Don’t Start Your Website Without These 5 Things!
5 Things You Need to Have Before You Start Your Website
Building a website for your new business can be an intimidating task, especially when everyone is asking to see the finished product! Unfortunately, this can cause businesses to rush the development and make some glaring mistakes along the way. To help avoid these mistakes, I have 5 things every business owner should have before they start building their website.
- Define the aim of you site
It shouldn’t be surprising that understanding the aim of your website is first on this list. To help discover the purpose of your site, treat it like a digital extension of your business. Do you sell items? Then you might need an e-commerce site where visitors can see and purchase your inventory. Are you in construction? Then a booking site will allow your visitors to not only see your services, but book them as well. Establish the end goal of your user when they visit your website.
- Define your audience
Who will be using your website has a huge effect on its outcome. Your user will determine everything from the language you use, to the graphics, to the colors and more. The simplicity or complexity of your interface can make using your website a nightmare or a breeze for your user. A fine point to remember, if you design your site for everyone, it will end up being for no one! So let’s keep it specific!
- Acquire your domain name
Choose a domain name that’s easy to remember and reflects you or your business. Also, your domain does not have to match the exact name of your business. For example, Johnson & Johnson Services, Incorporated has the simple domain name of jnj.com.
Additionally, it is essential to buy your domain name from a reputable domain provider that won’t be out of business tomorrow and take your purchase with it. (I’ve seen this happen too many times!)
Finally, decide what domain suffix best suits your business. While, .COM is the most popular, there may be more suitable options like, .ORG, .NET, or .EDU.
- Contacts
Establishing your contact info such as your business name, phone number and physical address is a simple step that you can knock out at the beginning of the web design process. However, establishing an email address can be a little more challenging. It is important to determine which email service to use and how it will connect to your domain name. Furthermore, if you will be providing emails for your employees as well, remember to factor this expense into your budget!
- Content, Content, Content
I say this three times because it is that important! Content is what is going to get people excited about your business. Determine how much content you need to effectively explain your services, keeping in mind that more isn’t always better!
A key point to remember is that content is not just text. It includes images, audio, video, customer testimonials, surveys, partner logos, and links. The more of these items you have ready for your designer, the faster your site can be created!
These are the 5 things every business should have ready before starting their website. By establishing these items at the beginning of your website journey, you will create a strong foundation for your businesses’ web presence.
If you’re looking to start your website and need help with these tips, we’re offering a free imagination session to discuss how we error-proof your future or current site!
