We are not going to lie, the creation or redesign of a website is a job that takes time. Not only AFTER finding the best webdesigners but upstream!
What to start with? I give you some keys in this To-do list before creating or restructuring your website to be effective.
Good news, if we are a little methodical, it is not so complicated and we can optimize its time of creation. And know that the more prepared you are, the more fluid the dialogue with your webdesigner will be. He will love you💓!
1. The goal
Before starting anything, you have to look at your business plan: where is your company, what are your goals, is there one or more issues to consider? All in the short and medium term.
This will allow you to determine the goals you want to achieve through your new website, which audience you want to interest and why, for what purpose.
In the case of an already existing website, you will also take into consideration the data that you will have collected to define whether to rectify your scope or focus on new aspects. We must analyze its daily use: are there processes that take too much time for employees? Can we automate certain functions? To simplify others? Is the back office easy to use? etc.
In both cases, creating or restructure the website, it is necessary to take the time to analyze the existing situation and to elaborate its future strategy. You’ll understand, it’s not something you do in two minutes.
2. The structure
Once you have taken into consideration your business plan as I told you, you can imagine the structure of your website.
Oh I see, you say to yourself: “It’s not possible, if you pay a webdesigner, it’s still his job to do that. blahblahblah…”. NO. Your webdesigner will be there to advise you, for example, on new trends or site ergonomics.
But it’s not up to him to imagine the structure according to your business plan. Especially since he does not know it, your business plan … in principle. It’s up to you to determine the main sections of your website, to make the decisions so that your website reflects the image of your company.
Imagine you want to sell paper garlands, your website will not have the same structure if you plan to sell them through an online store or if you plan to organize meetings at home like tupperware meetings (does it still exist🤔?).
3. Types of content
It’s also up to you to know what types of content you want to put, where and on what types of pages. Do you want to be able to put video and text on your pages only, a form, or PDFs, have an intranet, manage a database of members, for example, etc.?
I imagine you noticed that not every page of a website is the same. And if you’re going to ask a webdesigner for a quote, one of the first questions he’s going to ask you is: how many pages will your website have? Or rather: how many different types of pages will you need?
Why? Because this is one of the factors that will influence the quote.
You will say to me: “I am not an expert, I am an entrepreneur!” Yes, but if you are PREPARED, you will be able to explain concretely your needs and your wishes. This is where your webmaster will help you sort through all the information you will provide.
If he does not succeed, if you do not speak the same language, it is because it is not the right one. NEXT.
4. Think user friendly
You love the colors of the rainbow🌈, it’s very simple: you want to put different colors on all pages, I say, on each paragraph with things that flash. Well, no: you will not do it. You will not do it, because you will gently put in the center your user-future-client and think of his comfort to him. To what will please him. Not you, HE. Because it is for him that you make this website. A little for you, certainly, but first, it’s for him.
Remember, it’s like when you write a text, you have to think about your reader. For a website, it’s the same, you think of your Internet user who, I remind you, is perhaps your future client.
You will make sure that this website is “user friendly” and that it respects an EASY and CLEAR navigation. If your user is looking for information too long, he will leave and not come back. It’s not me who says it but a lot of studies and statistics.
Therefore, it is necessary to establish user surfroutes with no more than 2 clicks, 3 maximum, so that your user finds the information he is looking for.
5. Webdesign
I urge you to come up with inputs to give your webdesigner on this part. If you do not like canary yellow, you have to tell him. “Yes, but you just told me that …” Right, but you still have to enjoy this website a little bit and reflect what you wish / would like us to see of your company and that it is fully integrated into the communication of your business, graphic identity included.
For that you can do, for example, a moodboard, a sort of patchwork of what you like in the design, the colors, everything that is visual or that you like to look at.
Moreover, you can also make a list of websites that you like and those you do not like. By specifying what elements you like or not.
It’s time to put it into perspective!
These few points should then allow you to establish precise specifications for your webdesigner. But if you have questions about it, do not hesitate to contact me or if you wish to delegate this step of the creation of your new site, I am there for you.
In any case, we must imagine that a website is not a book: it changes, evolves throughout his life that will last, in principle, between 3 and 5 years maximum.
A website must be continually improved, if only to match the algorithms of search engines or technological innovations. In 2010, we did not even think of making sites that fit all screens and now, a responsive site is just the base …
You see what I mean?
par Delphine Berclaz