Ep 191: Your Website is Your Handshake: Building Trust in the Paper Artist Community

Ever wondered why some creative businesses feel more trustworthy than others? In this episode, Quynh, Jessie, and Sara get real about websites, the power of putting your name out there, and why your online presence matters more than you think.   "If I go onto your Instagram and I don't see your full name somewhere, there's a lack of credibility there. I'm not going to trust you. I don't know who you are...It's about making a connection with your consumer. And that means, unfortunately, you do have to share more of yourself." - Jessie   Sara shares her 16-year website journey, including the struggles of consolidating domains, email providers, and hosting platforms. Jessie opens up about why she needs to see your name before she can trust your business. And Quynh reminds us all that our websites should be living, breathing reflections of our evolving businesses.  Whether you're just starting out or you've been in business for years, this conversation will inspire you to take a fresh look at your digital home and make it work harder for you.   What You’ll Hear in This Episode: Why having your name visible builds instant credibility The real cost of not having a website (spoiler: lost customers) Sara's honest account of moving domains and email providers after 16 years How to use blogs and Pinterest for long-term SEO benefits Free and affordable tools for newsletters, graphics, and website management The trust factor: what potential customers need to see before they buy Platform recommendations: Squarespace, Shopify, Etsy, and more Email marketing essentials and why your personal email won't cut it How to keep your website fresh without overwhelming yourself   "Google is still a big factor on search engines. So make sure your SEO and that search optimization on your keywords, long keywords that are scattered throughout your website. And one of the best ways to have that is actually having a blog." - Quynh    Tools & Resources Mentioned in this Episode: Squarespace (Sara uses this for her website hosting) GoDaddy (Sara uses this for domain registration) Flodesk (Quynh mentions this email newsletter marketing platform) Substack (Quynh mentions this free newsletter platform) Canva (graphic design for newsletters and social content) Drop in Blog (SEO-friendly blog integration) Thinkific (Jessie uses this for learning management platform) Pinterest (search engine for creative businesses) ChatGPT (SEO optimization help) Paper Talk is supported by our community of readers and listeners. When you click on our affiliate links, we may earn a commission for qualifying purchases made through Amazon.com, Shareasale, or similar affiliate marketing programs. This commission goes directly into the maintenance of this website and our podcast.    Listen and Subscribe Paper Talk is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you listen to podcasts. Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! It helps other paper flower artists find our community.   Keywords: creative business website, paper artist marketing, small business SEO, building trust online, email marketing for creatives, website platforms for artists, creative entrepreneur tips, online business credibility