Why, oh why, do you need a website?

Well, James has been the leader in this category for our surface and textile industry. Honestly, he was one of the first studios in the world—yes, world!—to build a website to show off artwork at Gather No Moss.

Me? That was a very different story. At Bay and Brown it took us forever to even consider having a website. I was completely out of my comfort zone—give me a paintbrush and I’m happy, but when it comes to anything technical? Forget it. Endless worries kept me up at night: How do I keep my artwork safe? What about copyright? Where do I even start? The answer was: no clue whatsoever.

Of course, times have moved on. With James’s guidance (and a few gentle nudges), I’m now far better informed. So this little ramble is really just my nudge to myself… my “guide” to you to finally start thinking about it.

So why is it important for a creative business to have a professional website?

Basically, because in 2025 your website is your shop window. Only difference is, instead of being on the high street where one person and a dog might stroll past, this shop window is open to the whole planet.

If your website is clear, pretty, and easy to use, people will stick around, admire your work, maybe even buy something (yay!). If it’s messy, slow, or confusing, they’ll leg it faster than you can say “loading error.”

And here’s another thing to thing about: your website isn’t just for them—it’s for you too. It should be easy to update, because creative businesses grow fast. You don’t want to be calling your nephew every time you add a new collection. Trust me, that gets old and I have been there .

Things to think about before you dive in (aka The Website Survival Kit):

✅ Step 1: Decide what you actually want it for.
Show off your portfolio? Sell products? License your designs? Manage client stuff like invoicing? Pick one main goal—or two—but be clear, otherwise your site will look like a digital garage sale.

✅ Step 2: Know your audience.
Are you talking to buyers, licensing partners, or the general public? Each group wants different things. For textile design, show your work in context (mockups on cushions, dresses, wallpaper). People love seeing the “after shot.”

✅ Step 3: Pick your platform wisely.
Specialist sites like The Pattern Cloud come with built-in tools for creatives (CRM, invoicing, etc). General ones like Wix or Squarespace are fine, but you might hit limits if you need more business features. Think long-term so you’re not rebuilding in two years.

✅ Step 4: Gather your kit.
Logo, brand colours, fonts, high-res design images, a decent “About” story, contact details. And yes, you will need good pictures of your patterns—no more phone snaps with dodgy lighting.

✅ Step 5: Think about your visitors.
Make it easy to navigate. Keep it mobile-friendly (because everyone’s scrolling on their phones while queuing for coffee). And for heaven’s sake, make sure it loads quickly. Nobody’s waiting 15 seconds to see your homepage.

✅ Step 6: Plan for growth.
You’ll add new collections, new services, maybe even new products. Make sure your website can handle that without you needing a degree in computer science.

✅ Step 7: Safety first.
Secure hosting, SSL certificates (that little padlock in the URL bar), backups. Because the only thing worse than your website crashing is your website crashing after you’ve told 500 people to go look at it.

Bottom line:
Your website is your 24/7 gallery, portfolio, and shop window rolled into one. Get the balance right—make it look gorgeous, make it easy to use, and make it easy for you to update—and it’ll work hard for your business while you get back to what you’re really good at: creating.