So, you’re thinking of getting a website for your business.
But you’re stuck on the process of where to start, what should be things to consider, and you’re having trouble getting the best design that fits your business.
Do you really need a website? Is getting a website essential to growing a business?
Well, yes, and yes!
“Your website is one of the biggest assets your business has, it’s like a salesman that never stops and keeps your door open 24/7”
You can think of your website as the front door to your business; it provides your clients with more information about you and gives them a sense of what you offer. So, make a good impression through it by taking the time to learn about what you need to know before getting one.
Ready to dig in?
Let’s do this.
Is video more your thing? See the video version of the post, right here:
Generally, a website consists of one or more web pages as well as related content that is published on one or more servers under a common domain name.
Websites usually consist of photos, videos, and text, and contain information about a business or organization.
Examples are wikipedia.org, google.com, and amazon.com. All publicly accessible websites collectively constitute the World Wide Web.
But what are the types of Websites by the way?
What kind of websites will you actually need?
There are actually dozens of different types of websites, and choosing one that is right for your business is crucial. And in order to choose the web that is right for your needs as a designer or small business owner, you need to be familiar with all the types of web pages available.
And because we care for you so much, here are the most popular type of websites you should know:
Business
Basically, a business website serves to provide general information about your company or as a platform for e-commerce.
eCommerce
It allows people to buy and sell physical goods, services, and digital products online rather than in a physical location. It also allows a business to accept orders, ship and handle logistics, and provide customer service.
Personal Blog
This site allows people to share their experiences or information with other readers on any topic.
Online Portfolio
Online portfolios (also called digital portfolios) are a digital collection of works, skills, and experiences that you have developed.
Online forum
A website that facilitates the exchange of information between users about a particular topic. The forum allows for questions and answers and may be monitored to ensure that the content is appropriate.
Non-profit websites
While non-profit websites do not intend to sell products or services to their visitors, they still need to convince people to donate to their cause. Charity organizations use their websites to connect with potential patrons.
Brochure website
It is a short site that contains the main information people need to know about your business. In addition to allowing uninterrupted access to information about you and providing communication with those who visit your website, the brochure website also serves as a communication tool for your customers.
Often, business uses their websites to attract leads or prospects but don’t close sales through them. Instead, the website aims to generate qualified leads and allow them to submit their information to the business, who will then contact them directly.
It should be obvious by now that the purpose of having a website is to express yourself in any way you wish.
But, let me explain it further, but briefly….
HOW DOES THE WEBSITE WORK?
Not a techie? No worries. It is vital that you know how a website works to avoid being taken for a ride in the future.
It’s easy for anyone to understand what a website is: we click on the letters with the blue thing, we Google things, we type in the www-dot-something, then we are looking for a bunch of pictures. Websites work like that right?
To explain it further, as soon as your domain name is typed into a visitor’s browser address bar, their computer makes a request to connect to your web server. DNS looks up the server’s IP address before the request reaches the webserver.
Web servers are internet-connected computers that receive requests to display web pages. An IP address provides your computer with access to a web server.
That’s how websites work.
Don’t worry, you don’t need to understand everything to get a website. Just knowing a simple glimpse of how it works will do. You just gotta have an idea.
Really.
Now, you got an idea of what is a website and how it works. And now you are thinking, why do you need one.
Are you a small business owner? Did you just start your business and your friend told you that you need to get one?
Hmm, I like your friend.
Really.
So, if I was right then keep reading. We will help you out.
WHY DO YOU NEED A WEBSITE?
The majority of businesses cannot survive without a web presence, so there is no reason not to have one. You can make great use of your company’s website as an effective marketing tool. The benefits outweigh the downsides.
Customers would be unlikely to think of you without a website.
Therefore, if you do not have a website for your business then you are not set up for success.
Now, you must be thinking “So, does this mean I simply need a website to gain customers and then become successful?”
The answer is: Yes and no, my friend.
Businesses often make the mistake of thinking that any website will do. The logic goes: If you build it, they will come. Beware! It is also better to not have a website than have a bad one.
By getting a website, I recommend you talk to an expert about it. They can help you out with the type of website you are looking for or what may be the type of website that fits your business. Or if you have a friend that can help you out, then talk to them.
The process of getting a website is not that as simple as “Hello, and thank you.” You need to go through all the factors to consider. Talk to someone you can trust to avoid making a mistake and regret it in the future.
Trust me, it will all be worth it!
And because we care a lot about you so much,
Here’s the list of things presented by Jose Silvera – Owner of the GUI Web Pro,CEO of Strive Enterprise, a website expert, digital Marketer recognized by Google, and Bing ads for training campaigns with over 100% conversion rates.
THE 5 ELEMENTS YOU SHOULD HAVE BEFORE YOU BEGIN GETTING A WEBSITE:
Images
Make sure you have images that represent your business. Whether you hire a professional photographer or a friend who takes good photographs, I recommend taking your own picture. It is important to get your original picture.
Imagine visiting a website and seeing familiar Google images, the experience will make a bad impression on you and your business.
Images can be used to draw attention to your site and direct your visitor’s gaze. Using them to present information can be very beneficial. Additionally, images are a great way to draw your visitors in and engage them in your content.
Now, you must realize that using your own pictures on your site will not only make you unique but will also help you build rapport and trust with your customers.
Domain Name
A good way to name your website is [Businessname].com. In addition to making your website appear more professional, by having a website address such as this, you can establish a brand.
Avoid having a website name such as “We are the best in the market – dot-com.” — No! Please. Do you know how that sounds?
I hope you know.
It sounds lame, my friend. So, do me a favor. Don’t do that. Thank you.
Remember this formula: yourbusinessname.com that will do the trick.
Text / Content
When getting a website, you should also consider getting the text before you begin. Think about what you really want to highlight such as your experiences.
Content that captures the reader’s attention can be challenging. The average website visitor will spend just a few seconds on the page before deciding what to do. To figure this out, you must also know your audience, which we will discuss later on this page, by doing so, as they are seeing what they want, they are most likely to stay longer and even engaged.
Logo
By creating an original logo for your business, you will be able to create or establish your brand. You should ensure it is creative and attractive enough to catch the attention of potential clients.
Ensure your logo reflects your business and the services you provide.
You can hire someone to create one for you by getting freelancers from websites such as fiverr.com and upwork.com and of course, pays them as per their particular rate in dollars to build an awesome logo for you. Or, you can create your own if you are crafty and know how to use Photoshop.
Now, if you have these 5 elements, you are good to go.
Do not even begin until you have it!
OK, So, you have those 5 things done? Now what?
WELL, THE NEXT THING TO CONSIDER IS: HOW YOU WANT YOUR WEBSITE TO SERVE YOUR BUSINESS…
Think about…..
What is the Purpose of your website? Or what SHOULD be the purpose of your website?
This could be something like, “I want to have some online presence because my business is already established and I’m doing fine.” Or you just want people to glance at your design and the stuff you do, or you want to have a place you want to show your portfolio, and whatever…
Just think of the things like, what do you want a website to do for you, what do you want the website to accomplish, or why do you want a website?
Let me help you…
Understand Your Customer.
A businessman should, of course, understand their customer by doing some research and knowing who they are and what they want such as general preferences that could easily catch their interest.
“In the business world, it doesn’t matter what you like, but what the customer likes!”
So, here is what he got to say for getting to understand your customer: Get a sheet of paper and make your customer’s profile.
Take note: If you are a business owner, you are helping your customer’s problem. You are solving them. So, figure out what their problem is and make a solution for them.
In general: By knowing your customer’s backgrounds, you will have an idea of what they want and how to help them out. Build a rapport!
Keep in mind: Only the relevant things, you can ask them. Don’t be a stalker, it’s illegal:)
Create an Appropriate Design.
Now, we get to the part of the design. You might want to consider how your website should look, but you have no idea what that should be like. Make sure to not make your website look like that of your competitors, or you will fall behind them.
Making a good impression on potential customers is easier with a well-designed website. You can also nurture leads more effectively and increase conversion rates. More importantly, it provides an enjoyable user experience for your website visitors, allowing them to navigate and access it easily.
So, by getting a website you should also make a big consideration on what is your customer’s general ideal design. And going back to the last topic, you can achieve this by getting to know their preferences and how you can make it an enjoyable experience for them for visiting your website.
Remember to always think about how to keep your customers interested in your business, and don’t even consider what your competitors do to their sites.
“If you just copy the competition, they will always be ahead of you.”
Be unique and original!
Dominate the market!
Be the map, let them follow you!
READY TO CREATE THE MOST AMAZING AND CATCHY WEBSITE?
If you’ve made it this far, then looks like you can start looking for a good designer/developer.
Great business owners aren’t born, they are made.
Go and take the lead!
Hey, before we say goodbye. Would like to meet the most amazing web developers that can help you with your problem in getting the right website for you?
We Also Offer Digital Marketing For Small & Big Businesses, SEO, E-Commerce, WordPress, PPC Campaign Development & Management for Google, Bing & Yahoo!, Facebook Ads, and more!
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Ok, let’s start with the process before anything else so you know and you don’t screw over. If you read our previous blogs or watch our videos, you learned why these things are essential, and getting the right one for your business is crucial. Today, we will talk about the process or steps of getting your website.
Sometimes, we tend to think about how we will succeed in our business. Back then, things were much easier.
There was less competition….
People were less jaded…
Starting up a business was easier…
So if you’re just starting up a brand new business, I’m not gonna lie, you might be facing a bit of a steep climb.
However, if you know where to start up and get a good grip, you might be a step ahead of your competition.
In this post, I’m going to show you the things you can do to ensure your business will grow, make connections, and be worth all your time and effort.
STEP #1. MEET & GREET
You might think that the design is the first to this.
Nope!
“Make a relationship before anything else happens”
Yeah?
Meeting your prospective website designer/developer will give you the opportunity in setting up the stage for a relationship to blossom. Consulting with them makes you feel the gut instinct whether to trust them or not, and this will put you at ease and allow you to sleep well knowing the results will be good.
Therefore, before moving forward with this process, we recommend meeting with your website developer/designer. Know who they are and how they handle it.
Make the most of your first impression. This can set the tone for a lasting business relationship or a one-off meeting.
Unless you don’t want to have a peaceful mind without worrying about the output.
STEP #2. CONTRACT & PLANNING.
So, you did all the chatting and getting to know each other with your developer, you build a rapport with them and you feel that you want to work with them.
If so, you can proceed with the contract and planning.
What is a Contract?
There are a number of different types of contracts, each of which creates and defines aspects of trust, obligation, and rights between the parties to the agreement.
There are typically 3 aspects to a contract: the transfer of goods, the transfer of services, or the transfer of money. All 3 of those items can be transferred at future date.
By drafting a contract, both parties can clearly clarify their obligations and define intellectual property, as well as success criteria. The development phase forms the core of contract management and relationship management.
Furthermore, contracts include your requirements for the products, as well as what you want to achieve through the project, i.e. the design of your website, as well as the price your developer gives you. By signing the contract, both parties confirm their understanding and agreement to all the terms and conditions mentioned in the contract.
So, make sure everything is in the contract to make sure you and your developer are on the same page.
Be sure to get the agreement in writing. Even though oral agreements are legal and binding, I would recommend not to use them in website designing projects.
Oral agreement in this area will not work, I promise! It will definitely be going to lead to confusion and disagreement in the future, in any case.
We all can agree and there’s no doubt that a written agreement is less risky than an oral agreement since it clearly outlines each party’s rights and obligations.
Keep your wordings simple. Make sure to create your contract in the most simple sentences possible, numbered paragraph headings, or make the important points in bullets if applicable.
Include all details (even the smallest ones). In the body of the agreement, the rights should and obligations of each party should be spelled out in detail. Be as thorough as possible. You can always add a short amendment if you forgot to include something. As an alternative, if the contract is still not signed, you can handwrite the changes into the contract and have them sign it once the changes are inserted, new details will become part of the contract.
Recognize each party correctly. You wouldn’t believe it if I tell you many businessmen gets this wrong and then learn how important it really is. Having the correct names of the parties in the contract will permit you to clearly identify who has the responsibility to perform the agreed-upon obligations and who has the legal rights in case something goes wrong.
Be specific in terms of payment obligations. As we all know, money is always the issue, so make sure that this part should be very detailed.
Indicate who pays whom, when the payment should be made and the conditions under which it should be made. Consider including the means of payment as well, make sure both parties agreed and are comfortable with the method chosen.
In case you intend to pay in installments or only after the work is finished to your satisfaction, state so and list the dates, times, and requirements.
Decide under what conditions the contract will be terminated. Just in case one party misses several important points included in the contract, the other should have the right to end the contract without being held legally liable for breach (violation) of the agreement. So, it is also crucial to include this part of the contract and thoroughly discuss it with your developer.
Keep it confidential. It is common for confidential business information to become available to another business when one hires them for a service. Each party in your agreement should promise that any business information they learn in the course of performing the contract will be kept strictly confidential.
By creating a contract, make sure to include all your specifications and goals. Forget about the cost, you will discuss it later with your developer.
Remember to focus on what you want to achieve in creating your contract.
The Negotiation of Contract.
The process of contract negotiation occurs when two or more parties negotiate the terms of a contract in order to arrive at a legally binding agreement.
It takes more than an agreement to reach a successful conclusion in contract negotiations. Negotiation of contracts provides the chance to add to the economic value of the relationship, protect your organization from risk, and shore up supply chain vulnerabilities.
Contract Award Letter.
After creating the contract and discussing with your developer the terms and a condition on both sides, you come to the next step of the contract, making of the awarding letter. The letter should contain the details of your agreement, you are at this point in the process of agreeing to the terms of both parties, which basically means that the contract is ready for each of you to sign and seal.
Contract Execution.
The contract execution event occurs when all relevant parties sign the contract and it becomes a legally binding document. After the contract is signed, an internal user can record the signing, attach a scanned signed copy of the contract, and record the execution.
Contract renewal/closure.
A contract that has run its course and is due for renewal can be terminated (closed out), renewed with the exact same terms, or can be updated with the knowledge of both parties.
Managing every stage of the contract properly is crucial to success. You must always keep in mind that the final outcome of the project depends on it. So, get your pen and paper and starts imagining what are your expectations for your website and what is your ideal outcome.
Point it all out and make sure you and your web developer are on the same page!
STEP #3. THE DESIGN.
We learned about how getting an appropriate design for your business is crucial from the previous blogs. So, of all people, you should be the one who knows how to decide how should be the design of your website.
“Everything is important but the design will set you apart from the rest.”
After considering those points I made, you can also consult it with your developer so he can give you an idea or advice as an expert and don’t forget to have an agreement about the price. Make sure your design would not be compromised.
Have a good deal and work it out!
STEP #4. CODE DEVELOPMENT.
The coding is obviously what the website is. The images, the structures, and everything on your website are made alive by lines of codes.
Development of web pages consists of coding or programming, which allows websites to function based on the requirements of clients and deal with other non-design tasks.
Everything you had in mind as well as the design, and coding will make it happen.
Coding is crucial for website making!
This is why you should get someone who can make real good code. Get someone who knows what they’re doing.
Imagine getting a website and it’s not 100% working or worst case not working at all, just keep on crushing.
Bro! You will be throwing away your money!
Don’t let this happen.
Don’t do this to yourself.
Go get a real guy who can slap those codes.
STEP #5. TESTING.
So, you got the guy?
Given that they know everything and knows what they’re doing and are expert in developing a website. Even if you completely trust them, I recommend you test it before anything else. Test it by completely engaging in the website like a visitor, explore everything that is in there and make sure it is according to what you want it to be.
And of course to fully rest assured, test your website for possible bugs before sending it live and making it available to the general public by performing all the types of web testing and fullyunderstandingfor d each. If you don’t know much about techie things you can asfromlp with someone you know who knows how to perform the web test or do it together with your developer.
During web testing, components of the website are examined for functionality, usability, security, compatibility, and performance.
What are the Different Types of Testing?
Usability Testing. Testing for usability involves identifying weaknesses in a system’s user-computer interactions, it is to check how a website should be used and whether it is user friendly. Here are the 5 goals that should be covered in your usability testing:
1) . Effective– this basically, is to measure how well a website does and whether it does what it intends to do as per your requirements.
2). Efficient– measures how fast users can complete tasks after becoming familiar with a user interface.
3). Engaging– measure how well the website is designed to interact with the user. Whether it is providing with their expectations and needs.
4). Error– it occurred while designing the user interface so it is also important to check this out.
6). Easy to learn– as the word itself, check whether it is useful to different groups of ages or does it provides instructions to the users.
Performance Testing. Tests should be performed at various connection speeds to determine its performance. The website should be able to handle heavy traffic.
With that being said, you should test its web load and stress.
Load– you need to test if the web page can sustain a heavy number of users at the same time. Users should be able to submit large amounts of data, make simultaneous connections to the database, and load specific pages with a lot of traffic at once.
Stress– Stress is generally defined as pushing the system beyond its specified limits. During web stress testing, the site is broken by giving it stress and it is observed how the system responds to stress and how it recovers from crashes. Stress is usually applied to input fields, login pages, and registration pages.
Functional Testing. This type of testing seeks to establish whether your website’s feature works according to your requirements which were discussed during website designing with your developer.
In functional testing, every aspect of the software is examined to make sure it’s working correctly.
Compatibility Testing. It is a non-functional software testing. For the test of compatibility, make sure your website has the ability to fully function in different browsers that are available in the market, especially the most used ones such as chrome, Microsoft edge, and firefox.
Interface Testing. Interface testing checks how 2 different software systems communicate with each other. Two systems are connected by an interface, an example of an interface includes APIs and web services.
Tests are usually carried out to verify that the visual elements are functioning properly regardless of their functionality or performance.
Security Testing. The purpose of this is to check the vulnerabilities of your website. Determine whether your confidential data stays confidential or not. Testing the security of your website is essential to protecting you and your company.
Tips for your Website to Work with Mobiles.
First, verify its compatibility of it with smartphones and tablets.
Optimize the loading time of your site, by optimizing the sizes of all the images.
Also think about the users with a big finger. Some mobiles are not big enough to even see the wordings in them, so for your website to work for these users, ensure buttons are large.
Lastly, create simple navigation.
Now that you have it, take it along with you.
If you’ve come this far, you might want to ask “Why is it important to test the website if I’m going to get the best website developer?”
And I’m like “Well, you should!” And I forgive you for asking that.
Why is Testing Necessary?
To ensure the quality of a given web application, web testing is used to verify that the functionality is working as intended or according to the requirements. Web testing gives you the flexibility to find bugs before a release or on an ongoing basis.
Optimized design and backlinking make it easier for your website to rise in the search engine rankings and be found by visitors. Making your website attractive and easy to use is critical if you hope to increase your business’ visibility and generate leads and sales.
I mean, you don’t want to waste your energy going back and forth with this web developing thing, right?
For a smoother process, follow all the tips we provided in our previous blog and get the website that is worth all of these.
“Don’t skip all these testing, or you will regret it forever!”
STEP #6. LAUNCHING.
Following the design and construction of a website, the next step is to launch the site and announce it to the world.
How do you announce a new website?
Well, make the most out of technology!
Announce it via social media such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Social media is a (largely) free resource that is essential to any business’s communications strategy. Build anticipation two to three weeks before your website debut by posting to your Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. These posts, dubbed “teasers,” should be brief, unique, and vague. Use a service like Canva.com to create bespoke visuals.
Write a Press Release. Prepare a press release about your new website or rebranding to send to local media, trade publications, and others. If you belong to any community, networking, or business organization, they may publish your announcement in their weekly or monthly newsletter. Writing a press release gives you a resource you can easily distribute when and where you need it.
Leverage your social media and business networks. It’s good to announce your website launch in the first person, but not only that. Make a list of business partners and engaged followers with whom you have a good relationship and who would benefit from hearing about your new website. This includes those in a referral or partner program who receive commissions for referring customers to your site.
Promote an offer. Depending on your website and brand message, you could promote a special offer to entice social media users, mailers, and existing customers to return to your site.
Or even hold a website launch party! Depending on your company’s size and nature, a launch party may be appropriate. Create an in-person event or use social media like Instagram or Facebook to launch your product or service. In either case, create a Facebook event page and share it a few times before the big day.
Alright, you made it!
Well, you’re pretty much done at this point.
Now is the time to put into practice everything I’ve discussed thus far. You can check out all the articles here:
If you’ve made it all the way to the end of this article, you should have a good idea of what to think about when building your company’s website. Additionally, you’re free to get started at any time.
Follow the instructions and suggestions provided in each step. And get to work on a website that will be up and running in no time.
We Also Offer Digital Marketing for Small & Big Businesses, SEO, E-Commerce, WordPress, PPC Campaign Development & Management for Google, Bing & Yahoo!, Facebook Ads, and more!
