Website Planning Before creating and uploading a website, it is important to take the time to plan exactly what is needed in the website. Thoroughly considering the audience or target market, as well as defining the purpose and deciding the content will be developed are extremely important. Purpose It is essential to define the purpose of the website as one of the first steps in the planning process. A purpose statement should show focus based on what the website will accomplish and what the users will get from it. A clearly defined purpose will help the rest of the planning process as the audience is identified and the content of the site is developed. Setting short and long term goals for the website will help make clear the purpose and plan for the future when expansion, modification, and improvement will take place. Also, goal-setting practices and measurable objectives should be identified to track the progress of the site and determine success. Audience Defining the audience is a key step in the website planning process. The audience is the group of people who are expected to visit your website – the market being targeted. These people will be viewing the website for a specific reason and it is important to know exactly what they are looking for when they visit the site. A clearly defined purpose or goal of the site as well as an understanding of what visitors want to do/feel when they come to your site will help to identify the target audience. Upon considering who is most likely to need/use the content, a list of characteristics common to the users such as: ·Audience Characteristics ·Information Preferences ·Computer Specifications ·Web Experience Taking into account the characteristics of the audience will allow an effective website to be created that will deliver the desired content to the target audience. Content Content evaluation and organization requires that the purpose of the website be clearly defined. Collecting a list of the necessary content then organizing it according to the audience's needs is a key step in website planning. In the process of gathering the content being offered, any items that do not support the defined purpose or accomplish target audience objectives should be removed. It is a good idea to test the content and purpose on a focus group and compare the offerings to the audience needs. The next step in the process is categorizing the content and organizing it according to user needs. Each category should be named with a concise and descriptive title that will become a link on the website. Planning for the site's content ensures that the wants/needs of the target audience and the purpose of the site will be satisfied
Isn't a unique website design automatically a custom website design, and vice-versa? It seems obvious that they would be, but in my experience, just because a website is custom-built doesn't mean it is unique, and the reverse rule also applies. Naturally, we all want our website to be both unique and custom (and affordable doesn't hurt as well), so the key is to analyze what your web designer offers to make sure that you are getting the perfect website for you, a unique custom website that does exactly what your business needs it to do.
A unique website, on its own, is simply a website that isn't just like another site. It needs something that sets it apart from all the other sites on the web. It doesn't need to break new ground in the world of website design, and really, there isn't much new ground that remains to be broken, unless you want to shatter the very ground your website stands on. Fact is that there are certain basics of website design that have been proven to work, and ignoring them just for the sake of standing out is folly for a business website. You don't want your entire site to take up a 250 by 250 pixel square amidst a sea of white. Sure, it's unique, but not in a useful way. A website is a tool, and the best tools are those that can most efficiently accomplish the tasks assigned to them, not the ones that look the strangest. That in mind, if your tool can do things just as well as all the others, or even better, why not also make it stand out from the crowd if doing so won't inhibit its function any? That's the goal of the unique website design; standing out from the crowd without hampering functionality.
A custom website, on the other hand, is designed specifically for you and your business. This doesn't make it unique. A simple black text on white background informational site with buttons across the top and a logo in the upper-left corner isn't by any stretch of the imagination unique, but it might be just fine for your business. The great thing about a custom website design is not only that it does the jobs you need it to do, but that it can actually be more affordable than a less customized but still unique website.
So in the end - what, you need more elaboration on that point? How can custom actually be more affordable than non-custom? Well, look at it this way. A custom website design is best when it springs from a custom web design package. That is, a package designed and priced specifically for the website that is being custom built. On the other hand, a non-custom package is likely to include a lot of features that you don't actually need. It's always better, in my opinion and experience, to work with your website designer to get the package and the price that is perfect for you, rather than having to buy a pre-designed package that requires you pay for three features you don't need to get the one you want.
So in the end, if you're looking to get a website created, I'd advise to begin your efforts searching for a unique, custom website design that also happens to be affordable. Getting what you need for the best possible price, and looking good while you're doing it, is always better than spending extra cash to mimic what's already been done.
Both Stalin John & Dustin Schwerman are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Stalin John has sinced written about articles on various topics from Web Development, Site Promotion. Professional web site design - $149. Go for Custom web site design at affordable price and be unique at . Stalin John's top article generates over 3600 views. to your Favourites.
Dustin Schwerman has sinced written about articles on various topics from Web Development, Web Development and Boating. Dustin Schwerman is the head web designer for Truly Unique Website Design. Truly Unique offers services ranging from to. Dustin Schwerman's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.