There was a time when startup founders debated whether it was worth investing in having their own domain. Today a website is indispensable in any company’s marketing plan. Every business has to have an online presence – but, if it’s not a website you own, you’re giving up all control of that branding (and maybe even helping your competitors).
Your website will constantly improve and change with your business, but even while you’re pre-product, you should start out with a placeholder – a single-page site simply stating your company name and a short description of what you plan to build. It’s worth staking claim to this digital territory, even if you’re years away from formally launching, to begin to build an early audience with those who will someday be your customers.
Consider creating a field for contact information, where visitors to your site can enter their email address to stay up-to-date on your work. Be clear about how often you plan to contact them (less is usually more). This early digital contact list can become an incredible asset when it’s time to launch your product, since you’ll already have a list of prospects and friends with whom to share the news.
It’s advantageous to include information about your team (even if your team is still just you!) as part of this initial site. In doing so, you create a connection between your company and the people behind it. If your company later pivots or changes the product, that connection will help preserve your space in the marketplace, associating it with your specific expertise. It’s also better than simply filling your site with impersonal stock photography. Authenticity matters, even early on.
During this pre-product stage, it’s often easiest to use website-as-a-service platforms such as Wix or Squarespace, which allow busy and cash-strapped founders to customize high-quality, pre-built templates without outsourcing graphic design needs to expensive professional contractors.
As your business grows in complexity and character, so too should your website. Ideally, it will evolve into a true resource that showcases the unique value of your company. This might mean creating articles outlining your industry insights or highlighting happy customers through profiles and testimonials.
Some businesses may not require a full website, and instead simply rely on a Google listing, a Facebook page, or third-party review sites such as Yelp. However, it generally does you a disservice to give up control over your digital footprint long-term. When you rely entirely on free third-party platforms, you subsequently surrender control over your brand, customer interactions, and even your data. As is often the case in technology, if you’re not paying for the product, you yourself are the product. What starts out as free will eventually be monetized – either through paid tiers, advertising, or data collection that can benefit your competitors more than it benefits you.
Owning your website outright ensures control over your message and market. If you’re unclear where to begin, or if you want feedback on what you’ve already built, the MFN team can connect you with local experts who can help you review options and move forward with confidence.
