Planning your new website can be a daunting prospect, whether it’s your very first website or your fifth redesign – there’s just so much to think about. Where do you start?
But don’t worry, I’m here to help.
Having gone through several redesigns of my own site and helped many clients through the process, I’ve come up with a list of things to you need to ask yourself when planning a new site. Today I’m going to share that with you and there’s a free worksheet that will help you work through your ideas.
Got your free download? Let’s get started. Here’s how to plan your website:
1. New site or redesign?
First things first, are you planning a brand new site or a redesign of your existing one? If it’s a new site, skip ahead to the next section.
If it’s a redesign, why are you getting a new website – is your current one out of date, is this part of a larger rebranding project, or does it need new features? Which parts of your current site do you feel work well, and why? What needs to be improved? And do you want to add any new features or functionality?
2. Project goals
What’s the main purpose of your site? Is it a brochure-style site, designed to provide information about your products or services, or maybe it’s an online shop?
What do you hope to achieve with the site – do you have sales targets or want to increase the number of enquiries you receive? And have you thought about how you’ll track the results to see if you’re meeting your goals?
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3. Target Market
Now think about who would be visiting your site – what kind of people are they? What problems do they have and how can you solve them? Think about what value you can offer them, and why they should visit your site rather than your competitors’.
4. Style
Next, think about the look and feel of the site. What sort of design do you want; should it feel modern or retro/vintage, clean and minimalist or really decorative? Write down some keywords to describe the impression you want to create.
Try to think of some examples of sites that you like – why do you like them? For example, is it the design, or because they’re easy to use? These are likely qualities that you’d like your site have.
Also try to think of some sites that you don’t like – and again, try to explain why.
5. Content
Have you thought about the pages or sections that you‘ll need? List them or try drawing a little sitemap diagram to plan them out. Even a rough guide will help you as you start to create your site or talk to a designer.
What kind of content will you need? Is it just text and some images, or will you need video or audio content too?
Who’ll be responsible for creating the content? Are you able to do it yourself or do you need help? Some people find writing about themselves or taking client photos difficult so don’t be afraid or embarrassed to ask a professional copywriter or photographer for help.
6. Other Features
Now think about what features your site will need – how about a blog and social media integration? Do you need a user forum or helpdesk, appointment booking or PayPal integration? Or how about email newsletter integration?
Note down any features that would add value to your visitors or customers, or anything you think would make your business easier to run or more profitable.
7. Marketing
Next, note down some ideas on where you’ll promote your new site. Think about your target market and where they hang out; are they on Facebook or do they prefer Instagram?
Think about all the places you might connect with your target market, both online and offline, and note down any ideas you have on how to encourage them to visit your site.
8. Budget & Deadline
Finally, think about your budget and deadline.
How much can you afford to spend on your new site – and consider both money and time. If you have no time but can spend a fair amount of money, you could outsource the entire project, including content creation. Or if you have limited funds but plenty of time, can you learn to design and build the site yourself?
And do you have a deadline in mind for the project? Is there a particular time you need to site to launch, perhaps to coincide with a larger branding or marketing project, or to tap into a seasonal market?
Hopefully by now you’ve got lots of ideas about your new site. If you’re working with a web designer, the notes you’ve made will give you plenty to discuss.
Ready to put your plan into action?
If you’d like to talk about getting a new website why not get in touch? Bring along your worksheet and we’ll chat about your ideas over coffee!