Planning:
So you want a website for your business but don't know where to start? It all seems daunting but getting your business on the web is actually very easy with a little planning. Before you contact us at 24hourweb, there are a number of things you can do to help prepare for the construction of your business website.
1.Think about your domain name:
What do you want your website to be called? Every website has a unique 'domain name' (the bit after the www) which is the address that your customers will use to access your site. It helps if your domain name is easily remembered and spelt. Your domain name should be relevant to your small business otherwise your customers won’t remember you. We can help you check the availability of any domain name unless you have already done so.2. Research your audience:
Who knows your business and audience better than you? Will a flashy, colourful website be required to attract customers to your small business or do you have a predefined ("captive") audience for whom your site acts as, say, a news portal? An example of the former might be a wedding photographer whose prospective customers expect to see a certain artistic flair. An example of the latter might be a local sports club whose website needs to relay news and matchday information; i.e. for you, content versus style. Your website design should be heavily influenced by your audience's requirements as well as your business.3. Content is king:
Think about your content. The importance of your content cannot be exaggerated. Do you want to include company information, product information, services on offer etc. Although 24 hour Web can help refine your content, we may charge to do so. It is therefore in your best interest to put some thought into the content.4. Basic layout:
How will the various sections of your website link together? Generally, a site will have a number of pages to cover different areas of your business. You should think about this as the number of pages will impact on the cost of the site.5. Images and logos:
What images do you want to include on your site? A picture of your building or maybe you and your staff, or do you want something more 'corporate friendly'? Think about what the images should represent as this helps us to understand your requirements. We can source images for you if required. Do you need a logo to be created and, if so, do you have any specific ideas or do you want to leave it to us?
6. Advanced requirements:
Do you have any advanced requirements for your website? Web forms, message boards, Flash animations, shopping carts, ecommerce, use of database technology all add quality to your site and enhance the user experience.7. Maintaining your site:
How often do you want the content of your website to be updated? Daily, Monthly or yearly? Websites that are up to date tend to get more repeat web traffic and therefore generate more business. Keep your visitors returning by offering them different content to the last time they visited.8. What about design:
Do you have any pre-conceived design ideas? Is there anything that has inspired you that you would like to see reflected in the design of your site? Are there other websites out there which you think also reflect the style of your business? Your ideas and thoughts are vital input to the design of your website. Nobody knows your customers, trade and potential users better than you.View our rate card
