Website Checklist

This is difficult to say, but there’s no ‘quick and easy’ when it comes to web development. But if your eyes do glaze over at thought, then please take some time to glance through this 10-point checklist.

You don’t need to know the answers, but your web developer should. If any of these points aren’t covered off now they will come up in the future.

Are you prepared?

(1) PLANNING

(i) Website strategy – do you know where you want to head?

(ii) Information architecture – do you know ‘what’ areas you want to cover and how to structure this across the site?

(iii) Functional requirements – do you know what technical tools or functions you want to include on your website. What's mandatory vs nice to have? e.g online forms, photo gallery, video

(iv) Have you set a budget? Do you have a guide on what's too much or too little for the style of website you need to build.

(v) And importantly... have you set goals & timeframes for when your website needs to be live.

(2) WEB DESIGN

(i) Do you have brand guidelines &/or a clear understanding of how you want to position your business?

(ii) Do you have a preference for the style of website you are looking for? Have you researched other styles you may like? Or are we starting from the very very beginning...world is your oyster, going with the dream?.

(ii) Do you have existing images, photos or logo that will be used within your website.

You would be absolutely suprised at how long this part can take. You really should've started yesterday!

(3) CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

(i) Generating content & original information

(ii) Copywriting & editing (making everything sound good!)

(iii) Keyword analysis (keeping an eye out on how to make things google-worthy)

(4) WEB BUILD & DEVELOPMENT

This is where you take some time out whilst we hand things across to the developers. We can tackle the seriously tricky and savvy, or take a commercially sound and pragmatic approach of searching for open source platforms and themes. Nevertheless, you shouldn't be left alone to navigate through the choices.

(i) Custom development or coding

(ii) Theme development or implementation

(iii) Correct implementation of page structure & meta tags

(5) CONTENT MANAGEMENT ACCESS (CMS)

(i) Will you need the ability to edit content as and when needed?

(ii) How often will you really update your website?

(iii) Will you make the updates to the website yourself, or are you likely to delegate?

(6) TESTING

The following are the hygiene factors of what's involved in setting up a new website. It all happens behind closed doors, but please make sure it happens.

(i) Cross-browser testing (e.g Internet Explorer, Safari, Mozilla..)

(ii) Testing across operating systems (e.g Windows, Mac..)

(7) TECHNICAL SETUP & THOSE EXTRA's THAT GET FORGOTTEN

(i) Website hosting - you'll need to host your website somewhere, so let's discuss a hosting plan upfront. This is a little like salt, you don't miss it until you can't have it. Same thing here. You won't value it until the day you can't access your emails and your website is down. Fact.

(ii) Domain name - do you have one? do you need one? what's the right one? is it available?

(iii) Email address - do you have one linked to your business name? do you need one?

(8) WEBSITE TRACKING

(i) This is where you track of website statistics (how many visitors? where are the coming from? how long do they stay on your website?). Talk to us about adding a Google tracking code into your website and establishing a Google Analytics account that you can manage & access when needed.

(9) WEBSITE MAINTENANCE & CUSTOMER SERVICE

(i) What happens when you need to make tweaks, edits, updates or overhauls?

(ii) Who will do the work and what are the fees?

(10) DRIVING TRAFFIC TO YOUR WEBSITE

Are you now wondering whether this list will ever finish? Well I would ask you the same about your business...are you here to grow? Then please consider how you will market your business online & offline. Under each of these headings are a multitude of strategies, some of these you can do yourself (e.g open up a Facebook Fanpage, start a blog), or some of these you can work with an online marketer to set you on the path to success.

(i) Search Engine Optimisation – Onsite activities, e.g web structuring & keyword targeting

(ii) Search Engine Optimisation – Offsite activities, e.g Traffic Building (directory listings, link backs, social media promotions etc)

(iii) Search Engine Marketing – Paid Online Advertising, e.g Google Adwords

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