Advance Planning Is The Key To A Successful Website
One of the most difficult, but key components of the Internet marketing process is to design your website to achieve the goals you have set for your business. However, most business people ignore this critical step, or leave it to their web designer to take care of, which can often be even worse.
By strategically planning your new website or an update of your existing website, you will ensure you have a marketing piece that showcases your business to its best, allows you to be in control of ongoing content updates, and achieves the goals you have set for your business. Here are a few steps to use in the planning process:
1. Website Information
List all the information about your product or service that a visitor to your website might be interested in knowing. Using the website for a school, for an example, you would probably discover that visitors would be looking for information on the staff at the school, classroom size, attendance numbers, and sports programs. Brainstorm every possible topic someone might want to know related to the industry, product or service your website will be offering.
2. Website Visitor
Take on the role of your website visitor. Visit and review some websites similar to the one you will offer as if you were a potential customer. As a visitor who is genuinely interested in your product or service, what are the good things and bad things about each site you visit? Are you driven to take action? Can you find what you are looking for fast? Are there a lot of pages to navigate through to get to what you are looking for? Note all this data down with the intent of making your new website as easy for your visitors to use as possible.
3. Keyword Research
Do keyword research to find out what visitors will be searching for. Google has a free keyword research tool that will work fine for this purpose. Type in a general phrase such as “high school” and see what other keywords come up. These are the things your visitors already have questions about. By arming yourself with this information, you will be able to plan your website to answer their questions right away.
4. Flexible Web Format
When planning your new website, make sure to keep room to grow. Don’t be lured into a website format that won’t let you expand easily to add new content pages or products. You will find that building a great website is a constant work in progress.
5. Web Management
The final thing to keep in mind is that you want to be able to control your new website, rather than be at the mercy of your web designer to make even the simplest of changes.
Successful Internet marketing today relies on a dynamic website with fresh content added often, and having an antiquated website that only your designer can change will just not work anymore. Your new website should be on a platform that lets you add content quickly and easily.
Usually, a new website is one of your business’ largest expenses. Make the most of your investment with a new website that supports the goals you have set for your business.
Marty Dickinson is the founder of HereNextYear, Inc., a full service Internet marketing company in business for over 10 years. His specialty is Internet marketing solutions for the small business owner, speakers and authors. Visit to see what HereNextYear has to offer and to learn more about their innovative new website packages fully integrated for ease with social networking and other Internet marketing strategies.
I think the key to a successful website is to create it for the right people. I mean, quite often business people commission websites that they hope people they admire would love. They think of their main competitors or some key players on the market while creating the site instead of their target audience. The average prospect they in reality want to attract with it.
Your absolutely right. You must cater for your audience. Great advice Pawel, thank you.