5 Step Website Brief

Its time to get a new website but where do you start? You might find the idea daunting but it doesn't have to be complicated. A new website can highlight your business objectives and result in a review of the direction you are taking.

Use our 5 step web design brief to get you on the right track.

Step 1. Choose a domain name

Putting some thought into your domain name is important. Hopefully you will have this domain name for a long time. It is a branding opportunity that can be wasted or maximised. 

• Short & Sweet - less chance of people making mistakes when typing
• Easy to remember - nothing too complicated for people to remember later and to type
• Research - check a competitior doesn't have a name similar
• SEO friendly - include words that explain what your business does
• Don't wait - if you find the perfect one grab it while you can and remember can register as many domain names as you like.

Step 2. Website Requirements

There are endless possibilities when it comes to what your website can do. Thinking about what you need and want from your website in the planning phase will make the whole process more enjoyable and easy.

Selling Online (e-commerce) - ready to sell your products / services online and want to broaden your customer base. If so you will need an e-commerce site.
Create brand awareness - looking to build your business profile and add more credability to your brand by having an online presence.
Simple online business card - A welcome page with basic contact information later to be replaced by a more involved website.
Blog - Do you write regular content to keep customer engagement up? A primary blog function can dictate the platform you use to build your site.
Member Login - Do you want to create a members only area for content particular to your members and not for public viewing? User management can be streamlined to allow increased member activity and added value.

• E-commerce
• Video embedding
• Social media integration
• Forums
• Booking e.g Accommodation / Restaurant / Events
• Custom template design & development
• Basic & custom Forms
• Built in Newsletter Sign Up
• Interactive Training / e-Learning
  
  

Step 3. Design & Development

Once you have decided on the focus of your site (whether with your web developer or alone) you must next choose someone to do it for you unless you are going to confident in tackling the task yourself. If you do choose to go it alone we suggest using a tried and tested platform ratehr than a new whizz bang one. Support is almost always needed at some point from developers on some level and choosing a well known platform will mean finding answers is a lot easier. Finding a developer that will communicate well with you is key and above all choose someone you feel you can trust.

Things to consider & common services required:

• Mobile Responsiveness
• SEO Optimisation
• Content Management
• Brand Development
• Photography + Photo Editing
• Videography
• Content Writing
• Social Media
• Graphic Design
• Branding
• Logo Design
• Marketing Strategy
• Promotion & Advertising

Step 4. Hosting, Security & Maintenance

A website is not a one off exercise that can be neglected once made live. Paying regular attention to your website will keep it up to date and secure for both your users and content. Are you able to access the services you need from your chosen web and design team when you need them?

What after sales support is offered? If you run into trouble can you call them without being on hold for hours?
Backup & Security for your website? How regularly is your site and content backed up / core software upgraded?

Step 5. What do you need to get started?

Content - About your business, contact details, faqs, images (stock or real), testimonials, resources.
A clear brand identity will get you off to a good start. If you have high quality images of your business that can be used for your new site or if you would like to keep it fresh make that decision.

A brief outline of what you want from your new website. Analyse competitiors websites and identify your website likes and dislikes. Consider your customers , web users and point of difference.