Planning a Web Site

Like anything, no matter who builds your website and how much it costs you it will always turn out better when it is properly planned for. The main question to ask your-self is "What is the objective of my website?"

Is it to:

• Generally promote the overall services of the business with a few pages of content and imagery - often referred to as a "brochure based" site.
• Display your products online for customers to browse - known as an product catalogue website.
• Sell online - an ecommerce style website

No matter which type of website you require, it is important to consider the following points:

1. Who is my target audience?
2. What information would they want to see?
3. If the website does not sell online, are there sufficient calls to action? - Clear phone number displayed on each page, constant reference to "contact us" which may link to an online enquiry form or email address.
4. What other branding material do I have that may need to be addressed by the website’s design - e.g. logo, brochure, imagery etc...

Now that those questions have been answered it’s time to draw a sitemap. Outline your site map in a flow chart style. Stick to that flow chart while you prepare the content of the site. Once you have your site map drawn out, outline your home page on pen and paper. With a strong outline to guide you, it will be easy to work with a design firm to assist in building the website for you.