This is from a post I wrote on the Delaware.Net Blog http://blog.delaware.net
Planning a website these days is more than just choosing a pretty design and placing a logo and text on multiple pages.
I field no less than 10 calls per week from people all over the country who ask “How much do you charge for a simple site?” The truth is, to be successful on the web in this day and age where almost everyone has a website, there is no such thing as a simple site. Websites require a comprehensive strategy and proper planning.
Below is a list of items that I feel are critical to a successful online venture in 2008.
Define the purpose of the site
What is the purpose of your new site? Are you trying to sell a product? Are you trying to generate qualified business leads? Are you providing information and resources? You will need to clearly define the purpose of the website first and foremost because this is the basis for your website design, functionality and marketing plan.
Who will manage the website?
Maintaining a successful website takes time and many companies overlook this very important fact. Having a website with outdated content is very bad. Are you too busy with business obligations to handle regular updates or do you have someone who is internet savvy on staff who can handle them for you? Most professional website development companies offer maintenance agreements for updating items such as event calendars, news sections, blog posts and perhaps more importantly, search engine performance monitoring. Some companies also pay their website development company to watch the internet for mentions of their company on other websites for public relations and damage control should a competitor mention their name.
What is your website budget?
Building a website is a lot like building a new house. Websites can be built cheaply, using cheap materials or they can be grand palaces with gold ceilings. Make sure you budget for the cost of initial website design, monthly website hosting, website marketing and ongoing website maintenance. Like any investment, a website budget should be calculated to determine the rate of return necessary to make the effort worthwhile. In some cases, not having a professionally designed website is costing your company money and could be tarnishing your brand.
What features will your site require?
Will your customers need to fill-out forms? Do you need an online store? Do you have photographs that you want to place and manage on your website? How about a calendar of events? Write a list of all the features your new website will require. This is very important if you want to avoid unexpected delays and price increases. Make sure that all of the items necessary for your website are listed in your website proposal and ask a lot of questions before signing anything. I prefer to read the entire proposal with the client so there is sure to be no misunderstanding later in the project. Be cautious of overzealous salesmen who pressure or try to rush the sale.
Website content and layout
Do you have an idea for the layout of your new website? If so, sketch it out on paper and bring it to the initial design meeting, this is very helpful. Also, think about what pages you will need and start writing the text for each page. This is a time consuming process so some of our clients ask us to help produce content for them. We have a full-time copywriter on staff. Some companies write the copy and ask us to proof it for search engine performance. Your website content and design need to be search engine friendly and lead potential customers to perform a desired action. Most copy editors who have experience with print media are finding it difficult to cater to both people and search engines, this is a delicate process.
Gather your website content
Text, images, customer databases, product catalogs and any other information you will need added to the website should be given to your developer as soon as possible to avoid delays. This is typically the step that is the most time consuming for the client and can cause the project to take longer than necessary.
Competitor Research
Take a look at your online competition. Write down features that you like or dislike. Write down a few website addresses that appeal to you and bring them to your developer, this is valuable to understand what interests you from a design standpoint.
Website Marketing Plan
A successful website needs a marketing plan. Once your new website launches, people need to know about it! Add your website address to your business cards, outdoor signs, marketing materials, letterhead and of course, the search engines. Ask all of your vendors and friends to link to your website from theirs and return the favor, this is known as reciprocal linking. Send a mass email to all of your customers past and present, every month and include multiple links to your website. Also, depending on your budget, you might want to consider a pay-per-click campaign with Google or Yahoo. Delaware.Net can help you with this, you will want professional guidance with this step of your website planning.
Search Engine Performance Monitoring
This is an often overlooked step for a lot of website owners. After your new website is launched, you are going to need a way to measure your performance. Where are your website visitors coming from? What are they doing while they are on your website? Why are they leaving? Delaware.Net has many ways to analyze search engine performance such as analytics tools, keyword research tools, text analysis tools, screen readers and link density tools just to mention a few. Constant analysis needs to be paid to search engine performance and timely changes need to be made when the organic search engine landscape changes. This is one of our most requested services and our most successful customers are taking advantage of it.
Contact Delaware.Net today for more information about custom website design and hosting services.
