Websites are powerful tools for all creatives to have. And they can feel like a huge task because there's so many disciplines that get applied...
Writing for web. Exporting images for web. Search engine optimization (SEO). Test plans. Mobile. Analytics. Terms. Privacy policies. And the list goes on. People have entire careers in every single one of these.
But here's the thing...
You don't need to be an expert in all of them to have a successful, thriving website. But you and your website will benefit with some directed background in each.
I created Launch! to feel like I'm sitting right there with you, sharing the most important bits of information you need to know to get your website Launched!
Who is coming to your website? Who do you want coming to your website? Understanding Who is the first big step in defining the entire project.
Imagine this. Every visitor that lands on your website is going to take an action. What do you want it to be?
Templates can feel like paint-by-numbers if you don't have a clear sitemap in mind. Learn how to create your sitemap with examples and worksheets.
When you think in terms of page types, you can get a really clear picture of what content you need to create to have a successful website.
What information do you need to include? How to phrase it? Tips from me and an incredible lesson from Lindsey Grant, author of Ready, Set, Memoir!
I share with you my entire process of photographing, editing, and exporting images of artwork for the web.
Terms! Privacy policy! Copyright. Trademarks. That little © YEAR at the bottom of websites. Nicole Swartz of Sprout Law shares.
Website test plans are invaluable tools. I share with you a sample plan and directions on how to create your own.
There are many places where you can register your domain name. I have a favorite. I share with you why I do and how I use it.
SEO is a deep pool. I'll show you the basics and give you a list of things I wouldn't launch without.
Set up an email alias so you get emails to anything at your domain name (like info@ contact@ help@)
Build it yourself? Or hire someone? There's no wrong answer. I share my current favorite platforms and an interview with Mati Rose on how she prepped all her content before hiring a pro.
Newsletters compliment websites. I want you to have one right from the start so you have an open channel of communication to the people who want to hear from you.
404 pages are such fun. And they are great catch-alls for typos and broken links.
Favicon, or browser icon, is just one example of an element that adds polish and makes websites look professional.
Add the polishing touches that really make your website pro. HTTPS. Link in Bio. Platform status updates.
I'll share my screen as so you can watch, step by step, how I build a website for artist Pauli Bailey in Squarespace.
Community space for questions, ideas, and to share website launches!
I know it looks like a ton of work and things to do and learn.
And it is, I can't lie about it. But I designed this course to be a shortcut.
My goal is to share with you clear steps that are easy to follow.
I will walk you through each area as quickly and clearly as possible so you can get in, get to work, and get out as fast as possible.
Just because YOU don't have to be an expert in all the things, doesn't mean you can't learn from someone who is. We sit down with these amazing minds so you can dive straight into the work armed with expert knowledge.
Mati Rose McDonough is an artist and daring adventurer whose name is pronounced Matey, like Ahoy! She has had dozens of art shows, taught painting classes internationally in Italy, Morocco, Costa Rica and more to come! Her illustrations grace all sorts of products from camera cases to giant elephant billboards as well as her own home decor line and dress line too— dreams come true! She is pinching herself after all those years that she is making her living as an artist. You can see her latest work, and daring adventures, on Instagram.
Nicole Swartz is the attorney and founder behind Sprout Law, a law firm for women business owners. She's also a business owner as well. In 2015, she started a skincare line that was featured in hundreds of stores around the world and even the Golden Globes giftbags. After two years, she had to rebrand the entire business because she didn't have a trademark. Now, she helps other women trademark their brands to avoid the same situation. Nicole is featured as an expert in Forbes, the Washington Post, Girlboss, and speaks at events like Alt Summit, Craftcation, and South by Southwest. Plus her Reels and TikTok about celebrity trademark gossip are pretty darn fun. :)
Lindsey Grant co-authored the writer’s workbook Ready, Set, Novel! before publishing her memoir, Sleeps with Dogs: Tales of a Pet Nanny at the End of her Leash.
A second workbook, Ready, Set, Memoir!, is now available from Chronicle Books.
Just want clarity about who your website is for, what they can do there, and how you'll get them to do that thing?
At the end of the Launch! Bootcamp you'll have a complete sitemap and a punch list of content required to design and build your website.
You'll start with Launch! Bootcamp and keep right on going! You get the Full syllabus (see above)... some of my favorite lessons are:
Interview with Nicole Swartz of Sprout Law, and her discount code for your website terms!
Interview with author Lindsey Grant. She framed writing in a way that stuck with me!
Interview with artist and teacher Mati Rose. She shared a life-saving newsletter story that 🤯
How to photograph, color correct, resize, square off, edit, and export images for web
SEO - Search Engine Optimization guide
Test Plan lecture and a sample plan you can use to start yours
And, so many polish tips that elevate all websites
A full Squarespace walk-through... over 6 hours of live website demo
My name's Jen and I've been designing and building websites since 1999.
I've built websites for companies of all sizes, from solopreneurs to international giant companies and nonprofits. A few years ago, I stopped designing/building websites for others and instead teach artists, makers, and creatives of all kinds how to do it for themselves.
I'm passionate about you having a website that thrives, that elevates your business, your art, and your creations. I believe your website is one of the most customizable places in the world (physical world included!) where you can share your work and control the entire narrative. You control every pixel and each one allows you to craft the story of you, your practice, and your work.
I can't wait to see what you Launch!
Either way you go, Launch! and Launch! Bootcamp will save you hours of time so you can create a website that serves you, your business, and your art.
You are ready.
Your work is ready.
It is time to give it a place to live for the world to see.
I'm here to cheer you on.
I can't wait to see what you Launch!
(That's me pre-celebrating at the Color Factory a few years ago. But in my heart this is what it feels like when artists, creatives, and makers of all kinds put their work out into the world.)
If you have a question you don't see answered, please contact me! I'm here to help.
Doors open April 2023!
You get access to the entire course right away. I know everyone learns at a different pace and is coming to this with a different backgrounds in their website journey. You are free to watch the videos in any order you want.
At least one year from the date you sign up. Because the web changes so much I can't offer lifetime access to the course content as it might fall out of date. And, I want you to Launch! as soon as possible! So don't delay... you've got this. I know you do!
Most likely! Listen, I don't know how you created your website and what you're trying to do with it moving forward but I can tell you this... Launch! shares so much information that you might not have known before either because you hired someone who did know and you want to move away from that relationship or because you created your website on your own. If you are working on a redesign, this course can really help you what you need to include moving forward and what can be left behind.
Because you get all the content as soon as you sign up, I can't offer refunds. I am here to help with any questions before you sign up! Just contact me.
I'm no longer taking on web design and/or build projects. If you would like a consultation, please email me.
