Important Steps to Web Development You Should Not Ignore

Is your company about to embark on a new web design? Here are vital steps to take before you talk to a web development company.

In the web development process, web designers can be put in the uncomfortable position of dealing with a client who isn’t sure of what they want and are feeling their way through the design process, making expensive and time-consuming changes along the way and pushing deadlines further and further behind. A professional agency is there to guide you but clients should also think about what they want to achieve from a web development or redevelopment.

The focus and position of the website

You need to decide what the focus of the website is going to be, for example whether the aim of the website is to educate and inform, sell hotel travel, promote a service or brand for your company. At this point, you should also think about the positioning of the website and where you think your products sit in the market. Positioning is one descriptive sentence, slogan or image the brand/company is known for – this has a strong influence on the web design.

Target audience and product offerings

Before approaching a design company, take time to consider what products and services you want to offer and the core or niche target markets that will be interested purchasing them. Filter this down and work out exactly who your ideal customer will be. You may drill down according to gender, age, location, income, education, ethnic and religious backgrounds and so on – this will greatly assist with web development.

Decide on a look and feel of the website

It’s a good rule of thumb to keep your branding consistent so people can recognise your company simply by the look and feel of all your marketing platforms. As part of the design process, you will need to provide your logo, the slogan, quality images and ideally a suggested font type and font size. You may already have a style guide that you use for your branding campaigns that you can give to the web development team.

Specific website features

It’s best to put together two lists; one a list of the features that are deal breakers for your site and a wish list of features that are budget-dependent. Put down as many things as you like and be as detailed as possible. This may include things like adding a secure online booking engine, a search-friendly content management system and so on. You may not be able to afford some features now but may be able to add them to your website at a later date.

Getting buy in from executives

This is one of the most important things to do before approaching a development team. You need to know that your management team is on board with the redesign of your website and is happy to allocate part of your marketing budget to this task. One of the most frustrating aspects of web development is going through the design process without total management support, leading to problems further down the track.

A little bit of a thought goes a long way when it comes to web development. When a client has a clear idea of what they want rather than feeling their way through the process, it can not only quicken up the website build but also save you money in the process. Once you have thought about what you want to achieve from your web design, contact Web Design Works and speak our web development experts about how we can help you realise your design vision.

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