Developing a website - where to start?

Start planning your website by doing some research. A competitor analysis will be the first step. Use the Internet search engines to find out who is already offering your particular services, whether in Australia or overseas, and make some notes as to the functionality they offer.

It is also worthwhile just looking at websites you like. Why do you like them? Are they easy to use, offer good services or do you like the way they look? This type of information will be extremely helpful when you approach a design firm or set out to design your own site.

Users of the Internet have become accustomed to certain types of layout and design. Think of sites like Amazon and Yahoo . you know where to go and what to do and many companies have followed their lead for good reason. Your design should reflect the type of services you are offering (e-commerce, information, news) and it should appeal to your target market.

Before you approach a web design or development company you need to have a ballpark budget in mind. Web development can well turn into a bottomless pit as more and more features are added. Mystery shop for some quotes, or ask friends and colleagues who have websites what they believe is reasonable. Remember there are also set-up and ongoing costs associated with the development and hosting of your site to consider.

You also need to establish how complex or large you want your website to be. Is it a five-page brochure or are there hundreds of pages of information?

You may well have heard the expression 'look and feel'. This refers to the combination of what the user can see and the voice on the site. Your content is vital to the success of your venture. There are a few ways content can be used. Some people refer to the text on the site as the content, others refer to content as the text plus graphics and images. In this case we are referring to the text.

Writing for the web is a specific skill. There are plenty of sites that can give you tips on how to write for the web, but if writing is not your core skill hire a professional. Remember, this is the voice talking to your customers. Even if the site.s pretty and you.re offering a great service, badly written text, obvious spelling mistakes and confusing instructions will put off your customers.

Also try to plan for the future. Find out if your design or development company will be able to help you with future development. You may want to add features and services or a lot more content. One of the main advantages of web over print is that it can be altered and updated as you go, so plan your site in phases if you can.t afford to do it all at once.