Drewery Publishing

Great sites are not created overnight. they require thought, preparation, and a competent web developer or designer.

When you begin to prepare for your web site, keep in mind that most people will come to your site for information. Unless, of course, your site is dedicated to visual or audio stimulation. But even then, it is still critical that you provide interesting and well thought out content. Visitors to your site will be more inclined to do business with you if you have provided them with the information they came for.

Here are a few thoughts for you to consider:

1. Spend a little time “surfing” the web and see what your competition is doing.
2. While you are on the web, make notes of what you do and do not like.
3. Bookmark sites that have styles that are similar to your taste or that of your intended audience.
4. Bookmark any web sites that may have related information. You may want to have a page on your site that has a list of links to other interesting/relevant web sites. this is also a great way to get people to bookmark your site and return and return at a later time.

Now that you’ve put some thought into your site, it’s time to get started with collecting the information (content) you will what on your site. Every web site is different, and so is the information you will need to gather. While you are gathering your web site information, put yourself in the shoes of the audience you are trying to reach. Ask yourself, “What type of content or information will my audience be looking for?”

The following outlines some general items that may apply to you:

• Information about you and/or your company/organization (a brief history, philosophy).
• If you are selling your services (Like I am), visitors to your site will want to know about your experience in your field. You may want to put together a list of your accomplishments, experiences, sales track record, etc.
• A copy of your company/organization logo (if you have one). Images, logo, photos, and video are assets you’ll need to compile for your web designer and are integral to the look and feel of the site, as well as having an influence on the site’s overall performance.

This list can get quite long depending on the purpose of the site. Taking time to think about the site’s content and asking “What type of questions do my customers frequently ask me?” will help your site become relevant and viable.

If you take away nothing else from this article it should be this: “There is no one way to design a web site.” Developers and designers use a myriad of tools, applications, and programming languages to create web sites. The Web is a moving target that expands and redefines itself almost daily. However, planning and organization of content and information will always remain front and center in creating sites that work.

Visit The Internet Digest for more tips and tutorials if you’re a small business entrepreneur looking to expand your learning curve.

~ by Rodney on April 30, 2008.