4 things you need to know before building a website

On-Site Insight: 4 Things You Need To Know Before Building A Website

So you’ve finally decided that your business needs a website. Great! But now what? What’s the next step? Before the Web Toaster team can drop a line of code, we start the first step with you. Half the battle in creating a site is developing the stuff that goes on the site. This means research, writing content, and creating a purpose for the site. Without these assets, we can’t design or structure a site.

Want to get the ball rolling? Here are a few things to have before we start building:

Establish the purpose of your website

You know that you need a site, but why? The purpose of your site will dictate the objective you are trying to achieve with it. Are you showcasing your work to potential clients? Or maybe you want a platform to sell your products. If that’s not the case, then think about what your customers want and why they’re looking at your site for it. The purpose of your site will drive everything from the design, functionality, content, and results.

What are your competitors doing?

If you don’t know what your competitors are up to, a quick Google search can help you get up to speed. Looking at your competition allows you see what they’re doing right and what you can do better. Part of having a website is allow your business to be seen, especially when the majority of people are turning to the internet for information. Research your competition, read reviews, observe what they’re doing, and use this information to gauge what your site should feature.

Think about how you’re communicating to users

Your website is up 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In a world where we’re constantly connected users want to know what’s going on all the time. Your business is constantly changing and you should have a method for keeping users updated when something happens. Do you plan on having a blog? A latest news page? Or maybe social media integration? Whatever you decide, your audience needs to know!

 Write content for your website

After the purpose, pages and functionality has been established, the grunt work begins with the text. Writing is all about the details. Readers can easily be deterred if your text contains typos or spelling mistakes. Keep your audience in mind and write content that is appropriate for them; some require very technical information while others need simplified content. An average site has a Home, About, Portfolio/Product/Service, and a Contact page. Make sure you have the appropriate text for each section and consider if your site needs any additional pages that need text as well. If you’re lost for words, check out this article (link) or take advantage of our copywriting services (link)!

Are you ready to build or update your website? Let Web Toaster lend a hand!

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