May.14, 200911 Steps to Creating a Successful Website
May.14, 200911 Steps to Creating a Successful Website
- Decide who your web site is targeted to. Who do you want to visit your website?
- Spend some time identifying what will make your website successful to you. Figure out what you want your visitors to do when they are on your website. Whatever action you want your visitors to take is your “Call to Action”.
- Chose a few keywords that will get the visitors you identified in step 1 to take the action you identified in step 2.
- Create your Information Architecture. This is harder than it sounds. You want to map out (or sketch out) how all the pages connect. Think of a tree layout in power point or a family tree and you will get the picture. This will help your site be easy to navigate for your visitors.
- Decide what type of CMS (Content Management System) you need. CMS’s go from free, to really expensive depending on the amount of features you need. All sites need a CMS in place. For your site to be effective, it needs to be easy to update.
- Draw out your key pages to create your Graphic User Interface. This is the layout of your site, without the pretty pictures. This is really an important step. It will allow you to make sure everything that belongs on each page is in the design, and that each element is in the best location to make your “Call to Action” a success.
- Design the graphics (pretty pictures) to work with the Graphic User Interface.
- Create and Implement any programming.
- Write your copy and make sure it is targeted to the users you identified in step 1. Also make sure that it asks them to take the Call to Action you identified in step 2.
- Test, Test and Retest! You don’t want your visitors to hit any bugs.
- Launch your website!
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