Examples of why you may need a website
- Standalone blog, or a blog added as a subdomain to your existing website (e.g. blog.yourdomain.com)
- Business showcase
- Personal portfolio
- Personal journal
- Research publication
- Resource publication
- Online magazine
What I use to build websites
I primarily use Ghost.
I use WordPress for showcase sites, in cases when using Ghost would be overkill.
As a front-end designer, I am not a developer, so I don't create websites from scratch. Commissioning development for an entire site is very likely to be a waste of money - and you will never get the best-in-class features that a billion-dollar platform can provide.
The many benefits of Ghost.org
✅ Readers can subscribe to your content by email and you can send them posts or content-rich newsletters
✅ Send posts and newsletters to all members or targeted segments
✅ No need for an email client as posts are sent via the host's servers
✅ No plugins needed
✅ You can create multiple newsletters that readers can subscribe to at the point of sign-up
✅ As members engage, you gain valuable insights into which posts they've read and which emails they've opened
✅ Subscribing turns visitors into registered members
✅ You can charge members for your content using Stripe, by setting multiple tiers. Ghost takes 0%. Stripe only takes 2.9%
✅ Get donations via Stripe
✅ Restrict access to specific posts and pages for members only (both free and paid)
✅ Members sign in using secure email links, eliminating the need for passwords
✅ Members can manage their subscriptions from their Account panel once logged in
✅ A modern interface and modern themes - for example:
Bright Themes
✅ Professional managed hosting options
✅ Outstanding security
✅ Integrated SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) functionality
✅ Up to 1,900% faster than WordPress
✅ Minimalist editor with rich features
✅ Commenting built into posts
✅ Minimalist editor with rich features
By thinking of your website as an online publication, you begin to focus on creating content which enables you to build authority, both with your readers and with Google.