Need a website but don’t know where to start?

So you have this great business idea and you decide you need a website, what business doesn’t have a website these days right?

Getting a website off the ground can be overwhelming for people who have no idea where to start. Here are some quick tips to help get you started.

Why do you need a Website?

The first step is to establish why you actually need a website. Is it to promote your business and gain more customers? Is it so people can find you online? Or will it be a key source of your business activity? Knowing why you need a website will prepare you when it comes to briefing your Web Designer.

Set a budget

Be realistic when setting your budget. No reputable web design firm is going to do an entire e-commerce store for $150. Remember in a lot of circumstances, you get what you pay for.

Learn the basic Lingo

Some basic terms you should be armed with:-

  • Domain Name : your website address (eg. www.yourname.com)
  • Web Hosting/Host : The space where the files for your website are stored that can be accessed by the world wide web.
  • Content Management System (CMS) : a system that allows you to update your own content without knowing how to program for the web.
  • Browser : The program that you access the internet with (eg. Internet Explorer / Firefox)

Don’t go overboard, a Web Designer doesn’t like being told what language they should code your website in.

Shop for a Web Designer

The best way to find a good web designer is to ask around, word of mouth is the best way to find good quality services. Once you have narrowed it down, look at their portfolio of past work, contact their clients to see if they were happy with the service they provided.

Avoid Web designers who you can’t get on the phone – I have had a lot of clients come to me and say, oh I outsourced this to a company overseas and it’s not what I want, now I can’t get in contact with them to fix it. Or I got a family friend to do it for me and now he’s finished uni he doesn’t have time to finish it.

A good web designer will guide you, assist you with your questions and concerns and above all communicate with you.