So, you’ve come up with a business plan and are ready to get things moving – but you haven’t got a web design yet! Fear not, this guide is designed to help budding businesses and entrepreneurs kick things off with a fantastic web design that will appeal to the right audience and attract the right crowd. Read on for part I of our guide:
1. Choose a Domain Name
Choose a domain name that is easy to remember, easy on the eye and easy on the ear. Choose carefully – this is the domain name that will bolster your online presence and enable people to find you. Also bear in mind whether you want to use .com, .net or something else.
2. Hosting & Technology
Choose a reliable host and establish the amount of capacity you will need and the type of web hosting you require (see here for our quick guide on website hosting). Also, consider the type of technology you intend to implement on your website. HTML? Javascript? PHP? CSS3? Or a combination of these?
3. Colour
Colour influences the way that people feel when they visit your website and can have a profound impact on their interaction with your site. Be mindful when choosing the colour scheme for your website and remember that different tones have a different influence on users (see here for our guide on the psychology of colour in your web design).
4. Design
Branding and web design is a topic that we have covered time and time again here on the 8 Ways Media blog and that’s because we know how significant web design can be on the overall success of your website. Consider features such as parallax scrolling, which is a contemporary web design technique designed to minimise distraction. See here for some examples of parallax websites in action, designed by 8 Ways Media.
5. Layout
The layout of your site is also hugely influential and can make or break the amount of time an individual stays on your site for – particularly in an age where the majority of internet users are browsing the internet from a mobile device. If your site is clean with a stunning, high-quality layout – like Spotify’s, then you can guarantee that people will visit your site, stay on your site and come back time and time again. If it’s not, then the chances of them returning in future are very slim.
6. Site Map
A good site map is the backbone of your website and is not only ideal for SEO, but human users too. It provides a detailed breakdown of the contents of your website and ensures that users can find what they are looking for with ease.
7. Content
Content is king and killer content has never been more important in an age where maintaining the interest of your audience can be a challenge. With outstanding content that shines above the rest, people will be more likely to find value in your brand and revisit your site copious times.
Stay tuned for part II of our series on top things to do before developing your own website.
About 8 Ways Media
8 Ways Media is your leading branding and web design agency specialised in all of the above services and more. From content writing to SEO, branding and web design a more in between, 8 Ways Media is the agency of choice when it comes to specialised, bespoke services that will guarantee to propel your business into the limelight and help you to succeed.
To learn more about the services available at 8 Ways Media, please visit www.8ways.ch or contact info@8ways.ch.
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