How to Create a Website that Converts

Name: How to Create a Website that Converts
Rating: 4.5 (15 reviews)

Using S.M.A.R.T Objectives, Personas and Wireframes

Created byDana Salman

Last updated 12/2016

English

English [Auto],

What you'll learn

Learn what makes a website suck.
My 5 Step Process for creating an effective website that converts.
Learn about personas.
Define your target audience and create personas to represent them.
Set S.M.A.R.T Objectives for your website to make sure your website reaches your business goals.
Learn how to research competitors and create a swipe file.
Brainstorm and create a wireframe for your website.
Learn how to effectively brief your designer and/or developer on your project to get the result you need quickly and cheaply.
Conduct A/B tests on your website to optimize and improve results no matter what your traffic volume is.
Review conclusions and take-aways.

Course content

5 sections • 21 lectures • 2h 11m total length

Introduction1:20
Is this course for you?0:40
What you will learn0:56
What you will learn by the end of this course
What Makes a Website Suck7:49
Avoid shiny object syndrome by prioritizing objectives and strategy before themes, and ensure clear information, a single call to action, and responsive design that builds trust.
The difference between wireframes and mockups1:10
In this lecture, you will learn the difference between wireframes and mockups.
The 5 step process for creating awesome websites3:01
Define your target audience and set smart objectives to shape strategy, persona, copy, and graphics, then research competitors, brainstorm wireframes, brief designers, and run AB testing.

What are personas?1:01
Define your target audience with personas, fictional characters grounded in market and customer research, to tailor offerings, pricing, features, design, and copy.
How to create personas2:38
In this lecture, you will learn how to create personas step-by-step for your website or online project.
Creating a sample persona (Live Example)6:00
In this lecture, we will learn how to create a sample persona using a live example.
Setting S.M.A.R.T objectives4:37
In this lecture, you will learn how to set S.M.A.R.T Objectives for your online project.

Researching competitors and samples - Sample Site 1: When I work7:48
Study competitor samples like when I work to learn clean design, essential navigation, a product in action video, clear pricing, testimonials, and strong free-trial CTAs for scheduling software.
Researching competitors and samples - Sample Site 2: 7Shifts7:03
Evaluate a restaurant scheduling site to identify how clear navigation, visible contact, a compelling call to action, testimonials, and a free trial boost engagement and conversions.
Researching competitors and samples - Sample Site 3: Zoomshift7:56
Analyze the zoom shift site to identify convert-ready elements: bold color contrast, clean navigation, clear value proposition, feature highlights, testimonials, and a strong free-trial call to action.
Creating a Swipe File Part 1 - When I work12:45
Create a swipe file of proven marketing elements using Evernote web clipper, collecting navigation, call-to-action, pricing, testimonials, and features from rival sites to inform your own website that converts.
Creating a Swipe File Part 2 - 7Shifts7:52
Creating a Swipe File Part 3 - Zoomshift9:20

Brainstorming and sketching your wireframe17:47
Brainstorm and sketch a wireframe to define navigation and key sections such as free trial, pricing, team, and customers, with compelling calls to action for schedule maker.
Creating a dynamic wireframe13:41
Learn how to easily create a dynamic wireframe using Mockflow.
A/B Testing11:28
In this lecture, you will learn about A/B Testing and how to A/B test your website.
Briefing meeting cheat sheet2:04
Craft a precise project brief to brief your designer, detailing site objectives, personas, competitors, and wireframes. Review via video call to align on timeframe, budget, and design preferences.

Requirements

This course is for beginners/intermediate students and covers the strategy phase of creating a website, students need to have an open mind and the desire to learn!
Wireframing tool like Mockflow, Balsamiq (Powerpoint or Keynote can also be used).
Evernote Chrome Extension (Free)

Description

There are plenty of awesome online courses that teach you web development and web design. The missing piece was strategy. Because no matter how pretty a website is, if it is not setup to grow traffic/signups/sales/subscriptions/ whatever other objective your business has, there is no point.

Before thinking about color, plugins and fonts, you need to think about strategy. This course will teach you my step by step process for creating an effective website that meets your business objectives, without wasting time and money.

Why are you creating a website?
What are your objectives?
Who is your target audience?
How will you measure success?
What are other players doing in your space?
How can you use your competitors to your advantage?
How can you define and present your ideas to a designer/developer?
What can you continuously optimize your website to improve results no matter what your traffic volume is?

Who this course is for:

Designers/creatives who want to better understand the business strategy side of web design, expand their skill set and provide enhanced services for clients.
Developers who want to better understand the business strategy side of web development, expand their skill set and provide enhanced services for clients.
Entrepreneurs who want to create an effective website or optimize their existing website to reach their goals, grow their traffic, and grow sales.

How to Create a Website that Converts

What you'll learn

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Course content

Introduction6 lectures • 15min

Understanding your target audience and setting objectives4 lectures • 14min

Researching competitors and samples6 lectures • 53min

Brainstorming and creating your wireframe4 lectures • 45min

Wrap up and take aways1 lecture • 5min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: