Website Design To-Do List

When it comes to website design, there are a lot of steps to the process from start to finish. Whether you’re creating a website from scratch or if you are looking to redesign an old website, we put together a list of tasks that will take you through the process!

-Research Hosting and Domain Options

One of the most important aspects of a successful website is the domain name as well as where you host the site. Aim to keep your domain short and simple. The best domain names are under three words and don’t contain hyphens or numbers. If your website domain and URL are lengthy and complicated, it won’t be prioritized by search engines or be easy to remember for visitors. 

Most of the time you don’t need extreme and fancy hosting, however, you do want to shop around and see what different plans will include or provide. Don’t skimp on the research. Choosing the wrong web hosting provider can create problems for you down the line. Make sure the host you select fits your needs when it comes to things like site speed, scalability, and security. Security and backups are a big deal for websites, especially if you’re going to go through all the effort to get the site up and running. 

-Understand the Goal of Your Website

As you begin the process of brainstorming which pages you’ll need, what you want to showcase and so on, you should spend some time thinking about the goal of your website. What do you want to gear your visitors to know or learn about your business? Take some time to determine what your objectives are so you can build the right foundation for your site.

-Decide Whether You Want to Use a Page Builder or a Professional Custom Web Designer

You may be thinking that you can’t afford to hire a professional website designer. Or that your project is too small to need professional services and a website builder is a better fit. But the truth is that you can often find a designer that will meet your needs and stay within your budget! 

-Create a Logo, Branding, and Design

If you don’t have a logo or branding, it can be tough to design a website! Your website design will set the stage for your site. If the first impression of your brand isn’t a positive one, most consumers won’t return. Take time to consider what it is you want to convey with your overall aesthetic. You’ll want to think about what your business offers and to what audience. How do you want to position your business? Who is your target audience?

Read More: Landing Pages To Collect Qualified Leads

-Source Images, Graphics, and Content

Your website will need high quality images and graphics to bring your brand and ideas to life. Content is an important part of a successful website. Simply put, if your content isn’t compelling, your visitors won’t come back. Consider what information a visitor might need to complete the sale. Content also lends itself well to SEO.

-Finalize a Design and Begin Development

After plenty of brainstorming and researching, a design will begin to form. Once you have your finalized design, development can begin! This is the exciting part where all of your hard work comes to fruition.

-Run Through Edits Across All Devices

As the site is developed, tweaks will need to be made. Could your copy be tighter? Could you improve upon your cornerstone content? It is important to run through the site on all devices to truly understand what the design looks like. This may take several rounds of edits to get things just so!

-Launch and Set Up Google Analytics, and SEO Efforts

Once the design and development have been perfected, it’s time to launch! This is the perfect time to initiate Google Analytics and to implement an SEO strategy.  

There is a huge difference between having a live site and having it optimized. Don’t cut corners here by simply adding keywords here and there. You want to create a broader strategy to build your site’s authority.

And the very final step: Enjoy your new website!!! 

There is a lot that goes into an amazing website design. We hope this list gives you a good start as you begin the process. 

If you’ve decided that you’d like to explore your options of hiring a website designer, give us a call! We’d love to hear about your project.