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Don’t just pick up the phone and ask a web designer to create a website for your business! A bit of planning with a pen and paper is essential if you are to end up with a site that really adds value to your promotional strategy.
- Jot down your objectives for having a website - and keep them in mind throughout the development process
- Consider carefully who your target audience is, and what different people with differing requirements will want and expect when they get to your site
- Choose a good domain name - one that’s snappy and easy to type, that customers will recognise, sums up your selling proposition, and isn’t too similar to any registered by other businesses
- Think carefully about where the content for your site is coming from. On the web, every point you make must count, so if you don’t have a way with words, get someone with experience of writing for the web to help you.
- “A picture is worth a thousand words”. Never more true than in website design, but to give a professional impact, your images must be relevant and high quality - no home snaps! Differentiate between pages that can benefit from creative images to support your brand from those where functional images are needed to support a product description. If necessary, get a professional photographer in for a day to take images - it costs less than you might think, but you must ensure you plan what shots you need adequately before hand to get the best results.
- Finally, think about how your site will be updated. You shouldn’t think that the task is done when your site is launched. Content can quickly become out of date, and a well maintained site with regular updates about your business is an effective business PR machine.
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Click on a topic for guidance
Why you need a website »
Planning for your business needs »
Structuring a site on user goals »
Writing for the web »
Choosing a web designer »
Designing your site »
Publishing on the web »
Internet marketing »
Maintaining your site »
Building a dialogue with customers »
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