1. WHY do you need a website?
Okay, so you've reached a decision – it's time to expand your business to include the online world. Everyone's doing it. Everyone has reasons to do it. What are your reasons to do it?
It may be that you think there are more customers out there for you who shop online rather than in stores; it may be that you would like to take your business to the global market without having to travel; or that an online presence is expected of all businesses these days and you will feel invisible without a website.
Knowing your reasons for needing a website will help you address the remaining points.
2. WHO will be the audience of your website?
People expect different things from a site depending on their age, gender and interests. Think about your demographic.
Think about whether your intended audience would go to the internet to find your kind of product or service. For example, if you're a lawn bowls association your members may not even have computers.
3. WHAT is the goal of your website?
A website needs a clear goal.
The goal may be to get your customer to purchase from your online store, register personal information, fill out your survey, click an ad or link, contribute content, dial a phone number... Your goal might simply be to impart information.
You may have multiple goals on your website.
Be clear about what it is that you're trying to achieve. Simply having a website will not increase business.
4. WHAT domain name will you choose?
The domain name is part of the web address of your site (eg. www.melbourneonline.com.au).
You need to decide on two parts of this: The top level and second level domains.
The top level domain in our web address is the .com.au part. .com.au means that this is a commercial (com) site located in Australia (au). Most companies trading in Australia use this option because it gives Australian customers the feeling that they are dealing with a local company. If, however, you are looking to trade worldwide and you feel that appearing local will limit your international business, perhaps just a straight .com is better for you. This is the choice of most world-focus businesses.
If you are a community, government or not-for-profit organisation you may choose an entirely different domain. Check out the list of options.
The second level domain in our web address is the melbourneonline part. It's our business trading name, but you're not limited to your trading name. We could have called our site webdesign.com.au or webuildwebsites.net
The important thing is to make sure people can remember it. No strange spelling, no ridiculously long names.
5. HOW will people find the website?
A website without traffic is like a retail store on a backstreet: Customers won't just find you, you need to let them know you exist.
There are plenty of ways to get people to your website, but have a think about how you could already drive people to visit. If you have a bricks and mortar store perhaps printing the web address on the window would help. If you have a newsletter you could print it on there, same if you advertise in print media, etc.
Seriously consider an internet marketing specialist's services. It's a completely different world online.
6. WHEN do you need the website functional?
There are a few things to consider when thinking about deadlines. One is that Google only promises to index your site within 60 days of submitting it. It usually gets done faster, but it can't be promised. Until your site is indexed by search engines it is practically invisible.
Before the site can be submitted to google it must be live (available to public). Getting to this point can take anywhere between a couple of days and a couple of months depending on what functions and extras you have requested.
Is your designer going to drop everything and start right away? Probably not, because chances are they have other clients who also need their sites finished ASAP.
Give your designer as much lead time as you can.
Once you have considered these points and perhaps discussed with colleagues, you are going to be armed with much more applicable information when you brief your designer on your requirements.
Visit Melbourne Online for more.
