If you’re starting up a new business or are simply looking to promote your business online, building a new website is the perfect solution.

 

 

By creating a digital presence online, potential customers will be able to find out about your products and services and gain a good understanding of your business ethos and culture.

But building a new website is something that needs thorough consideration and detailed planning before any design and development work can take place.

Here is our advice on what you need to consider to plan a successful website…

 

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1.   Target audience

First of all, clearly define your target audience.  Consider the different characteristics of your target audience and create a profile or persona for each group…

• If they are businesses, what type and size are they?  Where are they based?  What factors drive their decisions?
• If they are end consumers, are they predominantly male or female?  What sort of age group are they?  What are their interests and what influences their buying decisions?

Having a clear definition of your target audience will help you to plan the content of your website.

 

 

2.   Competitor review

The extent of the internet has made it very easy for more and more people to set up new businesses without incurring vast start-up costs. In order to ensure your website will be competitive in the marketplace, it’s important to spend some time reviewing your competition.

Search for potential competitors using different words and phrases that are relevant to your business and product range.

Make a list of at least the top 10 competitors and have a good browse through their websites.  Compare your product range to theirs, check out pricing (if relevant) and see what tone of voice and design they are using to capture visitors’ attention.

Whilst looking through their websites, make a note of any ideas that spring to mind that you could incorporate on your website to differentiate yourself and make your site stand out from the competition.

 

 

3.   Content planning

Whatever type of business you run, it’s important to consider what information your website should contain.  Put yourself in the shoes of your target audience and think about what they would like to know to ensure they are approaching a professional and reputable company.

In general, potential customers will want to know the following:

• An overview of your company: what you do, size of the company, where you are based, your core values and what makes you different from your competition.
• Information on your product/service range: a detailed description on each of your products or services that provides visitors with everything they need to know to make an informed decision.
• Delivery information: if you are an online retailer, customers will want to know about delivery – how long it will take for their items to arrive and how much does it cost.
• Examples of previous customers: particularly if you are a service provider, potential customers will want to know who else you have worked for and that they have had a positive experience.
• How to contact you: how they can get in touch with you by telephone or email if they have a general enquiry or are looking for a cost quotation.

 

 

4.   Applications and functionality

In addition to information that will be incorporated in a text format, think about whether there are any additional applications or functionality you would like to include.

Depending on your business, it might be helpful to provide your customers with a calculator that provides them with additional information to help their purchases.  Some examples of popular calculators available on the internet today include:

• Energy calculators – that work out how much fuel you are using and savings achievable if you switch suppliers.
• Profit calculators - that help your customers work out how much money they can make combining and selling your products.
• Mortgage/loan calculators – that allow you to see how much money you could borrow and monthly repayment rates.
• Paint calculators – that allow you to input information on the room you are decorating and works out how many tins of paint you need.

Other ideas of functionality that you may want to consider are:

• Downloadable brochures and catalogues
• Useful documents such as eBooks, Tip Sheets and Whitepapers
• Image library
• A blog
• Online registration for something, eg, for an event or to set up a user account
• A news portal that allows you to publish regular updates
• Links to your social networking pages
• Payment processing if you are setting up an ecommerce website

If there is something completely bespoke that you require for your website, try to document it in a diagram format that your future design agency and developer can work from.

 

 

5.   Website Structure

Once you have a good idea of what information you want to include on your website, it’s important to consider how the site might be structured. Your site needs to be clear and easy to navigate so that visitors can find the information they need as quickly and easily as possible so they don’t get frustrated and go elsewhere.

Here is an example of how a typical website structure might look:

HOME: A brief introduction to the company and products - use strong call-to-actions

ABOUT US: A more detailed description of the company

PRODUCTS/SERVICES: A detailed breakdown of products or services

NEWS: Regular news stories and articles

CONTACT US: Information on how customers can get in touch

 

 

6.   Tone of voice and style

Although you will now have a good idea of what information you need to include on your website, it’s a good idea to consider what sort of style your website should take and the tone of voice that should be used to communicate with your visitors.

If, for example, you are a supplier of decorative items for the home, do you want your site to be in a contemporary or traditional style?

If you are a business provider, do you want your site to be wholly professional or have a fun element to it?

The style that you choose for your website is key as it will make that all-important first impression on your visitors.

 

 

 7.   Search engine optimisation (SEO) and keywords 

Last but not least, as part of your website planning process, have a think about what words and phrases your potential customers might use within search engines to source your products.  It might not be a single word, it might be a combination of words that helps users to find a specific product or service in a particular geographical area.

Make a list of at least the top 10 keywords and phrases.  These will need to be incorporated into your section headers, page titles and text throughout your website to help you be found on search engines such as Google.  But remember, it's important not to make the text too spammy and be sure to be natural in your communication approach.

 

 

At myCloud Media we have vast experience in Website Design, building business and ecommerce websites for our clients.

If you would like help planning a website for your business, contact us on 0800 849 0888

 

Article by: Tim Bennett

myCloud Media | Yorkshire Web Designers