Without a doubt, a #website is a great digital marketing asset for any business. It's like owning a piece of real estate but online. However, even though you know your business needs a website, sometimes you're not quite ready to get started.
In that in-between time before you even contract a developer, here are 3 really smart things you can do to prepare for the new stunning website that will save you loads of time in the development stages.
Domain names and websites are internet real estate. - Marc Ostrofsky
1. Know what you want...or at least what you like. Now is a good time to do some research and have a look at other websites in your industry. Take note of the things that you like and don't like - things like layout, fonts, use of images, functionality, etc. View these websites on different devices as well, so that you get a sense of how they display across devices.
Knowing what you want or at least like helps you to have more meaningful consultations with your website developer. When it's time to go full speed ahead, you will be able to articulate what you're looking for and get good feedback and advice that will go a long way in making your website the best it can be.
2. Think about a domain name. This is really the first step in creating your online presence. Simply put, your domain name is the name of your website that people will use to find you online. For many businesses, this will probably be your business name, eg. desmoneinternational.com. In any case, your domain name should be easy to remember and reflect the nature of your business.
Since there's always a possibility that someone else could have the same domain name ideas as you, once you have an idea of the name you want to use, visit a domain name registrar like godaddy.com to check on availability and cost. You will also see a range of domain name endings like .com, .co, .net, etc.
If the domain you want is available you can go ahead and purchase it, especially if you don't want to risk someone else snatching it up before you do. You definitely don't have to wait until you're ready to get started with your website to choose or even purchase a domain name.
3. Start thinking about content - especially images. What content do you currently have that you can display online? Do you have high-quality product images, photos of team members, or of your business? If the answer is no, then these are things that you should work on getting done prior to rather than during the website development process. Trust me, this will save you a lot of time!
Organize your content - images, videos, etc, so that (1) both you and your development team know what content you have available and (2) it's easily accessible when it's time to populate your website with content.
Of course, when you're ready to create your online presence, we’d love to help! Contact us anytime to get started.
