Posted by James Pederson at 1:43 pm.

Want a website and don't know where to start? If you know you need a website and you are ready to get the ball rolling on getting your website public, take some time to read a few pieces of advice to think about while you plan. After all, a designer or developer can't give you what you need if you don't have a clear understanding of your own needs. Paying attention to these simple guidelines before you involve a designer in the process will greatly simplify your web design project and provide you with the best finished product.

1. What information (products/services/resources) will you be providing?
Every website is different as no two businesses are the same. As the business owner, you know the needs of your company better than anyone else, so who better to develop the basic list of things you want accomplished with your online presence. The better you plan the contents of your website, the easier it is for the developer to implement according to your needs.

2. Think about how you want it to look and work.
You will never get the website you are looking for if you don't have a clear idea of what you want your visitors/customers to see. Take a look at the competition in the industry and see how they guide customers toward ordering. Do they use a shopping cart or encourage their customers to call or stop by to purchase products/services? How do they have it laid out? What was the first thing you looked at on the page?

3. Write your own content in advance.
Write your content before you have a designer. Be sure to write real content that has to do with your industry. With applicable and informative content, often called link bait, your website will rank better in search engines, thereby attracting more customers.

4. Check your budget and plan accordingly.
Determine how much money you have to spend on a website as it will have great influence on how you should approach hiring a designer or developer. Based on the needs and the developer you choose, a website can cost anywhere from $500 to in the neighborhood of $10,000. If you need a simple three page website with which to welcome and inform customers about the business, provide directions and a means of contact (known as a brochure site), you are looking at the low end of the cost spectrum, whereas if you are looking for an ecommerce solution or resource-driven website, development costs will range and likely be higher.

5. Find the right provider(s) and don't commit until you're sure!
If the needs of your project aren't as great as most, there is a good chance you can find a local freelancer or small web development group to do the work and the price will likely be cheaper. If you have a bigger brand in the area, and your site will require extensive development, you may choose to go with a medium-sized development firm, but many freelancers or small shops can still provide the same type of solution. Make sure you know your budget going in, as the larger the development firm you choose, the more expensive the project will be.

Don't be afraid to ask for quotes from multiple companies. Most development firms provide free estimates, so make sure you shop around. Some of you may be wondering why I'm pushing people away from buying my services right away. That's not what I'm doing. You don't purchase a used car without shopping around, and it would be bad advice to tell you not to do the same thing with an investment (a website) that could cost you just as much or more!

There are no shortage of badly-built websites out there. Make sure you lay out your plan, and that the designer understands your needs and can produce work similar in nature. Look through their portfolio of work to get an idea of their abilities. Check things like how the sites in their portfolio look, feel, flow, and if they effectively do their job.

Summary:
Getting your website created and launched can be a daunting task, but with effective planning and the right developer, it can be a very fast and easy process. I hope these items help you with your web development project. Make sure you check back for more help with 'Making Your Website Great'!

Note: Part 1 of 3 in series 'Making Your Website Great'.