What Do I Need to Start My Website?

starting your website

starting your website

Putting together a website is an important part of running a business these days. Without an online presence people cannot find you as easily, and those who are casually interested cannot research your company. An effective website is a bit more complicated than it seems, but by taking the correct steps from the start you will increase the odds of success for your new website

A Plan

Having a plan starts your website out on the right foot and is the first step to answer the question “what do I need to start my website? . An important part of the plan is deciding what you want your website to do for you. Should it inform customers about your service? Do you want it to rank highly in search engines? Do you want it to limit phone calls? Do you want to increase leads?
Some measure of success is also necessary. A few common measurements include:

  • Hits per day
  • Search engine ranking
  • Online sales figures
  • Increase in leads

Your Logo

Most companies already have a logo which will become part of your website. However, it might need to be tweaked a little bit in order to become web-ready. Having access to a vector graphic form of your logo will be important, since this type of design is the most amenable to various forms of transformation.

Your web designer will serve as the project manager for your website. When considering a web designer, look first and foremost at his or her sites… Look at their portfolio, ask for referrals and checkout their Yelp reviews.

What Do I Need to Start My Website?

A Marketing Plan

The best website in the world won’t do you any good if nobody can find it. Some basic knowledge of SEO or Search Engine Optimization goes a long ways towards making sure your site comes up in major search engines. If you budget allows, it is best to work with a SEO expert in the Bay Area. As always, contact us with any questions.

A Domain

Your domain name is your website’s URL. For a yearly fee, you hold the rights to that name, and can renew them annually. Make sure that you are the person listed as the domain name holder. Only this person can access and use the domain name, so you don’t want control of it to fall into the wrong hands.
Some tips for choosing a domain name:

  • Make a list of possible choices, since many of them are probably already taken
  • Keep your website name and domain name the same
  • Keep it easy to spell and remember
  • Check only with the registrar to see whether a domain name is available, and if it is, make the purchase immediately

Design Ideas

Because most people are not going to be developing their own website, it is important they are clear with their designers what they want. Look up some competitors’ websites and note what you do and don’t like about them. Give this information along with the sites you used as examples to your web designer, so that he or she can tailor your site appropriately.

A Web Designer/Developer

Your web designer will serve as the project manager for your website. When considering a web designer, look first and foremost at his or her sites. Aside from being functional, you can see what their style is like. Don’t hire a web designer whose style you don’t like, because chances are good you won’t like the site they design for you. Look at their portfolio, ask for referrals and checkout their Yelp reviews.

Content

Text and images are the reason your website exists. A simple website may only mirror an existing print medium such as a catalog. However, you may end up wanting to hire someone to write articles for your site, or delegating the task to someone in-house. Don’t hesitate to ask for help with copy writing, it can be the difference between a good site and a great one.

A Web Host

Your web host is where your site is housed so that internet users can access it. Make sure that your host is easy to contact and supports the type of back end you need (ex. WordPress Hosting).

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