Learn to Build Your Digital Business
During the pandemic, when folks found themselves out of work, I built this website to help some of my peers learn a bit about what i know about starting a business and building a website. I hope you find this resource useful.
Planning and Branding
How to Build a Website Step 3: Choose a Web Platform / Language
So, you now have: A company name A company brand A bit of a marketing / business plan A domain name And web hosting. Congratulations! You are well on your way to creating your online presence. So, now we need to decide how you are going to...
How to Build a Website Step 1: Get a Domain Name
Just like an office needs a street address, your website needs a web address. That’s where your website will “live”. It’s the place from where your emails will be sent and to which you will receive email. It’s what you will tell people to...
Branding: Your Logo and Your Look and Feel
Hi again. This is Rich Cruz, a marketing professional in the Chicago area. I’m presenting an ongoing series of videos to show business owners and entrepreneurs just exactly how I help my customers to build their business’ digital presence...
Naming Your Business
Hi again. I’m Rich Cruz, a marketing professional in the Chicago area, and I’m bringing another installment of a series of videos I’m putting together called “Buildin My Digital Business.” In this series, I’m trying to show you how I help...
Create a Mission, Vision, and Simple Business Plan
Hi again. You may have seen my previous video. But, if not, let me introduce myself. I’m Rich Cruz, a Chicago digital marketing professional and consultant. This is the second in a multi-part series of videos called “Build My Digital...
Digital Marketing
How to Build a Website Step 10: Submit Website to Search Engines
Hi again! We’ve now gone through all of the steps to create a business, get hosting, develop a website, and add all of the SEO and functional “goodies” like forms and links. So, how are people going to find your website? Here’s the thing… a LOT of companies build a...
How to Build a Website Step 9: Test and Launch Your Website
This quick tutorial assumes that you’ve already have a domain name, a hosting platform, a WordPress installation on that host, built your WordPress website pages, and you’re ready for launching and testing. Here’s the thing… if you built your website and you didn’t...
How to Build a Website Step 8: Website Content and SEO
When it comes to creating website pages, I think it’s always best to write your pages out in Word first. That way, you can check for spelling and grammatical errors, set up your paragraphs, and polish what you’re going to say. It just so happens that I’ve written a...
How to Build a Website Step 7: Create Contact Forms on Your Website
You want people to be able to contact you from your website. In the old days, when I first started building sites with straight HTML, I would simply put my email address blatantly on the website. Boy, was that a mistake! My inbox was flooded with all sorts of crazy...
How to Build a Website Step 6: Design & Develop Web Pages
Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and make some stuff happen on your website? Cool! So am I! So, just a quick recap… before you got this far we: Created a company with a brand name and a logo. Developed a quick business plan / marketing plan. Secured our very own...
How to Build a Website Step 5: Plan Your Website Structure & Content
Our WordPress website is now ready for content. Actually, for all intents and purposes, we now have a live website with really nothing in it. That’s okay, nobody but us knows that, so I won’t tell if you won’t. Before we start building the pages and posts (blogs),...
How to Build a Website Step 4: Install WordPress on Your Host
Now, we’re actually going to start cooking. Well… more like we’re going to prepare the ingredients for making our website. The last time I said that I choose WordPress as my platform for building websites. Today, I’m going to show you how...
How to Build a Website Step 3: Choose a Web Platform / Language
So, you now have: A company name A company brand A bit of a marketing / business plan A domain name And web hosting. Congratulations! You are well on your way to creating your online presence. So, now we need to decide how you are going to...
How to Build a Website Step 2: Get a Web Hosting Service
Your website needs a place to “live.” Give it a home with a web hosting service. Today, we’re going to talk a little about web hosting. What is it? Do you need it? Why is it important? Where can you get it? A web hosting service is a...
How to Build a Website Step 1: Get a Domain Name
Just like an office needs a street address, your website needs a web address. That’s where your website will “live”. It’s the place from where your emails will be sent and to which you will receive email. It’s what you will tell people to...
Create a Mission, Vision, and Simple Business Plan
Hi again. You may have seen my previous video. But, if not, let me introduce myself. I’m Rich Cruz, a Chicago digital marketing professional and consultant. This is the second in a multi-part series of videos called “Build My Digital...
Build My Digital Business: Intro to This Marketing Resource
I’m Rich Cruz. I’m a Chicago native living with my wife who is a music teacher and our three kids in Chicago’s Suburbs. I’ve challenged myself to do a series of videos to help people who are getting started in business or...