A Free Guide for Business Owners
7 Things Every Business Owner Should Know Before Building or Redesigning a Website
A website can be one of your business's most valuable marketing assets, but getting it right involves more than choosing a design you like. Here are seven things worth thinking about before you begin.
After more than 20 years of designing and developing websites, I've seen businesses approach website projects in just about every way imaginable. Some arrive with detailed plans. Others simply know their current website isn't working and something needs to change.
You don't need to understand web development, SEO, hosting, or all the terminology that comes with them before starting a project. But there are a few important questions worth answering before you invest your time and money.
This guide covers seven of the most important things I believe a business owner should consider.
Start With What You Want the Website to Accomplish
It's easy to begin a website project by talking about colors, photographs, layouts, and designs. Those things matter, but they shouldn't be the starting point.
Start by asking a more important question: What do you want someone to do after visiting your website?
Maybe you want visitors to call your business, request an estimate, schedule an appointment, visit your location, purchase a product, or simply understand why they should choose your company instead of a competitor.
Know Who You're Trying to Reach
Your website isn't really being built for you. It's being built for the people you want to do business with.
Think about your best customers. What are they looking for? What questions do they have? What concerns might keep them from calling you? What information would help them feel confident about taking the next step?
Understanding your audience affects everything from the language on the page to the photographs, navigation, calls to action, and overall presentation.
Plan Your Content Before You Worry About the Design
One of the most common website mistakes is treating content as something that can be filled in after the site has been designed.
In reality, your content helps determine what the website needs to become.
Consider your services, individual service pages, service areas, company story, photographs, testimonials, frequently asked questions, credentials, team information, and the questions prospective customers regularly ask you.
You don't necessarily need to write every word before the project begins, but understanding what needs to be communicated makes it much easier to build the right website around it.
Make Sure You Own Your Digital Assets
This isn't the most exciting part of a website project, but it is one of the most important.
Your business should know who controls its domain name, website hosting, website administrator account, Google Business Profile, analytics, Search Console, and other important online accounts.
Over the years, I've seen business owners discover that an old employee, previous marketing company, or former web developer controlled an important account they thought belonged to them. Recovering access later can range from inconvenient to extremely difficult.
Think About How People Will Find the Website
Launching a website and getting people to visit it are two different jobs.
Search engine optimization, Google Business Profile visibility, online reviews, paid advertising, social media, email marketing, referrals, and other channels can all play a role in bringing potential customers to your website.
If search engine visibility is important to your business, SEO should be considered during the planning stage rather than added as an afterthought. The pages you create, the way the site is organized, the markets you serve, and the content you publish can all affect your ability to be found.
Design for Your Customers, Not Just for Looks
Good design matters. Your website should look professional and represent your business well. But appearance is only part of good web design.
Visitors also need to be able to find information quickly, read the site comfortably on a phone, understand what you offer, and know what to do next.
Navigation, mobile usability, page speed, readability, accessibility, calls to action, trust signals, and clear information are all part of the user experience.
A website can be visually impressive and still make it surprisingly difficult for someone to become a customer.
Know What Happens After the Website Launches
Launch day shouldn't be the last time anyone pays attention to your website.
Websites need hosting, backups, security, software updates, and occasional technical maintenance. Your business may also need to add services, update photographs, publish new content, improve search rankings, or make changes based on how visitors actually use the site.
Before beginning a project, it's worth understanding what happens after launch. Find out who will maintain the website, what you're expected to manage yourself, and what ongoing services are available if you need help.
Thinking About a Website?
Have a Website Project You're Thinking About?
If you're considering a new website or thinking about redesigning an existing one, you're welcome to reach out.
Tell me a little about your business, what you're trying to accomplish, and where you are in the process. I'll personally take a look and get back to you.
You don't need to have everything figured out before getting in touch. That's often part of what I help business owners work through.
