Squarespace versus WordPress
Squarespace is a convenient platform for quickly creating a web presence and it does provide the ability to sell product without having to be an expert in the technicalities of eCommerce.
But its options for design are limited. It does not provide much flexibility in arranging pages in certain ways or for building more creative and interesting aspects of a site. Its search engine optimization is also limited, which is not ideal for those with small email lists needing to build an audience.
Squarespace also comes with an ongoing subscription cost that never ends.
WordPress, on the other hand, is free and is the foundation for almost half the world’s websites, and for good reason. Pages can be designed in virtually any manner one can think of, the designer’s creativity being the only limitation. That flexibility matters because a more interesting site that stands out tends to keep people on a site longer which can lead to more sales, all things being equal. Consider the different experience of a Target store and an Apple store.
As an example, the typical online music store consists of products laid out in a kind of ordered checkerboard grid, often with dozens of music covers in a forest versus tree experience. Contrast that with the product layout we built for jazz pianist Michael Jefry Stevens:
https://michaeljefrystevens.com/lead-sheet-page-new-layout#Swing
While Bob is not selling sheet music, the point is that the design flexibility provided by WordPress enables a more creative layout that makes it easier and quicker for buyers to find the right product they want – regardless of product or store type.
The site we build on top of WordPress will be optimized for search. Each individual page and product will be optimized to enable Google to present it further up in the Search results to the people who are looking for the solutions provided by that particular page or product.
Enabling a better payment gateway: WordPress will provide a much better and more flexible shopping experience resulting in a higher conversion of visitors to sales. We recommend using a platform called WooCommerce that integrates perfectly with WordPress.
The shopping experience can be created so that when someone buys a mouthpiece (for example) after checkout, they are automatically presented with an offer for an album (or any other product/service), perhaps at a one-time-only discount. The shopping experience can be optimized in many different ways to capitalize on the buyer being in a spending moment. Think of those tempting candy bars in the checkout lane at most retailers.
Hosting
Bob has the option of hosting his site through Jazz Digital Marketing. The advantages are that security and backups will be set up and Google analytics will be enabled and monitored by us to give Bob simple and clear reports that help him understand what is happening with his site. The cost is listed below.
Marketing Services
We will manage the copyrighting of text throughout the site so that the benefits to the visitor are clear and persuasive. People have become text scanners rather than deep readers, therefore, we will encourage brief, to-the-point, benefit-oriented writing. More about the “why” a site visitor will benefit rather than the “how” of the mechanics.
A “lead magnet” should be produced that will encourage visitors to leave their name and email address. That contact will then be automatically added to an email provider such as MailChimp. An example of that free giveaway we designed for a classical music publisher client is:
The Art of Intonation. Examples for Bob could be a solo transcription or a short video tip or a written piece similar to “The Art of Intonation.” A form will be created on the site and/or a pop-up strategically placed to solicit this visitor information.
Create and implement a launch promotion: Once the website is completed, a promotion will be set up to launch the new site with special offers and giveaways. We will write emails (with Bob’s final approval) that will be sent through Mailchimp or another email provider. Those emails will be sent to a list created by Bob consisting of his professional contacts, previous and current students, and educators.
Bob’s Responsibilities
While the majority of the work will be done by Jazz Digital Marketing, certain tasks and decisions will be required of Bob that can only be done by him. His agreement and adherence to timely delivery is crucial to the success of this project.
1. A decision must be made as to exactly what is being sold on the website. For example, should (and can) D’Addario reeds be sold directly by Bob through his own shopping cart? Our opinion is that reeds are a commodity and as such are not worth selling. Another question is, what albums (if any) are owned by Bob that can be converted to digital and sold on his site and shopping cart as digital downloads? A list of products, prices, and delivery methods must be identified prior to the site’s store being built.
2. Approval for the web copy (text) and design, or suggestions for changes must be made within a timely manner. 48 hours would be ideal, but we understand that travel and other commitments can lengthen that time-line. What we require is a timely response to the content being created so that the site can be finished within our ideal target of approximately five to six weeks if not sooner.
3. If Bob agrees that a “lead magnet” as described above is desired, a decision on the topic and content written by Bob must also be provided in a timely manner. We are responsible for the design. What we will need from Bob is simply the raw content of text, musical notation, or audio–whatever is required. One criteria for a topic is that it contains content that is relatively easy for Bob to identify and/or create. Nothing overly complicated because, after all, we are giving it away in exchange simply for a name and email address.
Pricing and Options
1. Redesign the site and store in Squarespace: $850
We would redesign bobsheppard.net as described earlier within the limitations of the Squarespace platform. We would also rewrite the product descriptions of products and teaching to be more persuasive as described above.
The site will contain the pages of Home, Lessons/Workshops, Products, Calendar, About, Contact, Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, and pages for each individual product. Additional pages such as a blog, if desired, can be added at an extra cost.
2. Redesign the site and store in WordPress: $1,800
Recreate the site on a WordPress foundation using Elementor as the editor, and WooCommerce as the cart and checkout platform for a more attractive and appealing look and function.
The site will contain the pages of Home, Lessons/Workshops, Products, Calendar, About, Contact, Privacy Policy, Terms and Conditions, and pages for each individual product. Additional pages such as a blog, if desired, can be added at an extra cost.
Hosting can be provided for $35 per month payable annually in advance. Reports will be generated, shared, and interpreted that illustrate the site’s traffic. These reports will include top pages visited, time on site, and traffic trends. The site will be closely monitored and any issues or problems will be addressed quickly.
The home page will be created first. Once designed, we will provide Bob with a link to view that initial page so as to get his approval on the style and language. Once that approval is given, the continued build of the site will proceed with frequent links shared with Bob so that he can monitor the evolution of the new site and provide feedback throughout the process.
One half of the website payment is payable upon acceptance of this agreement via a email response, and the balance is due upon mutual agreement of the site being complete and online.
