So you’re thinking of setting up a website or redesigning an existing one, you’ve seen what a website can do for a company, i.e. generate revenue online, generate leads, reinforce a brand etc. but are not sure on how to ensure maximum success with your site?
Look no further; this 10 step guide will help you to put things into perspective and help you get the most out of your new website…
Do you want it to solely act as an online brochure for your products and services? You could use it to generate leads or to showcase your skills and previous work. You could even opt for an all singing, all dancing eCommerce solution that allows you to sell products online – whatever you need it for; be sure that you are clear on its objectives and purpose before you move to the next step.
How big is that market, what is the competition doing and what kind of buying patterns do purchasers within that market usually take? You don’t have to do the same as the competition; you just need to understand the people you are trying to engage with. What will they expect from your site? What would encourage them to buy from you over the competition?
Are you looking to reduce sales resource and allow your customers to buy through an automated system? Are you hoping that prospects will come to the site to see the breadth of your skills? And how often do you expect prospects/customers to use it – i.e. do you need to think about sufficient infrastructure to support high demand, do you need to ensure content is updated daily?
If you have a site that requires frequent updates and you lack the ability to do so in house, it might be worth investing in a system that enables you to update information through an easy-to-use web interface. This would mean that anyone in the organisation would be able to make basic changes to the site (with your permission). Alternatively you could choose to enter into an agreement with your web development company to pay a set fee for x amount of updates per year. You could of course do any updates yourself, but remember, if you want your website to be compliant with current UK legislation, unless you have a good understanding of writing accessible code, you could jeopardise its integrity.
Will it act as your main form of communication with clients/prospects or will it support other mediums and sales channels?
Have you thought about security and how to demonstrate to your customers that their details are safe? You should talk to your web development company in addition to discussing the various options with your bank if this is a route you intend to take.
Allocate sufficient budget to the project, ensuring that you accommodate all of your previous selections. Don’t expect to get a high quality eCommerce solution for the budget of a brochure site; it’s only you that will lose out in the long run as professional developers will not be able to allocate sufficient time to your project if you do not support their income!
Remember to match your website’s content with the objective you have outlined in the answers to these questions. It is best practice to write or plan your content prior to the grapic design stage. This will allow the designer to obtain a better understanding of the nature and instructional design elements of the site.
Making a website accessible involves considering the needs of all the different users who may wish to use your site, regardless of disabilities and of the differences between various Internet browsers.
The sole purpose of a business website is to attract as many visitors as possible and there is a strong business case for website accessibility; no organisation can afford to ignore the opportunities presented by the estimated £40-50bn annual spending power of the UK disabled population. Additionally, when you consider the amount of time, effort, finance, and other resource that go into building a company’s website, to be worthwhile, it must generate as much new business as possible. By failing to consider accessibility, you may be excluding some of the very people your site aims to reach, as well as risking prosecution.
You speak to an expert! Web development companies are not the monsters they are perceived to be and by speaking to someone who knows what they are talking about, you will ensure that you get the most out of the project. Considering things like search engine optimisation and how business in conducted in the online environment will give an insight that is more likely to result in a successful site. Additionally, experience of making successful websites in such a competitive environment could make the difference for your website. This of course will result in more money for your business!
For assistance with planning a new site or updating an existing one, please contact us.