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Tips for building a website

Are you planning to have a web site designed for your business to grow? Or if you�re planning to get a web designed done for your new business as it is very important to have a professional website as more and more people are using the web as their primary source of information when searching for products and services they require. You get lot many choices to get your website designed. Now the question you get is from �Whom can you get your website built�, How much you have to pay�, �What you need to collect to have on your website�.

From where ever you get your website designed, there are 4 essential elements that can make difference to your business while designing your website.

Plan your Website

Like anything, no matter who builds your website and how much it costs you it will always turn out better when it is properly planned for. The first thing you should know is

"What is the objective of my website?"

Is it to: Generally promote the overall services of the business with a few pages of content and imagery often referred to as a "brochure based" site. Display your products online for customers to browse known as an product catalogue website. Sell online an e-commerce style website No matter which type of website you require, it is important to consider the following points:

Who is my target audience?

What information would they want to see?

If the website does not sell online, are there sufficient calls to action? Clear phone number displayed on each page, constant reference to "contact us" which may link to an online enquiry form or email address.

What other branding material do I have that may need to be addressed by the website's design e.g. logo, brochure, imagery etc...

Now that those questions have been answered it's time to draw a sitemap. Outline your site map in a flow chart style. Stick to that flow chart while you prepare the content of the site. Once you have your site map drawn out, outline your home page on pen and paper. With a strong outline to guide you, it will be easy to work with a design firm to assist in building the website for you.

Design your Website

A well-designed site is a crucial element to achieving success online. If you spend a bit of time looking around you will notice that businesses with good-looking websites will also have a well-designed logo and print material. Why? Because they realize the importance a professional design plays in portraying themselves as a credible business.

The first bit of advice we give new businesses, before starting on the website, is to have a professional logo designed. A logo is essential to building a brand and creating a sense of recognition for the product or service that you offer. The website design should compliment the logo and add to the exercise of building a brand name.

Imagery is another important element of a website. The correct using of images within the design as well as the page content will not only improve the aesthetics but also add purpose by engaging the user from a visual perspective. Having a professional photographer take shots of your business can be expensive but there are alternatives like stock photography websites which offer an affordable and a very appealing option for your website. Professional stock photographs can do absolute wonders to engage users and compliment the content on the site.

Content for your website

Content is undoubtedly the most import part of your website. Well-worded content that not only informs and educates readers but also promotes your business will do a lot to sell a client before they have even picked up the phone or started writing you an email. It cannot be stressed enough how important it is that the copy comes across professionally written and to the point. Don't create 'filler' content. Don't write something or put something online just for the sake of having something online. Plan your content as you planned your site. There's nothing more irritating than visiting a site only to find mindless banter. When writing, be direct and to the point. Use short sentences if necessary. If you aren't confident writing and can budget for it, have a professional copywriter tidy it all up.

A website's content can date very quickly so it's important to keep it fresh and updated. Having a Content Management System (CMS) makes it easy for the everyday person without HTML or programming skills to edit and maintain all areas of the website. Once a luxury only available to large companies with deep pockets, content management solutions are now becoming a financially viable option to SME's looking for a website that they can maintain themselves. There are many companies that has a number of website packages starting from as little $100 per year complete with the same editing software that you could pay tens of $1000's of dollars for elsewhere!

Marketing your Website

The Internet is often referred to as the 'New Economy'. Just because it's new doesn't mean that the old marketing rules don't apply. In order to convert the sales, a website, like a normal business needs to market and advertise itself to potential consumers. Much like traditional advertising, the Internet is comprised of many different ways to advertise your business.

Search engines are one of the most popular means of researching products and services but other online destinations such as Internet Yellow Pages, category specific websites and e-mail marketing are also an important part of ensuring that a website is found by different types of customers.