Getting a Website Up and Running - Tips to Develop a High Quality Site!

 One of the first things you need to do to get a business up and running is to get a website. No matter what type of business you have, a website is essential. People can find you through the site and you can refer people to your site to handle basic inquiries, orders, etc.

How you get your site developed will have a definite impact on the site's overall quality as well as how long it takes to get the website up. You can always begin with a starter website and enhance it over time.

1) Do-it-Yourself Options

There are some do-it-yourself options that do not require you to have much knowledge of website design. In fact, there are some you can use even if you have no understanding of website design.

One of the more popular options is GoDaddy's Website Tonight & trade;. Basically you choose from one of hundreds of templates that they have available and create a site in minutes. You can add the images and content you want and have your site online the same day you begin.

If you are going to do it yourself, make sure you keep these basic rules in mind:

- Keep navigation simple so people are always 1-click away from what they want or need to do.

- Make sure your content is clear and concise.

- View your site from the eyes of your target audience.

- Do not try to do too much on any one page, keep the message simple.

- Make all your calls to action (e.g. buy now, click here, etc) stick out.

2) Having Your Site Built

If you are not a do-it-yourself type or you need a more elaborate website, then you will want to hire a website design company. There are thousands of design companies ready, willing and able to build your site.

Here are some things to keep in mind when having a website built:

- Fully custom sites are not always the best choice - typically if it is custom built, you stay "married" to that designer because changes to the site may be too difficult for someone else to fix.

- Consider Joomla sites and WordPress sites - typically they are easy to update (Joomla is a great option) and there are many designers that can step in and help you down the road.

- Shopping carts should almost never be custom-designed - more often than not shopping carts that are custom created are "buggy" and create more headaches than they are worth. Consider an "off the shelf" cart that can be customized as needed.

- Never sign a contract that does not include basic maintenance for at least 6 months after the site is finished.

- Layout clearly all the functions you want the site to have, do not forget things like e-mail marketing; shopping carts; registration forms; navigation; etc.

One way to tell if you are dealing with a good website design company is how they begin the relationship. If they are good, they will have a clear way to move a project along including a discussion of many of the things listed above.

Ask to see samples of sites they have built similar to the site you are having built. Make sure you like what you see and how it navigates.



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