Building a website is very serious business. You want your site to look awesome the first time around, and last you for years without feeling like you need to upgrade or make serious changes. After all, it takes time to build them, and they can cost a large chunk of your business budget. You want it to be done right!
So, this means you're going to need to think about a few things before you build your website. Below, we have 5 of the most important questions you'll ask yourself so you can get your site right:
- What Is Your Business Model?
Knowing your business model is key when designing a site, as how you do business can affect the overall design. You should think about your products, product descriptions, how often you'll need to restock, the check out process, and more. All of these things will impact the design of your site, so they should be clearly communicated to the designer.
2. What Message Are You Trying To Convey?
Knowing what message you're trying to convey to your audience will greatly impact your web design. You should have some kind of mission statement that illustrates perfectly what you want to do. It should appeal to your target audience and communicate the value that you can bring to their lives. Take a look at big brand's mission statements to see what they have come up with.
When you have your own mission statement, you need to allow this to impact how your site looks. Ensuring your mission statement and goals are in alignment with the design of your site is crucial. If your mission is to sell comfortable shoes to elderly people at a reduced price so that they can fully enjoy their later years, you're not going to want a site design that is too complex; the check out process should be simple, text should probably be a little larger for an easy read, and so on. That's just an example!
3. Who Do You Trust To Help You To Build Your Website?
If you're serious about your business, you probably shouldn't build your website yourself - unless you're highly skilled at it, of course. Finding somebody you trust to help you build your website is a good idea, so find somebody with reviews and testimonials to back up their work. Take a look at their portfolio and ensure their style is one that you like. Building it yourself or having a friend help you can be tricky, and can present problems you didn't even know existed. What if they leave you with a half finished site, or you experience issues with payment processing, for example - will they be able to help you when you need them? A professional team is always better.
4. Who Are Your Target Audience?
Your target audience should be attracted to your site design, the language you use, your imagery, and so on. Know them like the back of your hand!
5. Is Your Branding Strong Enough?
A super strong brand is imperative in this day and age. Do you have a mission statement? A tag line? Brand colors? A great logo? Communicate your branding in every possible way, including your website.
