The 5 Steps below will help you plan your Website.

Everything you can do to help plan your Website ahead of time will speed up and ease the design process, however, nothing listed on this page is compulsory.

It is important to have a clear image of what you want and need from your web site. From my experience, those clients who come prepared with a good idea of what they want tend to be the happiest with the final result.

» Find Websites That You Like
Do you have a favourite? Do you like certain aspects of their design? I will not copy other designers work, but having a website or websites you like and sharing them with me can greatly help when conveying your design ideas.

» Research Your Competitors
If you have competitors or suppliers that have websites, look at their sites.
- Do they have anything in common with each other?
- Did you notice anything that you would change?
- What can I do to make your site stand out among them?

» Draw a Picture
One of the first things I do in the design process is to draw a rough draft of what you want the website to look like. One way to speed up the design process is by doing this first step yourself. Not everyone is an artist, but all that is needed is a simple drawing of the layout you want, maybe with a few sections coloured in for effect.

#1 Identify The Purpose of Your Website

While designing your site, one of the most helpful pieces of information you can provide is the purpose your site will serve. Is it just for informational purposes? Do want your customers or visitors to be able to interact and communicate with you through your site?

Below are four questions you can ask yourself to help you find the purpose of your site:

• Who is your target audience/market?
• What will your users/customers expect from your Website?
• How often will your users/customers be visiting your Website?
• Where will your website be displayed or advertised?

#2 Imagine Your Design

My job as your Website designer is to make that image of the site you have in your mind come to life. Many times however, that image may not be so clear. There are few things that you can do to bring that image to a crisp, clear vision.

By using the techniques here, you will be clarifying that image in your head as well as providing communication tools that will help you explain that image to me. A few other things to consider when planning your design is the colour scheme/theme and logo design. Will your Website have photographic or product images, or have illustrations or text? How do you want your site structured? Just remember, I am here to help you with the design. If you are still unsure of what your site needs, let me help you along.

#3 Organise Your Content

The design is the first thing your users/customers see when they visit your site, but the content is the reason they are there. It is important that your content is organised and well thought out.

Once you have a clear idea of what the structure of your site will be, you will be able to prepare your content to be included with the design. For example, most Websites include a "Home" page, an "About Us" page, and a "Contact" page. Your Website may have many more detailed pages and in order to keep the design process running smoothly, it is important that you have your content written, organised, and ready to be used. If you are not comfortable with this task, I offer content writing and proofing as additional services.

#4 Prepare For Design

The final part of planning your web site is to prepare your thoughts for the designer (me). Below are a few ways to prepare yourself for the design process. All of the items listed will help the designer to better understand your vision.

• Create an outline of what you want done with your Website.
• Collect all of the drawings and notes you have made along the way.
• Collect any brochures, logo samples, or other materials you need to explain your thoughts.
• Organise your content based on the Website structure you want.
• Compile any information to be stored in a database into a readable format such as an excel or CSV file.

I recommend organising all of the above listed items in a notebook, folder, or binder. Some may choose to organise it electronically and save it on a CD or flash drive. However, if you don’t have the time or just aren’t good at organising, don’t worry… we’ll sort through it!

#5 Request Your FREE Consultation!

I offer a free, no obligation consultation. If by chance, you still don’t have a clear image of what you want and / or need in your web site, don’t worry. I can help you through the process during this consultation.

So, whether you know exactly what you want or you have no idea yet,
schedule your FREE Consultation! today.