We call this: creative control. Because when you have full control over your website, you have full control over conversions and just how sustainable your business is.

So without further ado, let’s go through the best website builders for creative entrepreneurs. Use the latest information for your new 2025 website.

Drag and drop website builders

We’re starting with the easiest, code-free options because most of the creatives we know (and we’ve worked with a lot of ‘em) do not come equipped with a computer science background, or the funds to hire a developer every time they need to update their website (like after you’re done editing the photos from your latest wedding or branding client).

Showit

As website designers (did we mention that this is our thing yet?), this code-free platform is our tip-top recommendation for creatives to build their websites with. In full transparency, we didn’t always use this platform, but it’s been a game-changer for each and every one of our clients.

You can be an expert in your field. And you can feel all kinds of legit on the inside. But until your website can show off your L-E-G-I-T status in just a few seconds flat? You’re not going to be attracting those dream clients like you could. Northfolk + City Faire gave me the foundation I needed to show off the full personality of my brand on my site: so that my ideal clients know exactly who I am and what I do within moments of landing on my page.

Regan Breeden — North Branch Studio

Why creatives love it

Portfolio updates are effortless, but even more than that, the creative freedom is limitless. If your visual skills are top-notch, the visuals on your website should be too. Full stop.

So if you’re a high-end, editorial photographer who wants a clean, minimal website. Showit is the golden ticket. Or if you’re an eclectic, color-loving graphic designer with a love for movement and fun graphics, the world is yours here.

Anything you can imagine, you can build on this platform. It’s very similar to Adobe’s software like Photoshop and Illustrator with easy alignment tools (or Canva – we aren’t tool snobs here!). So your photos are lined up, and an incredible back-end organization so you can always find what you need.

Cost

As little as $19 a month. See the rest of the Showit pricing here.

Pros

• No coding: design as you imagine, or grab a template and publish in a few days!
• Integrates with WordPress for SEO-filled blog posts
• Fantastic support team and active Facebook group with innovative ideas
• Fully custom mobile and desktop views
• Easy to update your portfolio
• SEO-friendly, with placeholders for page titles, meta descriptions, image titles, etc.
• Variety of templates to shop from, to fit your brand

Cons

• Learning curve at first (but all platforms feel like that when you’re new to it)
• The mobile interface and system can be overwhelming at first
• Their hosting isn’t recommended by some SEO professionals (we’ve seen stats that say otherwise)
• Not great for e-commerce if you have 100+ products, but works well with boutique shops!

Squarespace

Squarespace continues to impress us. Templates that wow, a back-end set-up that makes any beginner feel like a pro. Your portfolio will surely make a statement on this website.  

Why creatives love it

While Showit has full flexibility on the design, Squarespace’s lack of flexibility means it’s harder to “break” your website, or create something that isn’t fully up to snuff. It’s also easier to find the SEO settings, and to view analytics!

Cost

$16 a month if you don’t need e-commerce, $23 a month if you want to have in-site transactions (not common for creatives unless you’re selling digital products)

Pros

• Beautiful templates and custom options are available too
• No coding, just drag and drop
• Custom domains available through Squarespace
• E-commerce friendly
• Award-winning platform
• Built-in analytics

Cons

• Their latest upgrade required users to build a brand new website (that’s rough!)
• Not ideal for blogging 
• Limited visual creativity

Honorable Mention: WordPress

We would be remiss to leave WordPress off of our list of website builders for creatives. It’s a legendary platform with incredible SEO results and a lot of custom opportunities. However, you often need a plug-in for a more drag-and-drop option (which can be awkward to use) OR a developer who can custom-code and build the site for you – oof!

Why creatives love it

Advanced SEO is the main reason creatives stick with this option. WordPress continues to see the best results. But it’s important to mention that you can’t quite get an exact and magazine-worthy aesthetic on this platform. 

Cost

Free (but with ads) or $4 per month for a personal site, and $8 a month for a version with support included. The “business” option that comes with more benefits is $25 per month.

Pros

• Powerful SEO performance
• Tons of plugins for everything from setting appointments to embedding social media widgets
• Easy to blog and get more SEO results
• Can purchase a domain through them

Cons

• No support team unless you pay their premium rate
• Complicated back-end that can be difficult to navigate
• Not as much creative freedom

How to know which website builder is best for you

Budget

We wouldn’t recommend getting too focused on this, because if the difference between $4 a month and $20 a month is whether or not that $3k client will hire you? Well, then, it’s probably worth paying a little bit more.

However, if you’re just barely getting started with your business and don’t have a lot of funds, do what’s best for you. We get the by-the-bootstraps business running, so do what you need.

Control

If the platform you’re interested in has a free trial (all of the above do!), then test it out. Sign up for the free trial when you actually have time to sit down and test out building an actual page. See how easy (or overwhelming it is) to put together a home page.

If you don’t want to waste a lot of time or learn an entirely new set of skills (which also takes time), then this part of the selection could be the most impactful.

You need to plan on either A: knowing how to manage the website yourself or B: hiring someone who does. Some platforms make it easy to outsource or delegate website updates to team members with little training (like Showit or Squarespace) whereas other options like WordPress require outsourcing to a trained professional.

Creativity

Last, but certainly not least, is the creative aspect. Just how stunning does your website need to be? Are you booking luxurious weddings that expect their vendors to reflect the same stand-out style? Or are you tired of blending in with the crowd, and looking for something that wows clients for you?

To know which website platform is best, just look at examples and available templates to see if you find one that fits your creative vision. That’s a pretty good sign that you’ve found the best website builder for creatives.

What not to look for in your website builder

Sometimes we expect the world from a platform, but this can mean you get a website that is only mediocre at a lot of things.

• CRM: Think sending invoices, booking appointments and creating automatic follow-up emails — most of the time, your website will not offer these customer management tools because most of the time, a separate platform is going to be better and more effective with these to-dos
• Photo editing and gallery management: Until they use AI to integrate quick photo edits, chances are you’ll need to stick with Lightroom and your preferred gallery system to cull, edit and deliver photos
• Automatic SEO: All of these platforms have the capability to boost your SEO rankings, but they won’t actually help you rank unless you put in some legwork here. From keyword research to those page titles and meta descriptions — you have to fill in the blank with the right keywords.

Website builder FAQs

Do creative entrepreneurs need a website?

Unless your word-of-mouth referrals and in-person networking (like booths at conferences, or mingling with locals) are bringing in all the clients you need, having a website is essential.

Creatives, whether they are artists, designers, writers, or any other type, need a website to showcase their work, communicate their unique approach, set clear expectations (like pricing, FAQs, or an overview of your experience), and convert clients more effectively. A website is also crucial for being discovered through simple Google searches – imagine how many people look up terms like ‘graphic designer near me’ or ‘custom illustrator in Colorado.’ An optimized website can elevate your visibility when those critical search terms are used.

Even if you gain popularity on social media, managing inquiries through direct messages can be overwhelming. A website offers a streamlined way to filter and target the right clients while making it easier for them to reach out to you via email or through your customer relationship management system.

Essentially, every marketing effort you undertake directs potential clients to your website. Without one, where can they go to gain confidence in your business? (Customers prefer to feel a sense of trust before reaching out or connecting personally. Your website will help establish this trust!)

Is Squarespace the best website builder for creatives?

Squarespace is a solid option for creatives due to its smooth interface and attractive templates. However, the term ‘best’ is subjective, and we suggest that Showit might be an even better choice. It matches Squarespace in visual appeal, and it also boasts robust SEO capabilities through integration with WordPress. Essentially, it’s a dual package, offering you the best of both platforms. So, you don’t really have to decide between Showit and WordPress. Simply choose Showit’s blog pricing plan, and you’ll enjoy the benefits of both!

Is there a website builder better than Squarespace?

Showit and WordPress could be a better fit, especially for all solopreneurs who care about SEO. And if you care about your creative individuality, Showit is the best option.

How do I get my creative website noticed?

Visual appeal x layout. The initial impact hinges on your portfolio — does it display the type of work your potential client seeks, and is the website layout both user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing?

Once you’ve captured the attention of visitors, it’s crucial to have compelling messaging and a seamless journey to the contact page. This strategy helps clients connect with your unique style and feel encouraged to reach out.

If you’re finding it challenging to attract visitors to your website, consider employing SEO strategies (like paid advertising or optimized blog content), Pinterest marketing, or leveraging social media to increase visibility.

Creative Entrepreneur Website Examples

Need help creating a photography website or just website in general?! See the tips and checklist here.

Resources:

• Learn more: northfolk.co
• Instagram: @northfolkco
• Shop: Templates for Creatives

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The post Best Website Builder for Creative Entrepreneurs: 2025 appeared first on Northfolk.

Who are we?

Our journey started over a decade ago. Yep, you read that right – we’ve been in the game for more than 10+ years, crafting award-winning templates. We’ve seen it all: the ups, the downs, and everything in between. We’ve been there, done that, got the t-shirt (and then probably designed a website for it).

We’re Sam and Rachel, the two Showit Design Partners behind the Northfolk template shop. But we’re not just about creating pretty designs. We’ve been sharing our secrets through our education program, Revolving Revenue, where we teach Showit designers (and a few go-getters on other platforms) to launch their automated template shops to get those passive “cha-ching’s!”

But with us, it’s not just about making a sale; it’s about empowering you to create ethically and confidently. Which is why we’re here, taking over for ESI – our editorial stock icons – to tackle a tricky topic that’s buzzing in the template world.

ETHICAL AND LEGAL IMAGE SOURCING

Addressing that elephant….

We’ve spotted a trend – designers dazzle with premium images to market their templates, only to pull a classic “bait and switch” at delivery, delivering a blank template.

Imagine opening a cookie jar to find it filled with…. broccoli. Yep – thats the feeling.

This exact “trend” is why we took out several lessons from our RR program and made them FREE. You can watch them here.

And this isn’t exclusive to just newbie designers. There are experienced designers, who KNOW better, that are doing this. Or worse…. using images from paid stock memberships (like ESI) and just assuming that giving credit is enough. Spoiler alert – it’s NOT! It’s actually leaving your business open for major financial and legal consequences.

So back to the “bait and switch” technique… we know what you’re saying.

“BUT I include a disclaimer telling the user this.”

When making a purchase for your business, do you read every single fine print? Probably not. Can you imagine spending your hard earned money on a beautiful template, only to install it on your site and see it stripped down to “image here” graphics? Here’s an example. Which one would catch your eye when shopping for a website? They are the same exact design, but one is actually going to SELL templates.

*This beautiful design is our Memoir template for Showit.

“BUT I’m not “technically” distributing them, so I’m legal.”

Assuming all your customers read every fine print disclosure and make the decision to purchase anyways – you are still using another creatives hard work to SELL your product, without any compensation. Please go back and read that again.

The first thing we tell a designer to do if their template isn’t selling, is to update the imagery. Photography SELLS the design.

We hope you’re sitting there thinking… “well when you put it that way,” and NOT….

“BUT I see a lot of other designers doing this same thing.”

This doesn’t mean it’s RIGHT. It’s actually very, very wrong.

While customers might not understand how tacky this is at first, they will eventually.

Using a “bait and switch” in your business can impact your credibility and reputation among not only your target audience, but your creative community.

Just because you found a loop hole, doesn’t mean you should use it.

“BUT I can’t afford the commercial licensing cost!!”

We’ve been selling website templates successfully since 2013. But it wasn’t until a few short years ago that we started investing in premium stock for our designs (also partly because it wasn’t available then). And even now – our shop is pretty split between templates using royalty free stock and those with commercial use.

If budget is an issue, your ONLY CHOICE is to focus on quality templates with professionally sourced FREE images.

But here’s the thing… everyone thinks they are safe using free imagery on sites like Unsplash and Pexels. Watch our FREE training here to see why you’re NOT.

Spoiler alert – the model reached out informing us that she was taking legal action against the photographer for posting her images. While we gladly removed what we could, we had been pinning this template with her images for 2 YEARS before this situation arose. Fortunately we haven’t heard from her anymore, but legal action was threatened. So don’t assume you’re automatically protected by sourcing FREE either.

Fact is, imagery for your templates is a cost of doing business.

It’s like a baker buying all their ingredients.

Our recommendation… proceed with caution until you can source commercially licensed stock imagery, like THESE from ESI.

So you might be left asking yourself

“Then what’s the purpose of a monthly membership with ESI?”

Let us share just a few ways it adds value to OUR business:

1. Social Graphics: We might not be on Instagram much – but when we are, we would much rather navigate to our own curated stock folders than use free Canva images.
2. Pins: We love Pinterest like Buddy the Elf loves Christmas! It’s our FAVORITE. But Pinterest wouldn’t generate 80% of our website traffic if it wasn’t for on-brand premium imagery and videos used for our pin graphics.
3. One Template, Three Ways: here’s the exception of how an ESI monthly membership can be used to show off your templates (unless you do yourself a favor and grab that stock license for your templates!). A few years ago (circa 2019 I think), we started addressing the question of “how customizable is this template?” with our “One Template, Three Ways” series. (example 1, example 2, example 3, example 4)

This is where we take the home page ONLY, and customize a quick demo with an alternative (sometimes polarizing) brand to show off the design, and Showit’s, flexibility.

• Just the home page.
• No distributing images illegally.
• No unethical “bait and switch.”
• You can even let your customers know… “Like the look? Snag images like these” with your ESI affiliate link!
• And finally – tag ESI on Instagram for some extra exposure should they choose to share it!

We don’t typically believe that there is only ONE “right” way to do things… but sourcing assets legally and ethically is the exception.

As we wrap up this special edition, we want to leave you with a nugget of Northfolk wisdom: great design isn’t just about how it looks, it’s about how it’s built – structurally, creatively, ethically, and legally sound. We hope you found our takeover valuable and even enlightening. Keep creating, keep innovating, and remember, when in doubt, always honor your fellow creatives.

TL:DR

1. Do not use ESI monthly membership images in your templates for sale, even if you give credit, it’s ILLEGAL.
2. Do NOT “bait and switch” the images in your templates for sale! This is UNETHICAL.
3. Imagery for your templates is a cost of doing business. Proceed with caution using free stock images until you can legally source premium assets like THESE from ESI.
4. ESI Commercial Shop is your go-to spot for imagery in your products for sale.
5. ESI Monthly membership still packs major value for a template business – just don’t put them in your products.
6. We run a program called Revolving Revenue – the top program for Showit designers to make passive income with website templates. Did this takeover resonate? Come check us out here.

The post Ethical & Legal Image Sourcing: Avoiding the Bait and Switch appeared first on Northfolk.

Why it’s important to have a photography website

Your website is the last impression, and it’s the only platform you have total control over. Instagram is limited to its feed and stories. Facebook has its own set of rules too. But your website? That is the one place in which you have full creative freedom. 

All in all, a photography website:

1. Shows that you are legit, and more than just a hobby photographer posting nice photos on the ‘gram
2. Gives clients a place to learn more and build trust (increasing the likelihood that they’ll actually reach out)
3. Provides organic marketing opportunities thanks to SEO, i.e. you can use your website to be found with a Google search — wouldn’t that be nice?
4. Helps you stand out — with key content like your portfolio, mission statement, bio, etc.
5. Makes it easy to brand yourself — the design, content, and user experience all come together to provide a brand image

How To Create A Photography Website In 8 Steps

1. Buy your domain

You need a URL first! It’s usually best to buy this so you own the rights to your website, no matter which platform you use. Namecheap and Godaddy are typical places where you can buy the URL. For example, the URL we bought for our brand is northfolk.co. Unless you’re picking a standard or popular name, it should usually only cost you about $10 a year. Go ahead and pay for the SSL Certificate while you’re at it — it’s simply a security measure that helps with SEO!

2. Pick your photography website platform

Photographers who want to make their own website easily can choose platforms like Showit, Squarespace, and WordPress. Showit lets you be very creative, Squarespace is easy to use and looks nice, and WordPress is great for getting your website noticed more easily on the internet.

3. Create a website outline

What will go in your menu bar? What do you plan on featuring on each page?

Knowing this from the start makes it easier to cull images, find a template, write the content and so much more.

Need some help? Snag our free Site Map Planner!

4. Find a template or a designer

From there, you can find a template to DIY, hire a designer to build your website from scratch — or a mix of the two — buy a template and hire a designer to customize it for you.

5. Gather images for the website

It helps to organize these by page! Put all of your home page photos in one folder, about page photos in another, and so on. Try to feature the photographs that will resonate with the weddings you want to book. If you’re tired of barn weddings, please don’t show those ole barn photos! Instead, try to feature the weddings more in line with your goals (or go out and plan a styled shoot to curate that content).

6. Write the content or hire a copywriter

While it would be so easy to just toss some photos onto your website and hit publish, there’s a lot more to it, especially if you want to stand out. Telling the story behind your captures, talking about your approach and highlighting the unique aspects of your style makes it easier for the right people to trust and hire you. For our templates, we choose to tell a story so it will give you inspiration on what you could fill in there!

If you are still staring at a blinking cursor, our pal Lauren from Salted Pages has created AH-MAZING templates and guides to help you write your website content! If you use code: SALTEDPAGES you can get 15% off!

7. Find the best SEO keywords

You can skip this if you already have amazing connections and referrals, and your website is just a checkpoint before a phone call. However, if you want more clients to be able to find you with a simple Google search, SEO is the way. You can hire SEO specialists for this — just look out for the right type of SEO provider (more tips on this here). These keywords can be used in the text content, and as image titles.

8. Review, ask friends to look it over and hit publish!

From there, share on social media, perhaps send out a newsletter and add your new URL to your business cards, Google business listing and more!

9. Bonus tip!

Having been in the world of websites for over a decade, one thing always rings true — you can’t simply hit publish and walk away. You should update your photography website’s portfolio quarterly or at least annually, and you should review it once a year to make sure the content and imagery still speak to your niche and goals.

Creating a photography website? See the common mistakes we’ve caught as web designers.

1. Photos, photos, and nothing else 

Don’t expect clients to understand the skills and experience behind your beautiful photos. Add some text content to describe your approach, how you developed your style, and anything you do that others don’t — like wedding timeline reviews, film photography, and sneak peeks.

2. Not mentioning your location

Even if you travel all the time for destination work, it builds trust (and helps with SEO) if you mention an actual location. Talk about where you’re based, or mention where your work has taken you if you have some of those heavy-hitter, jaw-dropping destinations you’d love to travel to again.

3. Skimping on the photos

While we’ve seen some photographers feature too many photos (scrolling for days here, and in a bad way), we’ve also seen the opposite — no portfolio page, or a portfolio page that doesn’t showcase individual galleries.

Most of the time, if you want to charge more or be known for the way you capture portraits or weddings, you need to display a curated example of a gallery.

Let clients scroll through one couple’s gallery (a shortened version) to see the highlights they’re looking forward to. Whereas, piling just a handful of wedding photos in one collage-style scroll simply does not provide the full picture that clients are hoping to see before hiring their photographer.

4. Broken links

When you launch your website, hover and click everything. The last thing you want is a dead-end.

5. No about page

Hey Siri, why is it so hard to talk about yourself? And yet, about pages are one of the most important when it comes to building trust and setting yourself apart. Pro tip: Try making it more about how you help your clients, instead of making it all about you. Yes, you can still share your favorites roundup or a collage of your life still. Your clients want to know how you BOTH could connect.

6. Expecting it to be perfect

Ah yes, the perfectionist in you won’t let you hit that launch button until it’s perfect. But here’s the thing. An imperfect website is better than no website, or that coming soon page that has been up there for months now. You should always be evolving your website with your experience, so don’t expect the first iteration to be the end-all-be-all.

Instead, make sure it looks professional, feels on brand, helps you stand out, and acts as a foundation you can build off of. You can always launch with a smaller, more minimal website that you build on as you can. More portfolios, a better about page, maybe even a newsletter list sign-up.

Bonus points if you’re using Showit. You can get up your initial website so your viewers and customers can get what they need, and you can work on another website in your backend and relink your domain when you’re ready to publish that perfect website.

Photography website examples

These photography website examples are shared with the intention to show you what’s possible. This will help you go out and make your website even better, while staying true to your style of work. (We also suggest that you stay in your lane; clients want YOUR work, so don’t adore a competitor so much that you forget to stand out for your way of doing things.)

Website templates for photographers

We won’t let you leave empty-handed. Use these high-converting, portfolio-focused templates to avoid new website mistakes, and launch with ease.

We would advise you to connect with us on Instagram; but to be honest – these website tactics mean we don’t have to be on that channel when we don’t want to be daily. So, sign up for our email list instead. (We only send the best advice and latest features, and usually on rare occasions). Happy website building!

P.S. If you’re a graphic designer or creative who wants to learn how to design and sell website templates, check out this program.

Resources:

• Learn more: northfolk.co
• Instagram: @northfolkco
• Shop: Showit Templates for Creatives
• Course: Revolving Revenue

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The post Creating a Photography Website: 8 Steps, Mistakes & Examples appeared first on Northfolk.

our 7 steps for how to build and sell showit website templates

Step 1: Research & Offer Development – Sherlock Holmes mode!

First things first, my dear Watsons of design – put on your detective hat and get sleuthing! ??‍ Market research is your trusty magnifying glass. Check out the competition, snoop on what templates are killing it, and sniff out the gaps in the marketplace, when in doubt – build what you know. Armed with this knowledge, create an offer that’ll have your customers screaming, “Shut up and take my money!”

Step 2: Know How Templates Fit In

Before you dive headfirst into template madness, take a moment to ponder how they’ll fit into your existing design offers. You’re not building an island here, your here to build showit website templates. It’s all about creating a cohesive design empire. So, strategize, my savvy comrades! How will you position your offers to move people away from your time sucking services and right into your passive income pocket?

Do you build custom websites for a lot of Copywriters? Start there! Create a more cost effective option for your target audience and price your services higher.

Step 3: Design Your Templates

Roar! It’s time to unleash the design beast within you. Set your creativity free and create templates that’ll make jaws drop and clients squeal with delight. It’s no rumor that the market becomes more saturated every day.

But we will be the first to tell you that “not all templates are created equal”. One of the most powerful moves you can make is to up your design skills to build templates that position themselves as King of the template jungle. Checkout our design course HERE to level up your skills.

Step 4: Build an Automated Checkout

Who said making money should be a 24/7 hustle? Not you! Set up an automated checkout system, so while you catch some Z’s, the cash keeps flowing.

Your customers will love the smooth and hassle-free buying experience, and you’ll love waking up to cha-ching notifications.

And it’s EVERY designers dream to make some passive income on the side and hear the pleasant ding from a sale verses the ping of an email from a passive aggressive client.

Step 5: Have an Automated Delivery System

With an automated delivery system, your customers get their hands on those fabulous templates faster than a rabbit disappears into a hat. ? No manual intervention needed – it’s all automated magic. Less time spent on mundane tasks means more time for you to dazzle the design world!

Step 6: Rinse and Repeat

You’re on a roll, my friend! Keep the creativity flowing and the templates coming. A rinse and repeat process will keep your template shop fresh, exciting, and irresistible. Don’t hold back – the design universe craves your creations! With a rinse and repeat process, you’ll be able to easily tackle those fresh new launches anytime you need a little extra cash infusion.

Step 7: Market Like a Pro

Now, we know some of you may be introverted design wizards, and that’s perfectly awesome! Check out our other blog post, “Marketing Tips for Introverted Designers,” for clever ways to promote your templates without leaving your cozy design cave. Trust us; it’s a game-changer!

So there you have it, creative geniuses! Follow these 7 steps, and you’ll conquer the Showit template world like a boss. Market research, design prowess, automation mastery – you’ve got it all! Now go forth and let your templates shine like the stars they are. The design universe awaits your stellar creations! If you are looking for more ways to slide passive income into your business, read our 10 unbeatable ways to make passive income as a designer.

Happy templating, and may your design empire reign supreme!

Wan’t to supercharge your design process and get that shop launched in a fraction of the time?? Come join us and 100+ other designers inside Revolving Revenue – the best damn Showit program about building and selling templates.

Links & Resources:

• Connect on Instagram: @northfolkco
• Learn about the Program: Revolving Revenue
• Watch the Showit Tutorials: YouTube
• Get 2 free lessons for sourcing template assets
• Get clarity on your offer pricing

The post 7 Steps for Building and Selling Showit Website Templates appeared first on Northfolk.

Revolving Revenue has your back, and we promise, no exhausting social media dance moves required.

In this post we will cover:

• Observing your market
• Your copy
• Showcase work
• Email lists
• Evergreen content
• Strategic ads

our top Marketing tips for introverted designers

Embrace Your Ninja Stealth Mode

Introverts are experts at observation, and this is your secret weapon! While extroverted marketers might be shouting from the virtual rooftops, you can adopt the stealth mode of a ninja.

Scout your target audience with precision, listen to their needs, and understand their pain points. Use your empathy powers to create designs that speak to their souls.

When they realize your templates resonate with them on a deeper level, you’ll have them clicking the “Buy Now” button before they know it.

Want to know how? Learn about the Revolving Revenue program

The Art of Written Magic

You may not be fond of spotlight interviews, but guess what? Your words can be pure magic!

Crafting compelling copy that showcases your designs and captivates your audience is your gateway to success. Pour your creativity into well-written descriptions, blog posts, and emails.

Draw your potential clients in with a touch of humor and a sprinkle of wit. They won’t even realize they’re under your introvert spell.

Show It Off… On Your Terms

As an introverted designer, you might not be thrilled about showing your face on every platform, and that’s perfectly okay. Instead, let your creations shine!

Create a stunning portfolio showcasing your Showit designs.

Let your work speak for itself and demonstrate the uniqueness of your design. Market the diversability of your templates with before and afters. Clients will be mesmerized by your skills and won’t need to see your face plastered everywhere to make a connection.

Read more: 7 Steps For How To Build And Sell Showit Website Templates

Go from this:

To this:

Focus on Your Email List

Ah, the power of the email list! ?? Nurture your relationship with your audience through meaningful emails.

Share valuable insights, offer exclusive discounts, and keep them updated on your latest designs. An engaged email list can be your loyal community, supporting you on your journey to passive income glory.

Utilize Evergreen Content Platforms

Platforms like Pinterest and YouTube offer the magic of long-lasting content. Create visually appealing pins and engaging videos to showcase your designs.

Pinterest can drive steady traffic to your website, while YouTube videos can be a fantastic way to connect with your audience without the pressure of live interactions.

Leverage Facebook Ads Strategically

We know, we know – Facebook can be overwhelming. But with carefully targeted ads, you can reach your ideal customers while maintaining your privacy. Use Facebook’s detailed targeting options to focus on introverted individuals interested in web design. The right ad can work wonders for your passive income journey!

And there you have it, dear introverted designer! With these six marketing tips, you can conquer the world of passive income without losing your precious solitude or becoming a slave to social media.

Join us at Revolving Revenue, where we take pride in nurturing introverted designers who want to thrive without sacrificing their essence. Remember, you’ve got the talent, the wit, and the charm. Now go forth and conquer the virtual realm your way!

Links & Resources:

• Connect on Instagram: @northfolkco
• Learn about the Program: Revolving Revenue
• Watch the Showit Tutorials: YouTube
• Get 2 free lessons for sourcing template assets
• Get clarity on your offer pricing

The post 6 Marketing Tips for Introverted Designers appeared first on Northfolk.

Imagine making money even while you’re watching your favorite Netflix show or exploring Pantone’s color of the year.

Curious? Here are ten exciting ways to add passive income to your Showit design business. And don’t worry, your coffee breaks are safe!

In this post we will cover:

• Online Webinars
• Affiliate Marketing
• Premade Logos
• Ebooks
• Blogging
• Digital Assets
• Memberships
• YouTube
• Licensing
• Templates

Ways to make passive income for designers

1. Host Your Own Online Webinars

Let’s face it, your skills are something others would love to have, like perfectly ripe avocado toast on a Sunday morning. Host webinars or online courses teaching others the magic of Showit design, and your bank account will thank you!

Revolving Revenue was built off of the need to fill a gap with our template customers and how they could infuse passive income into their own websites. Or our friend Katie with her webinar and course, Showit-All, geared towards newbie designers. She seen a need and filled it!

2. Affiliate Marketing is Your New Best Friend

Recommend products you love, and get a kickback. Plus, everyone loves to make money off their favorite things and society nowadays is conditioned to look for that Resources page on your site… so fill it with your tried and true! It’s like setting up a lemonade stand, but with less sunburn and more profit!

3. Don’t Just Design Logos, Sell Them!

If designing a logo is your jam, so why not make it into a marmalade of passive income? Put old client logo rejects into your premade brand shop and watch your designs fly off the digital shelf.

Still can’t let go of the reins? You can always sell them as semi-custom brands and have them done in a fraction of the time. No more waiting weeks for one comment from a client!

Need an example of a couple of our friends (and RR members) who are killing the premade brand game?

“Poppy Love” from Femme Collective

“Ana Cole” from Saffron Avenue

4. Create an E-book

Yes, it sounds scary, like a horror movie. But it’s not! Pen down your expertise in an eBook and watch it become the new Harry Potter of the design world.

5. Monetize your Blog

Already got a blog? Sweet! Monetize it. Display ads, sponsored posts, or affiliate links. Let those visits to your blog turn into visits to your bank!

6. Sell Custom Fonts and Digital Assets

Got a flair for typography? Sell your custom fonts, icons, and other digital assets. It’s like spring cleaning, but you’re selling digital assets instead of your old CDs.

“Neue Swiss” by Jen Wagner

7. Launch a Membership Site

If you’re more of the social type that thrives on connection, consider creating a membership or community for like minded designers.

8. Get on YouTube

People love to watch others work. It’s weird, but true. Create time-lapse videos of your design process and monetize your channel.

Northfolk YouTube

9. Licensing Your Work

Got leftover designs that maybe didn’t make the cut? Sell 1:1 or one-to-many licenses of your work for merch or prints. It’s like renting out your condo, but less cleaning!

10. Selling Showit Website Templates

Our favorite – obviously! Turn your Showit design skills into a passive income source by selling your uniquely crafted website templates. If this sounds like your bread and butter, you can read our 7 Steps for Building and Selling Showit Website Templates!

Our program, Revolving Revenue, is designed to help Showit designers like you launch a successful, automated template shop.

Want to know how? Learn about the Revolving Revenue program

Ready to make passive income?

Integrating passive income into your design business may seem as complicated as choosing the perfect font pairing, but it doesn’t have to be. The idea is to do what you love, share it, and make money while doing it. The internet is a big playground for designers, so go out there and make it your own!

And if you want to skyrocket your Showit template shop, don’t forget to check out Revolving Revenue. We’ve got more secret sauce than a burger joint!

Remember, even Comic Sans made money. So, can you!

Resources:

• Connect on Instagram: @northfolkco
• Learn about the Program: Revolving Revenue
• Watch the Showit Tutorials: YouTube
• Get 2 free lessons for sourcing template assets
• Get clarity on your offer pricing

The post 10 Ways Showit Designers Can Slide Passive Income Into Their Business appeared first on Northfolk.

01 – Create a built in brand guide

This is a feature that has recently become popular in the design community, cause you know – designers customizing other designers templates is a likely source of inspiration. But we’ve been building brand guides right into our templates for as long as I can remember. Think of this like a quick style guide for your template and add any branding elements your client might need for their site. We build in brand guides to our templates so the end user has a quick way to reference the design elements of their site, swipe extra icons and access any fonts they might want to use outside of Showit.

This is also a great spot to use affiliate links for things like fonts.

Things to include

• Font styles as they are designed, links to where they can download for free or where they can purchase and any additional custom licensing information
  
• Color palettes and how they are being used
  
• We love including extra style icons for different niches, making it easy for the user to swap them out
  
• Button styles to easily duplicate
  
• Include margin guidelines, for more complex designs, making it easier for the user to customize their site
  
• Extra elements and graphics used throughout the site

View the Saveur Brand Guide in action!

02 – Create a single service or other pages that can be duplicated over and over again

So many templates build out their service pages to showcase multiple offers & packages – all on one page. While this is great, what if the user wants to go into more detail about a specific service? And when you have a button that says LEARN MORE. Where is it linking to? Because every link should have a purpose and go somewhere.

We recommend building out a single service page that can be duplicated for any service. Not only does this help the end user to organize their offers, but its beneficial for their SEO as well.

This strategy can also be used for any type of offer. We have done base pages for portfolio projects, case studies, and more.

Want to check out a few samples of how we do this in our Signature templates?

Avante – Single Service Page for Coaches

Harvest – Single Service Page for Interior Designers

High Tide – Single Service Page for Photographers

03 – Use hidden banners at the top of the page for important tips and instructions

If you steal any of our tips from this post, make it this one.

What is it

An instructional (think simple memo) canvas that is at the top of the page, and the first thing someone sees when they go to customize that page. You’ll want to make sure you check the “Hidden to Start” box so that this message only shows on the backend – not the front – and set all text elements to div. That way it won’t show on your demo and if the end user forgets to delete it (or doesn’t realize), it’s not showing on their site.

Why we do this

People are lazy. I said what I said. Okay in some cases, just busy. I get it, I really do! According to studies, only 25% of people actually read instructions.
It doesn’t matter that you spent hours slaving away on custom tutorials.
Or that Showit has the most EASY to search, extensive help center around.
Because people aren’t going there to look for it. They are diving right into your template and “winging it.”

So we decided for the really important things (like adding an opt-in form), we would put the memo right there at the top of the page where they can’t miss it.

04 – When showcasing featured posts on your home page, include a WP version should the user want to automate their featured posts

This tip should be pretty standard, but you would be surprised at how many designers do not do this.
Fact is, if your template has blog posts anywhere other than the blog, the end user is going to automatically think that those posts should update themselves.

If you’ve been a Showit Design Partner for any amount of time, you know setting the pages up that way for a template doesn’t coincide with the Marketplace standards. Every once in awhile we get a client that wants full control over what is being featured anyways, so Showit pages work.

However, we always recommend building out your demo home page first (on Showit) and then converting it to a WP page, should the user want to auto-populate the additional blog sections. But like we always tell our RR peeps, “read the room.” If the template isn’t built for someone doing heavy blogging, the user might be more confused by the additional page options.

But if you’ve designed a template for someone that relies on blogging for their business, this extra page is a MUST.

05 – Setup your test blog with numbered posts. This way, when you test your blog pages, it’s easy to confirm that your posts are setup and loading correctly

If you’re new to building templates, the first thing you need to do is take the Showit Design Market Standards Course. Upon completion, you’ll get your “Test Blog” that allows you to test out your templates before sharing them.

Testing your blog pages is a very important step and one you should not skip.

But we (and by we, I mean Rachel, because I do NOT touch blog stuff) like to take things an “extra” step further. Rachel has created numbered posts as well as placeholder images so she can easily test our blogs and make sure things are in the correct order.

We have caught so many errors prior to sharing a design because of this trick.

We hope you enjoyed this little taste into the type of things we cover in our “Designing for Resale” lesson inside Revolving Revenue. Not only do our members get the in-depth trainings, but we also provide templates for just about everything you’ll need to get your template shop built and launched.

Did we surprise you with anything new? Head over to our Instagram post and let us know what you thought!

Resources:

• Learn more: northfolk.co
• Instagram: @northfolkco
• Course: Revolving Revenue
• Watch our 2 free lessons for sourcing template assets

Links:

• Join the convo: 5 tips when designing templates for resale

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The post Steal Our Top 5 Tips for Designing Showit Website Templates appeared first on Northfolk.

The GDPR compliance is not only important for businesses but also for customers who trust the businesses with their data. By being GDPR compliant, you can ensure that your customers’ data is secure and their privacy is respected.

Moreover, you can use our integrated tools like our prebuilt Showit page in tandem with The Contract Shop to make sure that all of your legal documents are up-to-date so that you can remain compliant with the GDPR regulations. Being GDPR compliant not only helps protect your business but also builds trust with your customers!

Picture it

When the new General Data Protection Regulation went into effect May 25, 2018 we all heard you need to get your site right or suffer the consequences. When we heard about The Contract Shop from a friend we immediately (not kidding, 2 minutes later) hopped on their site and purchased our copy and got to work implementing it and having it up that same day. As soon as we had it installed on our site we could breathe easy knowing we were covered.

With us designing templates for other online business owners and photographers we knew it was important to impart the knowledge. The first step* necessary in making sure your website is GDPR compliant is to update your website Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. The team at The Contract Shop has done all the legal legwork for us “not legal jargon folk. They created a simple template that we can customize and copy and paste onto our sites. So easy right?! I wish this was around when I was getting started!

Why The Contract Shop is our #1 choice

Each template is attorney-prepared and peer-reviewed by graduates of top 20 law schools. So you can be sure it is a good investment. And by investment, I don’t mean the thousands of dollars I previously spent on custom files from the lawyer-who-will-not-be-named. We mean only $297! Plus, the best part is that all templates are reviewed and updated twice a year and you will have full access to those updates for free, for life! We’re obviously huge fans.

*Updating your website terms and privacy policy is only one piece of the GDPR puzzle. You also need to make sure your content upgrades and email list opt-ins are following the new regulations. This podcast from Amy Porterfield clearly explains the steps you need to take. Lastly, you’ll need to install a cookie consent bar, or pop-up, on your site that asks users to consent to the cookie policy as stated in your new GDPR compliant Privacy Policy from The Contract Shop. To learn more about your cookie consent choices, click here.

In full disclosure, we want you to know that we are an affiliate for The Contract Shop. Which means that if you make a purchase from one of the links above, we may make a commission. We became an affiliate after being THRILLED with how easy it is to customize to your own business.

Now put on your own CEO hat and go grab the GDPR complaint Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy today. Then set it, forget it, and let The Contract Shop alert you to future legal updates.

The post Make your site legal and save your sanity! appeared first on Northfolk.

So how do you know?

5 signs it’s time to retire your product

1. Nobody is buying it!

Use hard numbers to take emotional decisions out of your business.

I can’t tell you how many times we have hung on to designs because we were emotionally attached. We *thought* the design was great and in our minds it was selling, but when we looked at the hard numbers, it only had a handful of sales and dwindling every month.

If you’ve had the design for over a year with unusually slow sales, it might be time to retire it.

2. It needs updating

If you’ve been around the Showit block, you know that we are always getting spoiled with new features and tools to make designing easier and more efficient.

Sometimes these are easy to implement, and sometimes they just start piling up and before we know it, there is just too much to update.

If your product has been left behind by technology, it might be time to retire it.

3. The market has changed

Once upon a time I was in Fashion Design school and my least favorite class was “Trend Forcasting.” It’s HARD ya’ll. Especially for us creatives that just “march to our own beat.”

We’ve been designing templates for OVER 10 YEARS and I can’t tell you much design trends have changed over that time.

If you’re product is starting to feel like it belongs on a TJ Maxx clearance rack, it might be time to retire it.

4. User needs have changed

I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but people expect a whole lot MORE these days.

The features that people needed in a website 5 years ago, have drastically changed with their needs today.

If you have a product that is no longer meeting or exceeding your users expectations, it might be time to retire it.

5. YOUR focus and desires have changed

Maybe this has nothing to do with the product itself, and more to do with the fact that you just “don’t want to” keep the product going.

You could have changed your direction or your strategy, niched down or pivoted another direction.

OR, you could be wanting to create new and better products to replace it….

If you just have a gut feeling, it might be time to retire it.

Retiring old or under-performing products is kind of like purging your email list. Just like making sure you’re serving the RIGHT people, retiring old products helps to ensure that you’re giving those people your absolute BEST.

When you retire old products:

• Your customer is less likely to get analysis paralysis with too many options (some not as great as others)

• You can more easily guide your customer to the better product

• You can focus on making your good products BETTER and marketing those products

• You have room to create NEW products

If  you have decided that it’s time to retire your product, you might be thinking, now what? Well, wonder no longer, let us give you some suggestions

Create your retirement roadmap

Make your retirement just as important as your launch. 

Put in the extra effort to get your community excited and continue giving them that quality experience. 

We want them to feel like they’re snagging up Prada at Target prices.

Price your products so it’s a no-brainer

This is the ONLY time we ever discount our products significantly. As hard as it is to practically “give them away,” keep in mind that this is the LAST CHANCE for this product to make you money. This needs to be a no-brainer for your audience.

We’re talking 50-60% off!! Or more if you feel inclined.

Tell your audience

One of the most important parts of communicating your retirement sale to your audience is that your products aren’t “less,” just because of the sale. We want to continue communicating VALUE.

Where will the traffic for this product go once it’s retired?

If you haven’t had a chance to check out our recent post over on Instagram about URL’s, you should check it out HERE. 

When you’re retiring a product, one of the MOST important things to consider is where you will send that traffic once this product is gone.

Will you be directing them to a replacement? A similar product? 

You’ll want to have this mapped out so that once your product is officially retired, you’re still serving the traffic coming in from your previous product.

How will you use your extra capacity to promote newer, more successful products?

Once your product is retired, how will you re-allocate your time and energy to update, improve and market your existing products?

Chances are you either have less products now or new products that will need to get some initial traction. 

The great part of retiring products that are no longer relevant, is that you can get hyper focused on the products that are.

Fact is, retiring products that you spent your time and energy creating is emotional, and hard. Take your time and don’t jump into anything against your gut, you can always retire them later.

Resources:

• Learn more: northfolk.co
• Instagram: @northfolkco
• Program: Revolving Revenue

Links:

• Join the convo: 5 signs it might be time to retire your product
• Get teary eyed with us while we say goodbye to our babies: watch me

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The post 5 signs it might be time to retire your product appeared first on Northfolk.

You don’t spend all your time creating offers and driving traffic to them, only to lose that lead because you have NO ability to redirect that traffic elsewhere.

We get it – some “7-figure coach” told you that you that you don’t need a website – just get started today and build your form or checkout on a third party app.

We’ve been there! Years ago we even recommended this if you didn’t have a website YET. CRINGE.

“But when you KNOW BETTER, you DO BETTER.” (quoting Maya Angelou in my best Barney Stinson aka Jack Fantastic voice – IYKYK)

As a fellow creative, I bet you love Pinterest as much as we do! It’s our favorite easy way to market our biz!

Did you know it can take on average, 3-6 months for a pin to get traction?

And that’s if you’re following a solid strategy. It can take much longer, or possibly never happen if you’re DIY’ing it.

What happens when that ONE pin finally gains some traction, but the link to that opt-in form or checkout is no longer active?

That lead you worked so hard for ends up at a sad, lonely 404 page… one that is NOT yours, where some other company uses YOUR traffic to reengage YOUR lead.

When you push traffic to a URL that looks like this

https:/throbbing-wood-265.myflodesk.com
(yes this was a generated url, yes we wish it was ours, but alas.)

You do not OWN this domain or the traffic going to it!! Read that again.

Do this instead :

• If your platform has the option to link a custom sub domain – do it.

• If there is no option to link a custom sub domain, then create a page ON your website and EMBED your form, checkout, etc. right onto a page YOU OWN, with a domain that YOU CONTROL.

When your offer expires, you’ll be able to redirect people where you want them to go. For an opt-in, you can use a generic “offer expired” 404 page you can direct most expired offers to.

Or with higher ticket offers, that have been replaced with a newer offer:

Much better right? Not only do you get a beautiful offer 404 page, you can direct them to your other high ticket offer. We love a custom “it’s no longer available – you might like this” page because it still acknowledges that they are in the right place, where a more generic 404 might leave them wondering…

*But ONLY use this option if the offer is relevant to the one it’s replacing. Otherwise it will feel SPAMMY.

Resources:

• Learn more: northfolk.co
• Instagram: @northfolkco
• Course: Revolving Revenue

Links:

• Join the convo: Stop building your business on borrowed property

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The post Stop building your business on borrowed property appeared first on Northfolk.

Examples of WordPress Plugin in use

Our Slow Folk design standard post vs. a custom podcast post using the new plugin:

And our High Tide standard post vs. a custom podcast post using the new plugin:

Tutorials / How It Works

Here’s a few quick videos that show just how easy it is to apply custom blog layouts.

[embedpress]https://www.loom.com/share/26811bb95dfd4ce88750a5fcd58a04f7[/embedpress]

[embedpress]https://www.loom.com/share/24481d6592af42f7904813aeac81c570[/embedpress]

Links:

• Slow Folk Showit Template
• High Tide Showit Template
• Shop Northfolk Showit Templates
  

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The post Introducing the Northfolk Template Companion WordPress PLUGIN appeared first on Northfolk.

The hard and fast answer? Nope and it probably never will be.

We can’t tell you how many times we have browsed our online designer groups only to see comments like these:

“The market is oversaturated!” 

— Your limiting belief

“How am I supposed to compete with all these other designers out there?” 

— Your limiting belief

“Everyone has jumped on the template bandwagon!”

— Your limiting belief

Market saturation is an excuse designers (and other creatives for that matter) are using to avoid doing the hard work and heaven forbid, failing. Or as we like to say, LEARNING.

Somewhere along the line, this excuse of a crowded marketplace has become widely accepted and the excuse of choice among social media comments within the freelancing design community. 

How did we get here

We started Northfolk 10 years ago. Like any other market, as word got around about the profitability of templates, more people wanted to get in on the action. But in this market, in the words of Moira, you must CHAMPION ONESELF.

So we’re going to cover 6 tips to standing out if you want to build website templates!

Ways to overcome market competition

Do it better. 

“A market is never saturated with a good product, but it is very quickly saturated with a bad one.”

The market might be saturated, but it doesn’t mean it’s saturated with GOOD designs. Look at the best in your industry and ask yourself, “how can I do it BETTER?”

Commit yourself to being the best! Learn new skills, find a mentor, take an online course, practice, practice, practice.

Do it different.

Don’t set out to create what everyone else is doing.

Yes – you might see a designer being successful niched down. One finding success with a broader audience. Someone that swears by posting on social media and another that doesn’t.

Instead of focusing on the competition, find your style and voice. What sets you apart from them and makes you different? Focus on what inspired you instead of what you think you should be doing. Look to other sources for inspiration.

One of the most effective ways to break into a saturated market is by offering a product that is new to the industry or improving upon one that already exists.

Be willing to do what it takes.

Everything worth having takes hard work. When it comes to template sales, it’s not an overnight process. You are constantly working on your pieces, improving as you go.

This is a marathon, not a sprint!

In a time of instant gratifications, you have to be willing to commit to the long term endgame to get results.

Listen to your folks.

Listen to what your audience is asking for. Where they are having troubles and what they NEED.

Watch as shifts happen in your market and be able to identify them.

Be flexible.

Be willing to PIVOT.

Buyer demands are constantly changing, and your willingness to pivot your ideas and being receptive to their demands might be the difference between sinking and swimming.

Build relationships

Word of mouth is one of the most powerful forms of marketing.

92% of consumers believe recommendations from friends and family over all forms of advertising

— Nielsen

We have customers that have been buying our templates for almost a decade. Many following us to Showit from other platforms and most of them repeat clients as well.

And the end of the day, a saturated market is one of opportunity and proven potential. Put your blinders on and ignore what everyone else is doing!!!

Resources:

• Learn more: northfolk.co
• Instagram: @northfolkco
• Course: Revolving Revenue

Links:

• Nielsen, Word Of Mouth Marketing

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The post Is the Website Template Market Oversaturated? appeared first on Northfolk.