I need a website for my small business. Where do I start?

Matthew Green — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 00:30:00 +0000

A website is a strategic marketing tool

Now-a-days a website is the most important part of any sales and marketing plan or strategy. Whether you are new to having a website built or have had previous experience building a website, knowing where to start can make the difference between a good website and a great website.

A successful website project requires a plan

The key to success in any endeavour is planning and preparation. A website is no different. The starting point for a successful website development project is a plan. You can create this plan digitally using a word processor like Microsoft Word or a simple text editor like Notepad. You can do it on your smartphone or on a piece of paper. The important thing is to start and create a plan.

The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is vital.
—Joe Paterno

What goes into a website development plan?

Your website development plan should take into account the following things.

Who will be building my website?
What is my budget for the website?
What domain name do I want for my website?
Do I have a logo and colour scheme?
What problems am I solving for my customers?
What other content and images do I have?

These questions form the skeleton and framework for a successful website project. Take some time and work through the answers. If you are not sure, ask a trusted partner or colleague. In some instances you will need to put a few answers down, as sometimes happens with a domain name. It might be that your desired name is already taken. Have some options, just in case.

Purchasing domain names carefully is a very important aspect of owning a website. Having a website is an important part of running a business. Make sure you are the rightful registered owner of your domain name.

Who will build your website?

You might be able to build your own website but when deciding it’s helpful to ask yourself: Is this the best use of my time? Your business or organisation may be better off with you in the driving seat running and managing it. If this is the case, utilising the services of a professional website development company to build a website for you is a better choice.

Website budget

When it comes to budget, get two or three quotes from different website development companies, if you are not building it yourself. This way you can make a more informed decision around cost. Remember that cost is just one metric (item) in the plan. Don’t base your entire project on just this one variable.

Website branding

As far as the branding goes, you will need a logo and a colour scheme or palette for your website. Do you have this? If not, where will you get it done? As part of our website development process, Tech Warrior can guide you and provide you with a logo and associated branding elements for your website.

Website content

You will need content in the form of text, images and videos for your website. Again, get clear on how you will create this content up front, before you start the process of building a site. A common mistake is to make the website about you and not your customers. Remember a website is there to solve customer problems and answer client questions. It’s much less about you and what you can do. Make sure any content plan covers this approach.

When it comes to building a website, the best place to start is with a comprehensive plan. Work through the elements outlined above and you will have the blueprint for a successful website development project.

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