Start with Your Goals

You really want to start with a stated set of goals for what you want your web site is to accomplish.   It is very easy to become preoccupied with design and the myriad details of running a web site.   Having stated goals will help you keep focused on solutions that get you where you want to go.  Just as you wouldn’t want to build a house without a blueprint, you don’t want to build a web site without a plan and goals.

Set Clear Requirements and Do Some Brainstorming  

Have Clear Requirements

You can waste a lot of time and money working with a developer if you don’t have clear requirements that you both understand.

Do Some Brainstorming

To help define your requirements, it may be best to do a little brainstorming right of the bat and think about questions like these:

• What is the purpose of the web site?
• Who is the target audience?
• What does your target audience want to see and do?
• What will engage your target audience?
• What is the best way to get your message to your target audience?
• What is the core content you intend to have – this can drive your bandwidth and storage requirements?
  • Primarily text with some graphics?
  • Graphics rich?
  • Streaming media hosted on your site?
  • Downloadable files?
• How are you going to fund the costs of a web site?
• What kinds of things do you want to sell?
• How are you going to sell them?
• Are you going to present creative content to generate advertising revenue
• Are you going to present creative content to promote sales of items on other sites; e.g. self-publishing via Amazon or other sources, including books for Kindle, Nook, etc.
• Are you going to present creative content to promote sales of items on third-party sites that specialize in imprinting images on products; e.g., Café Press and 3DRose.
• Do you intend to use creative content from other people to build an online community.
• Do you plan to offer discussion and participation to build an online community.
• Will you be using social media/social networking sites along with your own website?
• Are you planning to have a common brand across all of your web presences?