I decided I want a website, now what?

It is important for business owners to think about many different things when designing a site. It can seem overwhelming and time consuming, but here is a quick list of things to consider before even talking to a web designer/developer. These are the questions that I often ask when I first sit down with a client. It helps me get a better idea of your wants and needs. It also gives me a good place to start. If you don’t have a logo yet, we might want to think about designing a logo before building your site. If you don’t have colors or fonts that you use, maybe we want to begin with some branding development. Don’t worry the process can be simple. Just start with these 10 questions:

1. Colors – what colors have you been using in your business?
2. Do you have a logo?
3. Do you have any fonts that you currently always use?
4. What do you want your website to do? Sell products, be informational, help reach new customers, help with current customers?
5. What are some websites that you love? what about them do you love? (colors, content, information, flow, navigation)
6. What are some websites that you dislike? what about them do you dislike? (colors, content, information, flow, navigation)
7. Do you want a blog on your site?
8. Who is going to manage your site after it is built? Do you want to do it or a developer?
9. How often will your site need to be updated? Are you constantly adding new images or events, like in a gallery or venue?
10. Are there any additional features, special features you want on your site? Video, webinars, connections to facebook or twitter?