For most people, the thought of coding a website is about as attractive as jumping into a river full of crocodiles.
Thank heavens for no-code website builders, right?
Well, I'll be honest... no-code website builders can actually be a negative for many people.
Yes, they're amazing in that they make website building accessible for everyone, but they also set people up for failure.
So,
Instead of writing a 4,000 word ramble that says "my no-code website builder is incredible get started now," and talks you through every overwhelming detail about setting up a WordPress website -- only to, well, overwhelm you even more.
I'm going to...
Keep it very short, sharp, and to the point - and give you a starting point for how you think about making a website so you avoid the pitfalls most people fall into when using a no-code website builder.
Oh, and if you're bored of reading already, we've got a super short video format for you too.
Don't Fall Into the Quintessential No-Code Traps
The problem many people have with no-code builders is they make things too easy and give you too many options.
It sounds like a great problem to have.
But it means people start building too quickly - before they have a coherent plan for their site.
And then they get distracted by all the design options and forget to focus on what matters.
So here's my simple formula.
Focus on Clarity and Action to Get Results.
Step 1: Understand the Ultimate Goal
Most websites fail because they lack clarity of thinking from the first minute.
They're focused on "how do I make a beautiful website?" Not "how do I make a website that takes me to my ultimate goals?"
And all those fancy no-code capabilities draw people into this trap.
So here are 3 questions to answer before you even lift a finger to start building your website.
Action Point: Write out a clear description of how your website will contribute to your online business success. Go beyond "to give my business an online presence" or "to sell a product" - really dig deep.
Step 2: Choose Clarity and Action
Having a clear understanding of how your website delivers success unlocks clarity.
Now you know the ultimate action your visitor needs to take to enrich your life, you can start to fill in all the actions they need to take in the lead-up to that final action.
This is the entire purpose of your website: to take people from point A to point X (the conversion), ticking off all the other important points as you go.
You May Have Noticed: This isn't the traditional no-code website building advice where we'll obsess about home page design and About pages - it's about maximizing resources on the pages that drive action.
Step 3: Test the Idea
Why haven't I talked about the technical side of setting up a website?
Because thanks to these no-code tools, it's so easy it doesn't need much discussion.
But, there's a caveat.
No-code WordPress tools give you so much creative freedom, it's easy to get carried away and lose a ton of time.
Don't fall into this trap.
Action Item: Set yourself a challenging timeline to get the basics of your website completed (Home, About, Contact, etc.). Choose a reputable theme builder like Thrive Theme Builder and lean on the templates they give you - this will get you launched quickly so you can start working on the pages where the action happens.
The Quick Recap: Clarity and Action Drive Success
No-code website builders are great, but only once you've done serious planning, so get started with this list now! Then, when you're ready, come back to Thrive University, and we'll walk you through the implementation. This way, you'll end up with a website that's focused on your goals and drives your success.
Now You've Got Your Thinking Clear: More Resources for No-Code Website Building
This post is designed to get you thinking in a conversion-focused way before you build your website. It's some of our most powerful advice because every website needs to earn a return on investment.
You'll probably want to keep researching and learning before you commit to building your site, though, so we've put together some of our best resources.
And if you're ever stuck with anything, you can check out our free resource, Thrive University. It's packed with lessons on marketing and web design, and will help give you the confidence to get started with your online business.
P.S. This is a new way of structuring blog posts for us, so if you've found it helpful, please let us know! Leave some comments on the videos and subscribe to our channel for more short video series.
