Build Your Digital Presence: Website & Online Marketing Basics

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Build Your Digital Presence: Website & Online Marketing Basics
Design and creation of a website
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Objective and goals

At the end of this course, you will be able to: 

  • learn how to create a simple and effective website for your business
  • understand how to update and improve your webpage
  • use practical digital tools to promote your products or services
Learning outcomes

At the end of this module, you will:

  • create and manage a basic website to present your business or services online
  • identify and implement essential design and communication elements (layout, content, images)
  • apply website optimisation practices (SEO basics, keywords, mobile responsiveness)
  • use digital platforms (WordPress, Wix, Google Sites) without coding
  • test and evaluate your website for usability, clarity, accessibility, and speed
  • launch a website and connect it to search visibility tools (Google Search Console, Google Business Profile)
  • promote an online presence using social media channels relevant to EU and Ukrainian communities (Instagram, Facebook, Telegram/Viber)

At the end of this module, you will gain:

  • basic website creation (WordPress)
  • visual communication
  • digital marketing basics
  • planning and organisation skills
     
Preparation

Our website is our online showcase, so we must take care of its appearance. 

YOUR WEBSITE = YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE

Preparation

To prepare your website, think about your business:

  • Who are your customers? (example: parents, local community, online buyers)
  • What do they need to know first?
  • What style represents your business? (colours, logo, photos; respect your corporate image, be consistent with your “branding”)
  • What goals do you have? (sell online, show services, receive requests; set goals and design your strategy)
     
Self-reflection exercise

 

 

Write 3 things you want customers to understand immediately when they visit your website.

Contents
Define how contents will be presented.
Use short paragraphs and simple language, interesting for your public.
Add important keywords (e.g., “Ukrainian food catering in Milan”, “handmade crafts Warsaw”).
Include your NAP = Name, Address, Phone number — always visible on mobile & website.

 

Design tips for your website

MOCK-UP
A simple sketch of how your website will look.

WIREFRAME
A basic layout showing where text and images go.

USE A SIMPLE, CLEAN DESIGN
1–2 fonts, few colours. Less is more!

CHECK YOUR DESIGN ON A PHONE
Make sure it is responsive (most visitors will use mobile).

USE HIGH-QUALITY PHOTOS OF YOUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES
You can use free tools like Canva, Figma Free).

LOOK FOR OTHER SUCCESSFUL WEBSITES
See what you like and how they present contents.

 

User behaviour (3 minutes rule)

First impressions matter.

Visitors decide in a few seconds if your website is useful.

Your homepage should show clearly:

  • what you offer, images & texts in the homepage are essential to grasp user’s attention
  • who it is for
  • why they should trust you (photos, testimonials including name, surname if possible as it adds to trust worthiness)
     
Use real testimonials

Add short comments from satisfied customers, and include their first name and photo (if they give permission).

Example: “Great handmade candles! Fast delivery.” — Anna, Warsaw
Example: “Traditional embroidery to make your house cozy.” — Irina, Milan

 

Other things you need (logo, sitemap, analytics)

Before you start... Prepare:

A CLEAR LOGO
In high resolution and high definition (and also simple version for mobile).

TEXT CONTENTS AND PHOTOS

THE SITEMAP
I.e. a list of pages you need (Home, About, Services, Contact).

TRAFFIC STATS INFORMATION
Install Google Analytics to understand your visitors (demographics, timing and affluence, tastes). 
 

Choosing a domain & hosting
  • your domain is your website’s name (example: mybusiness.it); once you have decided it, check its availability on whois.com!
  • your hosting is where your website files are stored
  • choose an affordable provider available in your country (examples: Ovh, Aruba, iIonos; check low-cost options!), but reliable in terms of security and privacy
  • check that support is available in your language
  • make sure you have enough hosting space (normally 1 GB is plenty!)
  • create business email accounts to increase trustworthiness

 

Tools to create your website

You can use platforms that do not require coding, such as:

  • Wordpress is very easy- manageable and user-friendly.
  • Wix
  • Google Sites (very simple)

Choose a clean, simple, secure template that works well on mobile.

Building your website (simple steps)

You can create your website using an easy, no-code platform such as WordPress, Wix or Google Sites.

To start:
1. Choose a hosting provider available in your country (examples: Aruba, OVH, IONOS).
2. Connect your domain to your hosting with database permissions.
3. Install WordPress with the 1-click installer provided by your hosting.
4. Choose a clean, simple template.
5. Add your pages: Home – About – Services – Contact.
6. Add your images and text.

 

Practical task

 

 

Write the names of the pages you want to include in your website.

Test your website before you launch it

Before you share your website, check:
Does it work well on a mobile phone?
Is the text easy to read? (clear font, large size, good contrast)
Do all buttons and links work?
Are the images fast to load, even with slow internet?
Can visitors quickly understand what you offer?

Ask someone you trust to check:
Is it clear?
Is it easy to find information?
Is anything confusing?

Practical task

 

Test your homepage on your phone and write down 2 things to improve.
 

 

Launch your website
1. Make your website public and plan a SEO strategy to improve visibility
2. Ask google to find your page using google search console (free).
3. If you offer local services, create a Google Business Profile so customers can find you easily.
4. Share your website link on your social media pages. Use tools like powtoon or freepik to make it catchy and always take into account customers’ opinion.
5. Keep your website up to date (prices, photos, opening hours).
6. Analyse Google Analytics, that offer reports, data, statistics and errors information.

 

Practical task

 

 

Write 1 way you will promote your website after launching it.

Online marketing tools
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Online marketing basics

SEO (SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION)

SEO helps people find your website when they search for a specific keyword on Google. Track your website to know about its status!

Easy ways to improve seo:

  • use simple keywords (e.g., “ukrainian catering in krakow”, “handmade candles milan”)
  • add clear titles and short descriptions to your pages
  • use good-quality images with names like “handmade-soap.jpg”

SEM (SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING)

SEM means paid ads on search engines, based on a bidding system.
You can use it later, when your Business grows.
 

Practical task

 

 

Write 3 keywords customers may use to find your business. Online marketing has many different areas, but in this course, we will focus on some of the most relevant of them

Social media for your business

There are lots of social media, but not all of them are the same! Choose platforms your customers use:

Instagram – good for photos of products or services.
Facebook – helpful for local communities and groups.
Telegram / Viber – popular for community communication among ukrainian users.
YouTube / TikTok – for short tutorials or demonstrations.
LinkedIn – business-related social media for collaboration with your enterprise or look for a job. 

Tips:
  • use clear photos
  • write short messages. use simple language and friendly tone
  • post regularly (once or twice a week)
  • answer messages politely and quickly
  • keep business and personal profiles separate
  • protect your privacy: share only work-related info

 

Practical task

 

 

  Find one facebook group where your potential customers are active or choose one platform and write what type of content you would post first.

Tools to help you manage social media

You can save time by planning posts in advance.

FREE OR SIMPLE TOOLS:
Hootsuite
(free plan) – schedule posts on Facebook and Instagram.
Meta Business Suite – free tool to manage Facebook + Instagram.
Canva – create simple designs for posts.
Google Sheets – plan your content calendar.

WHY THESE TOOLS HELP?

  • you can prepare posts for the whole week in one sitting
  • you can see which posts work best
  • you keep your profile active without stress


 

Practical task

 

 

  Create a simple weekly plan: 3 posts for the next 7 days.

Email marketing

Email can help you:

  • share news and offers
  • reach loyal customers
  • send booking confirmations
  • send messages to get to new customers, develop relationships, interact with contacts, increase sales…

Example: “Hello Anna! We have new handmade candles this week. Would you like to see the new collection?”

USE SIMPLE TOOLS LIKE MAILCHIMP (FREE PLAN) OR MAILERLITE (FREE).

Practical task

 

 

Choose 1 platform you will use and write what your first post will show or write a short welcome email to a new customer.

Exercise

Build Your Mini Website & Marketing Plan

  1. Write 3 key things you want visitors to understand immediately.
  2. List 4–5 pages you will include (e.g., Home, About, Services, Contact).
       3. Choose one platform and write your first post or content idea.
       4. List 3 keywords potential customers may search for.
       5. What is the first digital step you will take this week to launch your website?

 Deliverable: A short written plan (1 page) including pages, first post, keywords, and reflection.
 

Summary
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Key things to remember:
  • digital entrepreneurship requires both technical tools and strategic planning skills
  • a clear online presence (website, branding, content) is essential to reach and retain customers
  • SEO, social media, and email marketing strengthen business visibility and engagement
  • customer-focused communication and consistent online activity boost trust and loyalty
  • mobile-first, accessible design ensures inclusivity and effective market reach

 

Reflection

 

 

What is the first digital step you will take for your business?

Today you learned:

1. How to plan and build a simple website
2. How to improve your design and user experience
3. Basics of SEO, social media and email marketing
4. Practical tools to promote your online business

Glossary
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Glossary

WEBSITE
An online platform representing a business, showcasing products, services, and company information.

SEO (SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION)
The practice of optimizing a website to rank higher in search engine results and attract organic traffic.

SEM (SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING)
Paid advertising on search engines, typically through a bidding system, to increase website visibility.

WIREFRAME
A basic visual guide that outlines the structure and layout of a website before design and development.

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING
The use of social media platforms to promote a business, engage customers, and build brand awareness.
 

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Objectives & Goals

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

  • Learn how to create a simple and effective website for your business.
  • Understand how to update and improve your webpage.
  • Use practical digital tools to promote your products or services. 
     
Learning Outcomes & Skills

At the end of this module, you will:

  • Create and manage a basic website to present your business or services online.
  • Identify and implement essential design and communication elements (layout, content, images).
  • Apply website optimisation practices (SEO basics, keywords, mobile responsiveness).
  • Use digital platforms (WordPress, Wix, Google Sites) without coding.
  • Test and evaluate your website for usability, clarity, accessibility, and speed.
  • Launch a website and connect it to search visibility tools (Google Search Console, Google Business Profile).
  • Promote an online presence using social media channels relevant to EU and Ukrainian communities (Instagram, Facebook, Telegram/Viber).

At the end of this module, you will gain:

  • Basic website creation (WordPress)
  • Visual communication
  • Digital marketing basics
  • Planning and organisation skills
     
Description

This module guides entrepreneurs in creating and managing a professional online presence. Participants learn how to design a website, optimize it for search engines (SEO), and use social media and email marketing to engage customers. 


This course builds on a previously piloted and successful training programme developed within the IDEA project, which has been further adapted and improved for the current context.
Keywords
Website DesignSEOSocial Media MarketingEmail MarketingOnline Business
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VOICE project is implemented by a consortium of 7 partner organizations from across Europe, combining expertise in refugee integration, vocational training, and social innovation.

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