'll have many layout and design options to consider when creating your site. Consider what other features, services (usually available for a fee), and help functions are available for that tool. There are programs that are free for a predetermined amount of information and storage on your site, and some have low monthly costs that offer different levels of services, but keep in mind that you will be paying those monthly fees going forward. Make sure to account for any ongoing fees in your marketing budget. 

Think of other websites you like the look of. Use the same colors on your website that you use on your marketing materials, so you have a consistent look. Here are ideas for what to include on your website:

• Location
• Hours of operation
• Ages served
• Rates
• Who you are 
• Your vision for your program
• Policies and procedures
• Events calendar
• How to schedule a tour/appointment
• How to enroll
• A page for prospective employees (include a link to apply, a list of the benefits available, and the requirements for employment)  

Think about what you’d like to include before you start your layout. Make sure to write text and gather files of photographs that best illustrate your business. If you're including pictures of children that you care for, make sure to get permission in writing from their families before posting. This document, also known as a waiver, will help to protect you and your business from legal action if a parent or guardian doesn't approve of a photo being included on your website. You can find waiver templates online by searching “photo consent waiver/template.” 

If you're unsure of what to include, visit child care business websites that you like for ideas. Be careful not to directly copy other websites, but instead use them for inspiration and ideas for what will work well on your own original site. 

1. Select your template to set the overall look of your website
2. Edit your home page to add your business name, logo, a brief description of the services you provide or your mission statement, and phone number. Add descriptive links to the other pages on your site, usually located at the top of the home page. You'll choose font style, size, and text colors from the options menu.
3. Create multiple pages to include all information you’ve decided to feature on your site. Insert photos and add any other elements you’d like. Get creative and experiment with the layout!
4. Stop and save your work at any time. Most tools have an auto-save feature available, so you don't lose your work. 
5. Once you've created all your pages, have a someone look at what you created. They can offer suggestions and help you proofread the website. See how your website looks on multiple devices, since your site may look different on a phone or tablet. Most tools have an option that allows you to also design your site for devices other than a desktop computer or laptop.
6. Go live and “publish” your site. Remember, your site is not live until you publish it. After you publish your site, you can update information, add additional pages and photos, and change your layout. Try not to change the entire look of your website too often.
7. Create a schedule to review and update your website to make sure it's always current. Add this schedule to your marketing calendar and make it a part of you marketing plan review. 

Disclaimer 

The information contained here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal, tax, or financial advice.