So you own a busines and you want to create a website or have one created? Great,
a website is a necessity to bring credibility to your business and help build your
identity. But before you begin this project you will want an accurate assessment
of what your website will cost and what it will entail. However, before a developer
can accurately quote your project, you need to have a clear idea about what your
website will require. Here are some questions you should think about before you
contact a developer:
What is the purpose of my website, and how will it function?
Think about what information you want to share with your customers. Obviously things
like location, hours, and contact information. I would also suggest writing a short
explanation of your business; what you make, how long you have been in business,
why you are proud of your product / service. Other things to consider are pictures
of your business, both the outside of the facility and inside. Try to take pictures
that are inviting and really give your guest the true atmosphere of your business.
Will your site be an interactive online store, or will it act more as an online
brochure to inform the consumer about your company or services? Once you've
answered what type of web site format you're interested in, it makes it easier
to formulate the rest of your web site.
What will my website look and feel like?
The appearance of your website is an important factor in how you communicate to
your audience. The look and feel of the site should reflect the type of business
you have as well as the product or services you're selling, and most importantly,
the target population that will be buying from you. Will your website be light and
fun, hi-tech, or business-like and professional? What colors will you use? Keep
in mind any current publications, letterhead, or logos you may have already, as
you want to produce a consistant image among your website viewers and customers.
If you find that your target audience is conservative business people, then you
might want to consider having a professional, business-like website. The best way
to figure out what is best for your website, is to do a little web surfing and create
a list of URL's of sites that you like, and note what you like about each one
and why it appeals to you. Then show your developer these sites to give him or her
an idea of the look or functionality you're trying to achieve. Pay close attention
to your competitor's websites and the design/features they have. This will help
your developer tremendously if you give as much information about what you like,
and give a better idea of what you're after exactly. This will also make it
easier to provide a quote and concept visuals to match your vision.
How many pages, and what sections should my site have?
There are an unlimited amount of things you can place on your site. Most sites have
basic sections that provide very general information, but there are sites that offer
unique and different sections that are more tailored to their visitors, and that
helps draw potential customers. You should consider the inclusion of at least these
basic areas: Home Page, About Us, Products/Services Page, and a Contact Page. To
give your website an edge, you need to get creative and consider pages such as,
"What's New" or a "Newsletter" page, an "FAQ"
page, a "Pricing" page, an "Ordering Information" page, as well
as a page featuring your articles, or publicity news that have written or mentioned
your business in the local news. At the very least, try to create an outline of
the pages you will want and what content you want on those pages before talking
to the developer. A good rule of thumb is to never create a page with the words
"under construction". Be sure to layout your content ahead of time and
give it to your developer before you build the website.
Will I require any specialized programming on my site?
Advanced features such as a shopping cart, user login page, or secure order forms,
require specialized programming. These features can be costly depending on how complicated
you need your application to be, but can also add great value to your website, and
in many cases, save you money in the long term. The more detailed you are in describing
the requirements of the applications you would like to include, the easier it will
be for the developer to give an accurate quote, so spend some time in determining
what features are needed and how they should function.
Are my requirements and content documented in digital format?
If you are going to ask for a website quote, make sure you have all your requirements
documented in a Word document to keep things organized for both you and the developer.
The more organized you are in your project requirements, the easier it will be to
formulate a quote and complete the project as you intended. Also, all website content
should be type-written and placed in a Word document for easier translation to HTML
(web design code). The more content you have ready to go, the faster the turn-around
(and lower the cost) will be on your website launch.
What is my budget?
This is very important. You don't want to have a website you can't afford
when you're starting out, you'll regret the investment and that's not how it
should be. Be up-front with your developer so the project can be best tailored to
your needs. Every project is different so costs can vary. I have put together a
page that will help you have an idea of
what your website would cost.