I apologize that this post is a couple of days later than I promised. But, here it is none the less. Before you, or your chosen designer, can begin designing and building your web site, you should answer the following questions and gather related information. This will help determine not only how the site should look, but what should be included.

General

1. Do you have an existing web site?

  • 1. What is your current domain name?
  • 2. Where is your site currently hosted (ISP)?
  • 3. Do you plan on switching hosting services?
  • 4. What do you like about your current site?
  • 5. What do you dislike?

2. Do you need domain registration and/or an ISP to host the site?

  • What domain name would you like to register? Your domain name should be easily identifiable and easy to explain over the phone and print on a business card. Due to availability issues, make sure you have at least 2 alternative names chosen.

Business specific

1. What is your budget for the completion of the web site and yearly maintenance?

2. What is the purpose of your web site? For example:

  • Brochure or Informational (brief introduction to your company and/or products)
  • E-commerce Site (sells items directly or through affiliate links)
  • Customer Service (answers to frequently asked questions, ways for your customers to contact you)

3. Here are some common reasons for building a site. Rank them in order of importance to you. List any additional reasons you have that may not be listed

  • _____To provide customer service.
  • _____To sell a product. (E-commerce)
  • _____To build familiarity.
  • _____To provide general and/or product information.
  • _____To build customer loyalty.
  • _____To make an announcement.
  • _____Show my business in a favorable light
  • _____Encourage clients/customers to contact us
  • _____Make money
  • _____Name branding
  • _____Other (List your reason(s) )
  • _________________________________________
  • _________________________________________
  • _________________________________________

4. What are your short and long term goals in having a site?

  • 1. Don’t leave something off the list because you think it may be ‘too expensive’.
  • 2. List everything your dream-site will have.
  • 3. How will you decide if your site is effective?

5. Write a short description of your business.

  • 1. Clearly and concisely describe what you offer, to whom you offer it and why they should choose you.
  • 2. What does your company do?
  • 3. What are the features of your products and/or services?
  • 4. Is the company local, regional, national or international?
  • 5. What areas do you want to specifically appeal to?

6. Who is your target market? Be specific. This will help you determine which site style will appeal to most of your visitors.

7. What is your current or planned marketing strategy?

8. Who are your competitors?

  • 1. List some of your competitor’s web sites.
  • 2. What do you like about your competitors websites?
  • 3. What do you dislike?
  • 4. What makes you better than your competition?
  • 5. Why should someone use you business instead of them?
  • 6. What unique content do you provide that other sites do not?
  • 7. How can you add value to your products and services? (free bonuses, lifetime warranty, free shipping and handling, free upgrades, etc.)

9. Your company’s identity

  • 1. Do you have a slogan?
  • 2. Do you have a logo?
  • 3. Do you have company colors? Your company logo and colors as well as the website URL and your slogan should be on everything relating to your company.

10. Do you have any custom graphic needs or will you be able to supply all of the images required?

11. How can your visitors contact you?

  • 1. How to you plan to encourage feedback?
  • 2. Do you want to use a survey form to gather information from your customers or visitors? If so what questions would you like to ask and can you offer something in return for filling out the form (a free report, discount, etc.)?

12. List any related web sites that provide services or information useful to your target audience. Reciprocal links with these sites will be beneficial to both your customers and your ranking in the search engine.

13. What types of components other than still photos and text do you want to include (affiliate programs, virtual reality images, java applets, backend database integration, survey forms, feedback forms, opt-in newsletter management, referral forms, etc.)?

14. Please list and gather any existing materials and information that will help in the design your site. For example:

  • Text, Brochures, Business cards, Flyers
  • Product images, Product samples
  • Press releases
  • Price and part lists
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Shipping and handling charges, Warranty/Privacy/Return policies, Guarantees
  • Testimonials and/or endorsements, Bios, History, Education/Certifications/Awards
  • Photos of yourself/staff/location
  • Maps and directions

Commerce sites:

1. If you want an E-commerce site (selling items online), what type of e-commerce solution do you require?
(Listed in order of complexity and cost)

  • ¨ $ Non-interactive. Visitors print and fax order or phone order in
  • ¨ $$ Single page order form that sends each order as an e-mail
  • ¨ $$$ Multi-page order form with shopping cart, where visitors can pick products while continuing to look at the site, change their order, preview order and submit on-line
  • ¨ $$$$ Full e-commerce shopping cart with automated real time credit card processing, integrated with backend database

2. List all methods for payment you accept. (Money order, check, internet check, various credit cards, etc.)

3. Do your customers have buying seasons? Does the site need to be changed for each season? What will you do to entice shoppers in the off seasons?

All Sites

After gathering all of this information you should have a clearer picture of what your website should look like and offer, and who your customers are. The next step is to make a list of at least 10 keywords or phrases. Also, write a one-sentence description of your web site and what you offer there. Search engines use this information, as well as the actual content of your site, to know whether or not your site is relevant to searches. In order to rank well in search engines, your site content and description should all use your keywords, and these words and phrases need to relate closely to what it is you offer, so choosing all of your site content carefully is very important.