When it comes to building a website, there is so much to think about and certain aspects can get overlooked. Here is a checklist of 6 things to do before going on to build a website for your business.
1.Have a Plan
Building a website is like opening a store, restaurant, or office; and just like every other business, you need a plan.
In your plan, you need to answer some questions: Why do you need a website? Who is your target audience?
Is the aim of the website to inform people that your business exists and encourage them to get in touch? Is it to sell your products online? Having a clear focus will help you as well as your visitors.
2. Identify your customer
Once you’ve decided to set up your website, you must ask yourself: “who are your customers? Do you know what they are looking for? How they will search for it?”
You will need to do a market survey for this. And it’s something you should never stop doing. People’s interests, tastes, preferences, and habits do change; so what works now may not work in 3 to 5 years.
This is something that most businesses forget about too soon. But you shouldn’t.
3. Choose Your Domain Name Wisely
Your URL is the first thing your visitors see. A good domain name makes a positive and lasting impression while a bad domain can send visitors away.
You need to pick something that is short, easy to remember and reflects the nature of your business.
Additionally. your domain name affects your SEO. Using the right keywords in your domain can help boost your SEO ranking.
4. Decide on content, design, and layout
What do you want to tell your website visitors? How is it going to get them excited about your work and keep them on the website? How many pages do you need to create this effectively?
In answering these questions, keep in mind that you shouldn’t rush it. Keep your website copy relevant and concise to hold your visitor’s attention. Show relevant information where and when necessary.
5. SEO, social media and email marketing
The fact that you’ve taken the time to build your website doesn’t mean people will just find your website. When your website goes live, you need to switch your attention to marketing techniques. People won’t find your website by magic. Your SEO may not kick off in a short time, so you need to consider alternatives.
You can grow your brand’s identity and website traffic through social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and the likes or through email marketing.
Paid search can give you instant visibility on the web but can be costly depending on your industry.
6. Commit
Never let your website stay stagnant. Search engines like to see “active” web properties, new content, new web pages. Commit yourself to add content and features that regularly benefit your users.
