Business Checklist: Preparing for Website Development
Checklist for founder before website development
Embarking on the journey of website development is an intricate and labor-intensive process, especially when you're uncertain about the desired outcome. The technical execution falls into the hands of developers, designers, coders, and other niche specialists. Your role, however, is to clearly define the goals and format of the resource, seek references, analyze the market landscape of your niche, and more.
We've compiled a straightforward and easy-to-understand checklist that will aid you in preparing for a meeting with your contractor and clarify your expectations for the forthcoming website.
These tips are universal and not specific to any type of development. The checklist is designed primarily for gathering information and materials to create a conversion-optimized resource that embodies the necessary brand values and missions. Let's delve into the details.
Defining Website Goals
The goals you set for your website will influence its structure, design concept, and marketing tools.
What objectives can a website serve?
The primary mission of a website is to achieve specific outcomes. What objectives can it fulfill? They vary widely, but here are some of the most common:
Generating leads through an additional channel;
Creating a landing page that presents crucial information about a product or service;
Developing a brochure website that highlights company activities and offered products;
Implementing a product catalog to facilitate online sales and streamline inventory management.
How to determine your website's objectives?
Before reaching out to an agency or contractor about creating a website, ponder its key objectives. To simplify, ask yourself a few questions:
Do I actually need a website?
Why do I need it (or why not)?
What problems should my website address?
Can it realistically solve these issues?
What objective should be prioritized?
It's advisable to document your answers to keep the information handy. Afterwards, you can proceed to task setting.
Break down each objective into specific tasks. Many objectives are achievable through development, for instance:
Facilitating online orders;
Writing informative content for optimization purposes;
Creating a business blog to post company news;
Introducing an online calculator for product/service cost estimates;
Establishing a feedback form for customer interaction, and so on.
Once you've outlined a comprehensive set of tasks, share them with the agency for discussion. Subsequently, managers will:
Determine an optimal implementation strategy;
Select the necessary specialists;
Identify additional channels to boost website traffic.
What can't be achieved with a website?
It's naive to view a website as a cure-all. Entrepreneurs often believe that simply having a website will automatically propel their business forward. This isn't the case. Even with numerous outstanding resources, the absence of marketing tools means efforts will go unnoticed.
Before pinning your hopes on a new website for a substantial revenue increase, consider the following:
A website alone won't attract a flood of new clients. High traffic and targeted leads are the results of comprehensive resource management and individually tailored marketing tools.
A website won't make you a market leader overnight, especially against competitors who have already established their e-commerce presence. Thus, analyzing competitors' activities and formulating a strategy is essential before website development.
A website is merely a tool. Its effectiveness depends on your efforts. If a plethora of inquiries generated through the resource are not properly handled by your staff, profits will remain elusive.
Remember the golden rule: Internet marketing is a cohesive strategy where all tools interconnect and support each other.
Choosing the Right Website Format
There are two primary types of websites: landing pages (single-page) and multi-page sites. The choice between these formats should be based on your goals, the needs of your target audience, and the range of products/services you offer.
Landing pages suit companies aiming to create a dedicated page for a specific product, event, or service. This format is ideal for promoting courses, conferences, announcing new smartphones, SUVs, etc.
Remember: one landing page should convey a single idea. If you have multiple products, a multi-page site might be a better fit.
A Closer Look at Landing Pages
The key principle of a landing page is linearity. In simple terms, all information is presented on a single page, with no option for users to navigate to different pages. Your task is to organize the information blocks effectively. The most critical content (product demonstrations, case studies, promotional banners) should be at the top, while less significant details (reviews, company information, etc.) go at the bottom.
This linear strategy ensures you can present your product or service to potential customers in a compelling and concise manner. For instance, a visitor lands on your page, learns about the service, pricing, and achievable results, then proceeds to explore case studies, your methodology, and existing customer testimonials. Based on this information, the consumer overcomes any objections, decides to engage, fills out a contact form, and awaits a call from your team.
The main goal of a single-page site is to lead the customer towards a specific action—be it a purchase, a request for information, a subscription, etc. Hence, it's crucial not to overload the landing page and to focus on the specific product/service.
Is a Landing Page Right for You?
A web studio or another contractor can help you decide on the format. However, you should consider certain factors before consulting with them.
A landing page may be suitable if you:
Aim to attract audiences to online events or open gatherings;
Are launching informational or educational products;
Need to collect applications or boost sales for a specific product/service;
Want to create an image resource to enhance brand reputation and trust;
Are selling tickets to offline events such as concerts, conferences, presentations.
Tip: If you offer services in different regions, consider creating a multi-landing page, where the information changes based on the user's location.
Exploring Multi-Page Websites
A multi-page site is optimal if you have a large catalog of products or services. This format allows for the segmentation of sections according to specific tasks. Again, the principle of one page, one idea applies.
Multi-page resources typically include pages like the homepage, catalog, about the company, case studies, testimonials, contact form, and a business blog (if you wish to publish articles and news about your activities).
This structure logically organizes information to meet user queries and simplifies navigation across the resource.
Who Should Consider a Multi-Page Site?
Companies with a vast and varied catalog of products and services;
Entrepreneurs looking to target several audience segments at once;
Organizations with multiple related directions;
Brands expecting customers to perform various target actions.
For small businesses with a specific product, a landing page is optimal. If you own a large company, investing in a multi-page site will showcase the full spectrum of your activities to your audience. You can also create a landing page serving as a landing spot for seasonal discounts, promotions, and other offers.
Defining the Website's Role in the Sales Funnel
For a website to be profitable, it's essential to determine how users will find it, what happens after they take a target action, etc. It's crucial to understand the basis of your target audience's needs to satisfy them effectively.
Pre-determining the Role of Visuals on the Site
Sometimes, a site might predominantly rely on text, especially in fields like law, medicine, consulting, etc. However, if you're selling a physical product, showcasing it visually is indispensable. It's wise to prepare in advance and produce compelling photos that highlight the product's features, appearance, and other aspects.
Advice: Avoid stock images, which have become a web design anti-trend. Original images perform better as they address the specific needs and questions of users. If you lack the necessary visuals, create a brief for the designer, conduct a meeting to explain your concept, and then hire a skilled photographer or 3D modeler.
A Bit of Statistics
Research shows that users only need a few seconds to judge a website's design and decide if they're interested. The more modern and attractive the resource, the higher the likelihood they'll engage with the content and reach the offer. A website with a trendy and engaging visual design has a better chance of capturing a potential customer's attention.
Bazaarvoice published data indicating that great design could increase conversion by 111%. The formula is clear: higher conversion rates lead to more sales. For instance, the profitability from a single customer could increase by 170-180%.
What Other Functions Does Visual Design Serve?
Good design can enhance your company's brand recognition. Approximately 80% of the audience believes that the right visuals help them find and remember the needed product online. Moreover, over 90% of users admit that an impressive website design increases their trust in the brand and its products. In short, a good reputation equates to larger sales.
How to Create a Visual Style?
Analyze your target audience's preferences in visuals. Remember, your tastes might not align with your users'—and that's okay. Always cater to your customers' preferences.
Develop a consistent visual style based on your company's brand book.
Embrace trends and contemporary designs that fit your organization's specificity.
Choose fonts wisely: using more than two fonts can negatively affect the site's overall style. Ensure the selected fonts complement each other in thickness and serifs.
Create templates in your chosen style for articles, product cards, and other information groups. This enables the designer to quickly adjust content to fit a specific theme.
Why Is This Necessary?
People are visual creatures. The logic is straightforward: why should I engage with an unattractive and poorly designed site when competitors offer bright, vivid, and understandable content? You wouldn't buy clothes from an online store with ugly banners and uninformative visuals (or none at all), right?
Visual packaging needs to be appealing, especially in e-commerce. A captivating image is half the battle in sales. Given the high level of competition, it's crucial to stand out and be memorable.
Analyzing the Market
Let's revisit the analysis of your target audience and competitors. It's wise to entrust this to experienced professionals. Your task is to have a general understanding of who you are selling to and which companies you should be looking at as benchmarks. This information is crucial for the copywriters and designers working on your website. Let's delve deeper into this.
Understanding Your Target Audience
The primary goal of any business is to attract customers. But how? By identifying the portrait of the potential buyer interested in your products. This determines the brand's profit and the success of its marketing campaigns.
To fully understand your target audience (TA), follow this comprehensive analysis algorithm.
Define your company's focus: What areas do you want to cover in your business segment? What can you offer your customers? What are your strengths and advantages over competitors? In which niches is the competition minimal, but there is active growth in demand for products/services? What sales and operation format is most effective in your industry?
Create an ideal customer profile by answering the following questions: Who is your client? What are their main characteristics (gender, age, location, income level, etc.)? What hobbies and needs do they have? How susceptible are they to marketing influences?
Note: If a client has a negative perception of your company for any reason, they won't buy your product, no matter how excellent it is.
What value does your product/service offer to the TA? How can you solve their problems? What are the key features of your product that could be highlighted on the website to attract users? By what criteria will a person search for the product they need? How can you capture their attention?
Remember, the better you understand the buyer's needs, the more valuable the website content will be for them.
To compile a more detailed customer profile, consider:
Customer development with current or former brand buyers;
Interviews with the potential target audience;
Surveys and tests, comments in thematic groups and forums;
Reviews of the products.
Why is an ideal customer profile necessary?
The Ideal Client Profile (ICP) is the foundation that will determine the success of your brand, content creation strategy, promotion, and attraction of new leads to the website.
Creating an ICP offers several advantages:
It allows you to focus resources on attracting only target leads, improving marketing campaign outcomes and reducing advertising costs.
It extends the Lifetime Value (LTV) by identifying and addressing the key pains of users, satisfying their needs through content and offered products/services.
It increases the number of positive reviews and recommendations. Satisfied users fitting into your TA profile will appreciate your offer and benefit from your product/service, likely leaving positive feedback and recommending your brand to others.
Analyzing the Market and Niches
Before creating a website, determine the level of competition in your chosen niche, focusing on online competitors.
Competitor Analysis Categories Include:
High-margin and in-demand products that could boost your profit;
The market share occupied by competitors;
Marketing strategies and channels used by other brands;
Your company's strengths that can set you apart from competitors;
Potential weaknesses that could hinder your e-commerce progress;
Problems and needs of potential customers influencing sales volume.
Analyzing Competitors
Companies that have been in the online market for a while have navigated through trials and errors to develop effective strategies. Your task is to analyze their experiences to save time and money.
Competitor Search Analysis Will Help You:
Identify competitors' activities online, which pages get good traffic, and what search queries they rank for;
Show the market share of competitors and your company;
Highlight strengths and weaknesses in your niche that can be leveraged;
Outline priority tasks and evaluate the needed promotion efforts, estimated budget, and timeline to achieve leading positions.
Conduct Interviews with the Sales Department
It's important to understand the customer journey from initial contact to purchase. Identify common objections, how the sales team addresses them, fears delaying the deal, and typical product-related questions. Use this information to create a detailed brief, enhancing the value proposition through website content.
Selecting the Best Cases
Interview specialists who have worked on successful projects to gather information that showcases your brand's expertise and value to customers. Provide the copywriter with ample data to craft compelling case studies.
Tip: If you're starting without a budget for full-scale content marketing, write case studies. They directly attract target leads. Although they may not generate as much traffic as expert articles, their quality will be superior.
Also, always clarify the cause-and-effect relationship in case studies. Explain your actions and the results achieved, providing statistics and charts. You're writing for clients, so relevance is key.
Appointing a Project Specialist
Although the website development is handled by external specialists, you (the client) should regularly oversee the process. Provide a brief, gather content, make edits, etc. If your company has a complex hierarchy, assign multiple specialists for specific tasks to streamline approval processes and meet deadlines.
Choosing a Domain Name
The domain name is your website's unique address on the internet. It should be simple and clear, often reflecting the company name or industry.
Forming an Updated Price List
Compile a price list for your products/services, decide on promotions and discounts, and consider a loyalty program if necessary. A website without prices deters customers. If fixed prices are not feasible (e.g., window installation or home building), provide a minimum or average cost "from N currency." Another option is an online calculator.
Filling Out the Initial Brief
Before starting work with a contractor, you'll need to fill out a brief to provide a general overview of your company. This helps specialists familiarize themselves with your business and meet both your expectations and the needs of your target audience.
Can These Steps Be Skipped?
While not the end of the world, it's advisable to collect and analyze information concurrently with the development process. Discuss this with your contractor to ensure timely progress.
Conclusion
To effectively wrap up, the essence of creating a successful startup website transcends aesthetics and functionality; it's fundamentally about alignment with strategic business objectives and a deep connection with your target audience. The journey begins with a meticulous market and competitor analysis, honing in on understanding your ideal customer's needs and preferences. This groundwork is crucial for tailoring your digital presence to speak directly to your audience, ensuring your website acts not just as a brochure, but as a dynamic tool for engagement, conversion, and customer retention.
Implementing the insights gained from these analyses into every aspect of your website—from the design and content to the user experience—enables you to craft a site that resonates with your audience and differentiates you from competitors. It's about creating a compelling narrative around your brand that captures and retains customer interest, driving both immediate transactions and long-term loyalty.
As you embark on this endeavor, remember that your website is a living entity in the digital ecosystem. It should evolve alongside your business and market trends, adapting to new insights about your customers and shifts in the competitive landscape. Engage with your audience, gather feedback, and continuously refine your online presence. By doing so, you not only maintain relevance but also foster a community around your brand, laying a solid foundation for sustainable growth.
In closing, the creation of your startup's website is a critical, ongoing process that demands thoughtful strategy, customer insight, and a commitment to excellence. It's your digital handshake with the world—make it count.
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