Web Development & Personal Branding: Building your Own Website
Course Overview:
This course is designed to guide you through the process of creating your own professional website using platforms like Squarespace or Shopify. Alongside technical skills, we will explore personal branding—identifying your unique assets, strengths, and characteristics—to help you present a cohesive and authentic online presence. By the end of this course, you will have a functional website and a clear understanding of how to use it to reflect and enhance your brand.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Understand basic branding and how it shapes online identity.
Build a fully functional website using Squarespace or Shopify.
Develop content and visuals that align with your brand.
Optimize your website for usability and audience engagement.
Leverage social media and digital tools to amplify your online presence.
Course Overview:
This course is designed to guide you through the process of creating your own professional website using platforms like Squarespace or Shopify. Alongside technical skills, we will explore personal branding—identifying your unique assets, strengths, and characteristics—to help you present a cohesive and authentic online presence. By the end of this course, you will have a functional website and a clear understanding of how to use it to reflect and enhance your brand.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Understand basic branding and how it shapes online identity.
Build a fully functional website using Squarespace or Shopify.
Develop content and visuals that align with your brand.
Optimize your website for usability and audience engagement.
Leverage social media and digital tools to amplify your online presence.
Modules:
Module One: Getting Started
Course introduction and housekeeping items
Overview of workshop objectives
Pre-assignment review: What is your brand?
Action plans for the course
Module Two: Website Planning
Choosing the right platform: Squarespace vs. Shopify
Defining your website’s purpose and goals
Organizing website structure and navigation
Identifying essential content for your brand
Module Three: Building Your Website
Setting up your account and domain
Choosing a theme or template that aligns with your brand
Customizing visuals: Fonts, colors, and images
Adding pages and essential features (e.g., About, Press, Contact, Shop)
Module Four: Content Creation
Writing compelling copy for your website
Showcasing your skills and projects effectively
Integrating personal branding into visuals and messaging
Adding SEO-friendly content to increase visibility
Module Five: Making Your Website Functional
Setting up e-commerce features on Shopify or Squarespace
Adding integrations (e.g., mailing lists, payment systems)
Ensuring mobile and desktop responsiveness
Testing user experience and functionality
Module Six: Launching and Maintaining Your Website
Finalizing your website: Checklist before publishing
Strategies for a successful website launch
Ongoing maintenance and updates
Using analytics to measure website performance
Course Tools & Resources:
Step-by-step guidelines for Squarespace and Shopify
Website planning template
Access to recommended design and analytics tools