How Do I Start a New Website Project?
Before you begin your website project, you want an accurate assessment of what your website will cost and what it will entail. However, before a developer can accurately quote your project, you need to have a clear idea about what your website will require. Here are some questions you should answer before you ask for a quote:
- What is the purpose of my website, and how will it function?
- What will my website look and feel like?
- How do I determine what is best for my website?
- How many pages, and what sections should my site have?
- Will I require any specialized programming on my site?
- What level of assistance will I need with my site's development?
- What is my budget?
- What is my project deadline?
- Are my requirements and content documented in digital format?
1. What is the purpose of my website, and how will it function?
Will it be an online store where actual product is sold? Will it act as an online brochure to inform the consumer about my company or services? Will it serve as a custom software tool or database application? Will it be serviceable as an employee communications hub or online user community? Perhaps it will be a combination of any or all of the above. Once you've answered what type of web site format you're interested in, it makes it easier to formulate the rest of your web site.
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2. What will my website look and feel like?
The appearance of your website is an important factor in how you communicate to your audience. The look and feel of the site should reflect the type of business you have as well as the product or services you're selling, and most importantly, the target population that will be buying from you. Will your website be light and fun, hi-tech, or business-like and professional? What colors will you use? Keep in mind any current publications, letterhead, or logos you may have already, as you want to produce a consistant image among your website viewers and customers. If you find that your target audience is conservative business people, then you might want to consider having a professional, business-like website.
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3. How do I determine what is best for my website?
The best way to figure out what is best for your website, is to create a list of URL's of sites that you've seen on the web that you actually enjoy or like, and note what you like about each one and why it appeals to you. Then show your developer these sites to give him an idea of the "look" you're trying to achieve. Pay close attention to your competitor's websites and the design/features they have. This will help your developer tremendously if you give him as much information about what you like, and give a better idea of what you're after exactly. This will also make it easier to provide a quote and concept visuals to match your vision.
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4. How many pages, and what sections should my site have?
There are an unlimited amount of things you can place on your site. Most sites have basic sections that provide very general information, but there are sites that offer unique and different sections that are more tailored to their visitors, and that helps draw potential customers. You should consider the inclusion of at least these basic areas: Home Page, About Us, Products/Services Page, and a Contact Page. To give your website an edge, you need to get creative and insert pages such as, "What's New" or a "Newsletter" page, an "FAQ" page, a "Pricing" page, an "Ordering Information" page, as well as a page featuring your articles, or publicity news that have written or mentioned your business in the local news. At the very least, try to create an outline of the pages you will want and what content you want on those pages before talking to the developer. A good rule of thumb is to never create a page with the words "under construction". Be sure to layout your content ahead of time and give it to your developer before you build the website.
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5. Will I require any specialized programming on my site?
Advanced features such as a shopping cart, user login page, secure order forms, or other database applications require specialized programming. These features can be costly depending on how complicated you need your application to be, but can also add great value to your website, and in many cases, save you money in the long term. The more detailed you are in describing the requirements of the applications you would like to include, the easier it will be for the developer to give an accurate quote, so spend some time in determining what features are needed and how they should function.
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6. What level of assistance will I need with my site's development?
Well, if you know in advance what you want, and how much as well as what kind of help your project will require, it will be easier to confirm what assistance you will need from the developer. Do you require full site design and concepting? Do you have the design artwork and just need it created into HTML pages? Do you need a site makeover or to upgrade the look with graphics? Do you have an existing logo or do you need to create a new one? Do you require photography or scanning services? If there is anything you may require which you are not sure is the scope of your website project, let your developer know so he can provide an appropriate solution or lead you in the right direction.
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7. What is my budget?
This is very important. You don't want to have a website you can't afford when you're starting out, but you also have to expect to spend some money to have a quality website. You aren't going to achieve much out of your website with only $500. Try to be reasonable with your budget and up-front with your developer so the project can be best tailored to your needs. Also keep in mind that you might incur monthly maintenance costs to keep your website up-to-date. These maintenance costs can generally be discounted with up-front payment, so be sure to include these costs in your budget as well. A typical website can be built and maintained for 1 year for about $1800 to $2500.
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8. What is my project deadline?
As a good rule of thumb, your website should be up and ready to go when you officially start your business. Would you start your business without a phone number or a business card? A website is a necessity to bring credibility to your business and help build your identity. If you are starting a new business, make it a priority to have a website ready to go when you officially begin your new venture. A quality website can take up to 3 months on average to complete, so keep that in mind when you want to stay within budget and allow yourself enough time to develop and plan your site.
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9. Are my requirements and content documented in digital format?
If you are going to ask for a website quote, make sure you have all your requirements documented in a Word or Excel document to keep things organized for both you and the developer. You can use this website requirements questionnaire to help get started. The more organized you are in your project requirements, the easier it will be to formulate a quote and complete the project as you intended. Also, all website content should be type-written and placed in a Word document for easy translation to HTML. The more content you have ready to go, the faster the turn-around will be on your website launch.
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