Building a virtual assistant website without knowing how to code is easy…if you have the right tools. The first website I built was a mess. Even with an “easy” drag and drop builder, I struggled to make the pages look like I wanted. The graphics were a mess and I found out two months into it that my contact form wasn’t even working.
It wasn’t my finest hour.
It took me a hot second but I happened upon two tools that changed the game for me AND allowed me to take on website builds for my clients. (That’s good money, y’all!) The first, Bluehost web hosting, I talk all about in this post. But there’s a lot that happens after the techy parts of a website build. It also has to be pretty and functional.
Here are my two secret weapons for building a virtual assistant website:
#1: Bluchic
When I stumbled upon the responsive WordPress themes from Bluchic, I swear I could hear the hallelujah chorus. (Maybe I’m exaggerating…but just a little.) They’re pretty, feminine, and easy to personalize. When you need to use code to customize the theme, they literally have video tutorials showing you how to do it. It’s SO easy.
In case you’re wondering, I built my agency’s site using their Maggie theme and this website using the Rachel theme. I have to admit that I’m having to hold myself back from re-designing my current site using their new Chicserve theme. It’s literally everything you need to build a virtual assistant website and the drag and drop editor looks like fun to use.
Once you’ve selected and purchased your theme, all you have to do is follow the instructions in the zip file they send. (Pro tip: unzip the file! You’ll find another zip file there which is theme you’ll need to upload under the “appearances” tab in WordPress.) From there, click the “Getting Started” tab to access all the tutorials to set up the site.
#2: Canva
I can hear you saying, “But I still don’t know how to create a logo or all of the graphics I’ll need…and there’s no money to hire a graphic designer.” That’s where Canva comes in. This is a free cloud-based tool that helps you design graphics without spending hours learning the basics of graphic design. They have thousands of templates to get you started.
I recommend you start with your logo design and mood board. Take some time to pin some images on a Pinterest board to help you capture the colors, textures, and patterns you want to include. (Pro tip: This is also a great way to pull a color palette if you’re new to graphic design!) Once you have colors, fonts and your logo, make a list of the other images you’ll need for the site. Canva makes it so easy to create custom sizes for your graphics and their templates are great if you’re struggling to find inspiration.
I’ve had some people ask me if a paid Canva account is worth it…and it totally is! While I know my way around Photoshop and InDesign, I still keep coming back to my Canva account for client projects. I love that I can set up everyone’s brand kits and can upload my fonts in a program I can access from any computer I’m on OR my phone.
Once you start building your website, hit me up in the comments! What questions do you have?