Developing A Website: 10 Tips For Getting Started

1. Be clear on your purpose.

Building a website can be a long and arduous procedure if you are not sure what you are doing. However, if you have a clear focus as to what you expect your website to do for your business/organization, things will flow much more smoothly. The purpose can be anything from selling widgets online to keeping members of your soccer team updated. Regardless, figure that out before setting sail on your journey.

2. Establish your target audience.

Your target audience will affect what sort of content your site includes as well as how it will look and function. Obviously, writing for kids will be much different than writing for adults. For business websites, a narrow and specific target market, will not only make it easier for you to market your product or service, it will also make it easier for customers and clients to find you.

Also, consider how many graphics and "bells and whistles" you'll want. If your audience is not very computer literate and generally includes people with slow Internet connections, it doesn't make sense to include large, slow-loading graphics, animations, and video clips. You want your site to be user friendly and don't want your visitors to leave because they've become frustrated with the navigation or because your website loads too slowly. Conversely, if your audience is the younger generation, including flashy graphics and other "fun" elements might be more appropriate and even necessary to grab their attention.

3. Determine your budget.

One can spend anywhere from $99 to $10,000+ dollars on having a website developed. Your purpose should help you decide on your budget. Remember, a website should ideally be a work in progress. Don't worry if you can't do everything you want with it initially - you can always add to it later, and it will work better for you and your customers if you keep it up-to-date and fresh.

4. Assess the value of your time.

Many people have undertaken to create their own websites, especially with the advent of desktop publishing programs. Still, they expend a huge amount of time and energy and end up unsatisfied with the results. While it may be true that "anyone" can design a website, the same could be said about any type of work. If it takes you hours and plenty of frustration to cut your own hair, wouldn't you be better off going to a barber or hairdresser?

If you have a flair for design, feel confident in your writing and marketing skills, and have the time, knowledge, and passion to build your own website, go for it! If your time would be more productive doing your own work and contracting out the web creation, that might be worth considering.

5. If hiring a professional website designer, make sure you are comfortable working with him/her.

Do you feel he or she understands your vision? Does he or she provide useful ideas and solutions you hadn't thought about? Have you looked through his or her past work? Do you feel like you're getting professional service? Is the price right for your budget? What is included in the fee you will be paying?

6. Think about how you'd like the website to look and function.

Often you will have a logo and/or other graphics you'd like to build a design around. You probably have some colour and style preferences. Perhaps a certain font has caught your eye. If you're stumped and lacking ideas, go surfing! Look through a wide variety of websites - both your competitors' and other successful businesses/ organizations. Write down (or bookmark) the sites you like and what appealed (or didn't appeal) to you. Do the same with magazine ads. You'll get a lot of inspiration.

7. Organize and formulate a layout for the information you'd like to include.

Assign page names to each distinct "chunk" of information and, if the total number of pages is sufficiently high (over 12, as a rule of thumb), group them into sections. This will make navigating through your site that much easier. Your designer should be able to make some recommendations in this area.

8. Make sure you understand the importance of effective website copy (text).

Your website copy will be determined by your purpose and your audience. On the Internet, people have very short attention spans. If they don't get the information within a few seconds they'll usually move on to the next website - possibly your competition's. Furthermore, the more you know about writing web copy, the more customers you will draw in. You can learn some basic copywriting skills yourself, or you can hire a professional copywriter to write it for you. Always make sure you know what you want to say and say it concisely. If you have the need for a lot of text that can always follow further down the page or on another page.

9. Choose a domain name and find a hosting company.

Your website will need to reside somewhere so that others will be able to access it. And, you'll probably want to register a domain name, such as www.mybusiness.com. Doing so rather than using the long, awkward name (and free web space) provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), sounds much more professional and is much easier for customers to remember. Choosing a good domain name can also help you get found in search engines, such as Google. You'll also get related email addresses, such as info@mybusiness.com, which, again, sound professional and reinforce your domain name. There are plenty of hosting companies out there at a variety of prices. Find one that suits your needs. Your web designer or marketing consultant should be able to help you with all of the above.

10. If you have a business website, develop a strategy on how you will market it.

Having a website without visitors will get you nowhere. An analogy is writing a fantastic book, hiding it in the library, and not telling anyone about it. You will need to drive traffic to your site. There are numerous ways to do this. You can either learn to do this yourself, or hire a marketing professional to help you. Although hiring someone will increase your initial costs, it can pay off in the long run when you have more potential customers visiting your site, and ultimately increasing your sales.

? Juliet Austin & Nathaniel Richman, 2005.

Juliet Austin is a Marketing Coach, Consultant & Copywriter who assists counselors, healing professionals and socially responsible business owners in marketing their practices and businesses. Juliet can be reached at: http://julietaustin.com/

Nathaniel Richman is a Web Designer/Developer who assists socially responsible businesses and organizations to promote themselves by creating unique, professional websites and other multimedia applications, such as CD-ROMs and newsletters. Nathaniel can be reached at: http://julietaustin.com/

Together, Juliet and Nathaniel provide a unique website design and promotional service to help professionals, businesses and organizations make the most out of their websites. Visit their blog at: http://julietaustin.com/

The authors grant reprint permission so long as the article and contact by-line remain intact.

one time home cleaning Highland Park ..
In The News:

Privacy risks are hiding in plain sight, as your personal data is likely being collected, tracked, and sold without your knowledge.
VenHub, a fully autonomous, AI-powered smart store just opened at the LAX/Metro Transit Center in Los Angeles.
A woman's Facebook account takeover reveals dangerous social engineering tactics and provides lessons on recovery, avoiding scams and enacting stronger security measures.
Shanghai engineers are using 432 walking robots to relocate a complex, preserving Shikumen architecture while creating space for a modern underground hub and cultural center.
Major healthcare data analytics firm Episource had a cybersecurity incident exposing 5 million patients' medical records and personal information in recent breach.
A new sophisticated PayPal scam sends legitimate-looking emails from official PayPal addresses, using phone numbers instead of links to convince victims to download remote access tools.
Fox News' AI Newsletter brings you the latest on this rapidly evolving technology.
The innovative Kara Pod device extracts moisture from air to create mineral-rich water and brew coffee, featuring UV sterilization and compatibility with Nespresso pods.
Gov. Hochul unveiled New York's nuclear power plant project to power a million homes, which faces permit challenges while promising jobs and a cleaner energy future.
SAFE introduces Aerie, an underground luxury bunker combining high-end living with advanced security, wellness amenities and interactive walls simulating panoramic views.
A Facebook scammer posing as Elon Musk tricked a victim with promises of a Tesla and $250,000, requesting gift cards that become untraceable once the codes are shared.
Experience hands-free golfing with the Robera Neo smart caddie that uses AI to follow you, navigate obstacles and carry your clubs with GPS course mapping.
Cybersecurity alert: 16 billion passwords exposed in massive credential database affecting major platforms. Protect your accounts with password managers
The innovative BeBot robot uses electric power to remove pollution from shorelines, covering 20-30 times more area than manual collection while preserving wildlife.
A new ClickFix campaign targets macOS users with fake Spectrum support sites, tricking victims with CAPTCHA failures to paste commands that install information-stealing malware.
AI-powered autonomous trucks from Plus Automation are being tested across the U.S., Europe and Asia to solve logistics challenges while facing regulatory hurdles and labor concerns.
Your health information might feel private and secure with your doctor, but the reality is far more complicated. Data brokers collect a wide range of sensitive health data, from diagnoses and prescription details to personal identifiers, and sell this data to marketers, insurers, and other third parties.
Kepler Robotics has officially introduced its Forerunner K2 "Bumblebee" humanoid robot at the SAIC-GM automotive plant in Shanghai, marking a significant moment in the real-world deployment of advanced robotics.
Scammers never seem to be running out of new ways to try and get their hands on your money – and lately, they've been getting sophisticated.
Thirty people were injured and killed, though the exact number remains currently unknown, when a suicide bomber blew himself up in a Damascus church.
Unexpected password reset alerts signal potential hacking attempts or phishing scams. Learn how to respond and establish stronger security measures for your accounts.
A historic electric airplane flight landed at JFK with passengers, marking a milestone as Beta Technologies demonstrates the practicality and efficiency of electric air travel.
The Chaos ransomware group breached Optima Tax Relief in a double-extortion attack, stealing sensitive customer case files and corporate documents with personal information.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The first human brain-computer interface by Paradromics was completed in 20 minutes, featuring microelectrodes to help paralyzed individuals control computers with thoughts.

You Dont Know Which One

I still remember it very clear ... It was almost... Read More

Search Engines and Customers Want Focused Web Site Content

How do you decide on the content, products and or... Read More

How to Draw Icons or Images on a Mapserver Generated Map

In this example I have used the map of the... Read More

5 Tips To Supercharge Your Website Sales Copy

The art of turning website visitors into paying customers depends... Read More

Your Future Profit Is In The Stars

You don't believe in astrology but you check your horoscope... Read More

Website Conversion Rate: More Keywords Equals More Sales

Your website conversion rate should concern you. This simply refers... Read More

35% Revenue Increase? from Your Website!

2 Golden Rules for an Engaging Website35% of visitors fail... Read More

Effectively Using Robots Meta Tags

The "robots" meta tag, when used properly, will tell the... Read More

Unlocking the Power of Your Website!

Why do some web sites reap huge benefits while others... Read More

How to Get a Knock Out Website!

The first step in setting up an online business...Starting an... Read More

Improve Conversion Rates ? Effective Content

Your site is fast and getting traffic, but conversion rates... Read More

Web Success Secret - Keep Your Visitors Interested

Visitors to your site come looking for information or solutions... Read More

What Does An Ex-Basketball Coach Know About Pulling Web Metrics?

In my previous life.....Actually, my previous JOB life, I was... Read More

7 Reasons Why Your Small Business Needs A Web Site

Many small businesses have the misconception that their business can... Read More

Abandonment - Why Visitors Don?t Turn Into Customers

Every good Internet business understands the value of conversions versus... Read More

Do You And Your Website Have Credibility?

I recently received an unsolicited e-mail from some company offering... Read More

Internet Marketing Website Promotion -The 7 Biggest Mistakes I See People Make With Websites!

1. Many people are not getting good or complete advice.... Read More

5 Tips For A Better Website

Having an eye catching website is great, but are you... Read More

I Did It: Six Months to a Successful Website

For years now I've been looking to start my own... Read More

7 Questions to Understand Your Customer Better

Customer service questionnaires can help your clients better understand their... Read More

Website Imperatives and Solutions

When you take a look at the most visited sites... Read More

5 Ways to Build a Website

If you are like me you have wanted to build... Read More

Why Your Business Needs a Website

Even with the steady growth of the World Wide Web,... Read More

Building Websites with Directory Generator

Directory Generator, a product from Armand Morin and Marc Quarles,... Read More

10 Simple Steps: Its Magic If You can E-Mail You can Update Your Web Page Dynamically

Dynamically Update Your Web Pages Via E-MailIf you can Send... Read More

licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..