[MAXDesign]

Hi everyone I am just about to create a website with my own brand of baby, toddler and children's wear. I will also be approaching local businesses and putting their company logo etc on various items. What I am unsure of is this:

Should I have 2 different websites, one for my brand, and one advertising my services to potential local businesses? OR...should I have 1 website with pages for both. I was thinking that the second option might look a bit unprofessional.

I am a total noob when it comes to web design, and just wondered how you guys approach this.

Any help would be hugely appreciated, as I will be creating my website(s) over the next couple of weeks.

Cheers everyone.

 

[aimagedesign]

I'd suggest two. A bit more work setting up, maintaining etc. and with the right SEO you might get better results for local searches.
The only issue I've come up against is google places and having one physical address for two separate web sites. Google won't allow that!?
Though I've not really spent anytime to see if there's a work-around.

Someone else on the forum might jump in to offer a solution for it.

Peter.

 

[BidsMaven]

I agree. Two websites. Don't know about the Google Places issue. I suggest calling Google technical support. I have found them surprisingly helpful.

 

[MAXDesign]

Thanks for the advice guys 😀 I was thinking having 2 would be the way to go. Only problem I could see would be that I'd obviously need 2 different web addresses. Business cards would need 2 websites on too, unless I printed 2 lots of these...could get out of hand! The advantage I could see with having both sides of the business on 1 website would be cross selling...it's a tricky one. Would be nice to get a few more opinions to see how this is tackled by other businesses. Once again, thanks for the help.

 

[KingSavage]

Do you have your own ink press or heat press company that you are wanting to make a website for or are you just allowing them to add their logos to your already made up clothes? If you are using your own printing company and wanting to start a brand on top of that, you should use two different websites. One for your printing company and one for your clothing brand. This way on your clothing website you can let everyone know everything is done in house and by your company, as well as posting your clothing brand in an image gallery on your printing website to not only show your finished printing work but also to promote both websites within each other.

 

[MAXDesign]

Hi Rob. I will be designing and printing all of my items in house. Just not sure whether to have 1 website with both sides of the business on, or two separate websites. Might be an idea to have the option of picking which side of the business you want to look at from the home page, then redirecting the customer to a separate page within that same website to the side of the business they are interested in...if you know what I mean?! Like I said in the original post, I'm not sure if that would look a bit unprofessional?...

 

[tcrowder]

Sounds like you are starting two separate businesses. One for a clothing line and one for promotional items. This should be two separate websites as one has nothing to do with the other.

 

[KristineH]

It should be two - unless your brand is wholesale only, meaning you're only selling it to other retail stores not selling it yourself.

You should also have two business cards. A local contractor you want to print for won't be interested in your baby clothes and you don't want them to look at you card quickly and throw it away because they only read "baby clothes"

 

[NoXid]

Two sites for sure. If you think there would be any crossover interest between those two customer bases, you might consider placing an "ad" on each site for the other site. Everyone will just assume Google put that ad there

Two sided business cards are common now. You might consider putting each business on its own side.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[MAXDesign]

Thanks for the advice I've still not created my website as I keep getting conflicting advice. Would it not be viable to have 1 website, with different pages for different sides of my business, then have business cards with a slightly different extension to the web address for each side of the business, if you know what I mean?!...eg.

mycompany/business.com

AND

mycompany/kidstees.com

 

[tcrowder]

Thanks for the advice I've still not created my website as I keep getting conflicting advice.

Like you thought everyone would have the same opinion...... LOL

It all boils down to what YOU think you can put together and manage. Do what you think is best and see how it works out, you can always drop back and punt later.

 

[MAXDesign]

Like you thought everyone would have the same opinion...... LOL

It all boils down to what YOU think you can put together and manage. Do what you think is best and see how it works out, you can always drop back and punt later.

Hahaha...cheers Terry. If only everyone thought the same way eh?!...

Only worry I have with trying to do it all within 1 website is how un professional it might come across to businesses. As you say, I think the best thing to do is create the website and see how it looks and works.

Once again, thanks for the advice.