The Why of a Website

A website is used for a variety of purposes. It is used by companies to promote their businesses and corporate agencies to market products to the customers. There is no medium in the world today which does not make use of web site design facility and the current marketplace demands an online presence in nearly every situation in order to be or to remain competitive.

Getting Started

Developing a website is more than just appearance. Taking the time to plan a website is essential to its success. Although not all questions will apply to all websites, they will get you started.

1. What is the purpose of the website?
   
   Are you providing information only about your business or will you be selling products or services that would require a shopping cart and other related elements. Will your website be a non-profit, small business, professional service site, informational, commercial? Determining this also plays a role in the type of server package your site will require.



2. Define your target audience
   
   Think demographics!! The type of audience you are trying to attract will play a large part in the way your website is developed. Will it require a 'fun' appearance, something sophisticated, whimsical, metallic or need to be designed around an existing logo?



3. What type of image do you want your website to convey?
   
   Fun, sophisticated, commercial, friendly, trendy or a mix of several? Remember that your website reflects your business image.



4. Determine what makes your business unique from businesses selling the same product or providing the same services.
   
   What element of your business makes you 'stand out from the crowd'? These are also the items that you should focus on when creating a description of your website for search engine submissions.



5. **Copying or stealing existing website content is unethical and often illegal. In additional, many search engines will drop, ban or refuse to accept a website that contains duplicate content.**
   
   However, by looking at other websites, both those that provide the same services as your business and those completely different, it is easy to find the elements you might like to incorporate into yours. Make a list of what you liked about them in order of importance (to you). This includes the color, layout, navigation, shopping cart, etc. Once you have completed that task, do it again. Which element on which site do you like best? Continue this process until you narrow it down to one or two of each element that you like the most. Click here for a printable form that may make this task easier for you.



6. Site content.
   
   All websites have a HOME or INDEX page. This is the first page that loads when a user clicks on your website URL. However, having only one page with everything on it is long, requires a great deal of searching and people will get frustrated and leave before you can even begin to convey what you can offer them. Divide site content into categories, such as Contact Information, information about your business or product information and then provide at least two ways of navigating to those categories, add a clear link to a site map and keep the most important content visible without having to scroll down the page.



7. Safety and Security.
   
   All computer users need to be reassured that using your website is safe. Even an Informational style website need to have site and privacy policies that state the purpose of your website, whether you will collect information from the user, how that information will be collected and what the information will be used for.



8. Color and text font.
   
   Some colors can cause eye strain, like yellow on a white background, and some fonts are difficult to read. Colors can also be tied to how a site 'feels' when someone looks at it.



9. Graphics, Images and Animation.
   
   Graphics, photographs and other images can be an asset when used appropriately. Creating the right balance of graphics and text keeps the layout of a website attractive and easy to read. Some graphics can take up large amounts of server bandwidth, which will effect the speed with which your website loads. Large, complicated animations can also be slow loading and with any size animation the constant movement can be a distraction. Keep animation simple and single looping unless it has a specific purpose on your website, like a navigation bar.



10. Are you willing to maintain a website, whether yourself or through a designer, in order to keep it current, fresh and attracting customers?
    
    Maintaining a website includes updating graphics, site content, navigational links and the elements that make a website search engine friendly.

Need more information? Please use our contact form or email us and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.