Web design strategy

Your website strategy is very important... but what does that mean?

Obviously what you put on your site, the content, is important but before you get to that you need to think through some basic questions.

  • What is the purpose of your site? Do you want an online brochure? A shopping site?  A discussion/feedback group?  Is it a glorified focus group or even a way of distributing general information? What do you want to achieve?
  • Think who is going to come to your site.  What would they hope to see?  If you are a niche manufacturer there might be lots of ancilliary information about what you do.  If you are stacking high and selling cheap you need clear prices and offers.  What are your strengths and weaknesses? if you were the cusatomer what would make you come back?
  • Do you expect an income?  How?  It might be from advertising, site membership fees, from affiliate programs, or from selling your own product? What are your resources?

Now you've started but what do I need from you?

To be successful you need a plan, and stick to it.  You can't tell me to go ahead and create one sort of site and then decide you want something else (well, you can but get your cheque book out! :¬) )

Have some ideas about what sort of sites you like and dislike.  For example, if you like the simplicity of Google and hate lots of flashing text and graphics, tell me. 

Think about the colour scheme that might work well for you, and how that might fit in with your visitors.  A site selling boxing equipment might not work as well with a lavender colour scheme.

Will you need to alter content easily.  I would always recommend this as an option because search engines like dynamic, ever-changing sites.

If you're looking for an eCommerce site, what sort of geographic area will you cover.  Who will process payments for you? How will you invoice?  How will you ship? Most importantly, how will you get paid?

There is a lot to consider, isn't there?