Advance Planning Is the Key to a Successful Website
Probably the most critical part of Internet marketing for your business is organizing your website so it will achieve your overall goals. Yet, most people completely bypass this important step or, worse, just turn the whole project over to a website designer to handle.
By strategically planning your new website or an update of your existing website, you will ensure you have a marketing piece that showcases your business to its best, allows you to be in control of ongoing content updates, and achieves the goals you have set for your business. Below are a number of steps to follow while planning your new website:
1. Create a list of anything your website visitors will want to know about the product or service you are offering. For example, visitors to a school’s website would probably want to know the attendance levels, size of the classrooms, information on staff members and what sports they can participate in. Brainstorm every possible topic someone might want to know related to the industry, product or service your website will be offering.
2. Imagine for a short time that you are a potential website customer. Visit and review some websites similar to the one you will offer as if you were a potential customer. As a visitor who is genuinely interested in your product or service, what are the good things and bad things about each site you visit? Are you driven to take action? Are you able to find what you are looking for quickly and easily? How many times do you have to click to find what you are looking for? Note all this data down with the intent of making your new website as easy for your visitors to use as possible.
3. Investigate to find out the keywords your visitors will most likely search for to find your website. There are free keyword search tools through Google that are completely adequate for this type of research. Type in a general phrase such as “high school” and see what other keywords come up. Your visitors already have questions about these things. By arming yourself with this information, you will be able to plan your website to answer their questions right away.
4. When planning your new website, make sure to keep in room to grow. Don’t be lured into a website format that won’t let you expand easily to add new content pages or products. A website is not static, but rather should change constantly to meet your customer needs.
5. Finally, make sure your website is easy to control, so you don’t have to rely on your website designer to make even the smallest changes. Today’s dynamic Internet marketing environment demands new and fresh content added to your website often, and the old fashioned sites that rely on a web developer to make changes just won’t work anymore. You need a website platform that will allow you to add website content fast and simply.
Your website is most often one of the biggest marketing expenses your business will encounter. Make the most of your investment with a new website that supports the goals you have set for your business.
Marty Dickinson is the founder of HereNextYear, Inc., a full service Internet marketing company in business for over 10 years. His specialty is Internet marketing solutions for the small business owner, speakers and authors. Visit to see what HereNextYear has to offer and to learn more about their innovative new website packages fully integrated for ease with social networking and other Internet marketing strategies.