9 Steps of Web Design Process

An effective website design process includes nine essential steps. I hope to provide some guidance for those of you considering a new website. Each of these steps is important and necessary to develop a site that effectively markets your business.

1. Know your target audience.Your target audience is that group of people you are trying to reach. Are they teenagers or retirees? Oilfield or office workers? Where do they live? Do they have high-speed internet or dial up? You want to consider all these factors and design your site so that it meets the needs of your target audience.

2. Define Goals. Ask yourself, why do you want to create a website? What is your mission statement and the overall goal of the site? Here is a list of some common goals. Your site may contain several from this list:

• Providing Information
• Building Trust
• Conducting E-Commerce
• Finding Leads
• Reducing Customer Service Overhead
• Building Your Brand
• Reducing Mailing Costs
• Recruiting
• Increasing Advertising Revenue

3. Study the Competition and Other Sites. Take a look at your competitors' websites and other sites within your niche. Also, consider the look of corporate sites and how their sites are configured. When reviewing other sites, take note of the things that you like about their site and what things would you change. Consider the functionality of the site. Collect examples of the sites you would like to emulate and take notes. Simplicity and organization are key components in retaining traffic on your site.

4. Select a Domain Name. I discussed domain name selection in an earlier post. Take your time when considering your domain name. It is an important step given that your domain is a long-term commitment.

5. Select Hosting. Hosting refers to a company that "rents" you space on their server. The server stores the files that comprise your site. All websites are hosted somewhere. A basic website can be hosted for about $10/month. Take a look at the uptime percentage of the hosting company and make sure it is 99% or better. Also, consider the hosting packages and what is included vs a la carte. What kind of items will you need (email accounts, transfer urls, parked domains, etc. )? Do you need SSL certificate for e-commerce. Most often an SSL certificate is an extra charge. Circle L Digital Media offers hosting packages.

6. Create an Outline. Layout your ideas in outline format to create a plan for the functionality of your site. This acts as a roadmap to building your pages. Creating an outline will help determine the total number of pages and the overall complexity of your site.

7 Design Your Site. This is an extremely important step that needs much attention. I am going to dedicate a future post to this idea. This post is coming soon.

8.Test, Test, Test, Test, Test Your Site, then Upload. Before uploading and going live, it is important to check your site in the most popular browers because all browers were not created the same ant thus interpret data differently. This can effect how your site is displayed. Encourage your friends and business associates to review your site and make recommendations. Check your site in these browsers:

• Firefox
• Internet Explorer
• Safari
• Opera
• Netscape

9. Update Regularly. Once your site is created and uploaded, it is important to maintain it. Keep all the information current: emails, pricing, phone numbers, copyright, etc. Adjust and add content as needed.

I am happy to guide you through the process. Contact me if I can be of assistance.