Metastar

Custom web design and website development


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Legit website communications >> 07.09.2010, 15:05

Things to consider when choosing a website provider

What is a good website anyway?

This is a good question and not answered in a short summary.  Still, there are some major points that are worth keeping in mind:

A well thought out brief will deliver time and cost savings

Your brief should define:

Your situation

  • Where you are now, where you want to be, and how you are going to get there
  • Your competition
  • Sites you like/dislike

Your objectives

What is the purpose of your website?

  • Is it to create brand awareness?
  • Is it to sell?
  • Is it to save administrative costs?

Your strategies

  • How are you going to communicate your offer?
  • What levels of interaction do you require?
  • What are your contact strategies? (Who are your target markets? What is your positioning?)

Your tactics

  • Should include clear brand guidelines
  • Your preferences for colour and photography
  • Your deadlines and your budget.

Questions to ask your prospective website developer

  • References. Ask your prospective website developer to show you existing projects to check the quality of delivered work. Most website providers will provide an extract of relevant work on their websites.
  • Testimonials. If available read through testimonials and by all means, follow them up by contacting the relevant companies.
  • Levels of expertise. Does the website developer's portfolio contain bespoke work, or is the portfolio built upon a template? Would you be happy to have a website which looks like many others, or would your business benefit from a website tailored to your individual requirements?
  • Programming and graphics? Is the website developer able to fulfil all your requirements? Your website may warrant extensive graphic design services, especially if you are establishing a new corporate identity. Or you may also want your website provider to look after your search engine rankings.
  • Planning process. What are the stages within the development process? How will your developer keep you informed of his/her progress? How will the developer manage your relationship?

Obviously we would advise you to shop around to compare price and quality.

Realistic development time frame

The development time for a small website is circa four weeks. Larger websites may warrant several months development time. The website developer of your choice will be able to provide realistic time frames. For your own website we would strongly advise that you make sure that your contract includes binding milestones.

Site architecture: Usability/navigation/content flow

A good web design reflects your business objectives and makes it as easy as possible for your visitors to find relevant information. If the aim of your website is to sell your services and/or products it is important that the user does not encounter any obstacles along the way to become your next valuable customer.

Dynamic design/visual strength

As with many other factors, the first impression counts. If your website design does not immediately deliver credibility and relevant information, your visitor will more than likely leave your website.

Good aesthetics incorporates graphics, colours, style, layout and typography. These should be clear, visually strong and fully integrated with your corporate identity.

Online marketing/integrated marketing communications

If you want your visitors to return to your website on a frequent basis, you should make sure that your website supports your business's goals and your sales and marketing plans.

You may wish to offer incentives to encourage your visitor to return to your site. Incentives range from a frequently updated bulletin about a relevant theme through to online games. It really depends on your target market and your positioning.

Ongoing site maintenance/content management systems

Does your website content change on a regular basis? If yes, then you should consider a content management system (CMS).

Content management systems allow you to log in to an easy to use administration interface, from where you can update your website content with immediate effect.

Although a content management system will increase your initial website costs, if you change your content frequently, it will deliver long term cost savings. It is also worth bearing in mind that a website that is updated frequently will attract more visitors than a static site.

Search engine optimisation/traffic building

It is vital to attract visitors to your website. Even the best websites serve no purpose if visitors are unable to locate them! There are many ways to build traffic to your site. For further information about search engine optimisation, read our online marketing guide.

Measurement and control through web analytics

A good analytics programme will enable you to measure the performance of your website. Over time you might find it useful to adapt your website to new trends and/or other user behaviour. By measuring bounce rates for example, you can measure the effectiveness of your landing pages. Remember, the Internet changes on a daily basis. It is important to stay ahead of your competition.

And finally, for questions and queries

Please feel free to browse Metastar's online guides or check our FAQs or glossary of terms. And don't forget, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss your requirements. So contact us now for any other questions you may have.

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