The first, and perhaps most crucial, step to establishing a successful internet presence is to take a step back and decide what you want to achieve. Do you simply want an information bank where people can find out about your company and its services, do you want to use your web site to create sales leads or do you intend to sell directly from the internet itself?
These are questions you should ask before commissioning a web design consultancy. A good web site developer can help steer you in the right direction but you should know your company better than an outside agency.
Choose a web site developer that matches your requirements. If you are a small business in a niche market it is unlikely you will want to contract a large consultancy to create your internet presence - you will probably pay over the odds and the developer may not take the time to fully understand your market's intricacies.
Similarly, if you are a large company with a global web site development project, it is unlikely that a small consultancy will possess the resources you require.
Preferably, you should choose a developer who can handle your complete project, including domain name registration, choosing a commercial ISP, designing the web site, copy writing and after-sales maintenance.
Decide at an early stage the style and size that the web site will adopt. It is surprisingly easy for a web site to get out of control as you add more and more pages. Make sure the design you opt for has the ability to evolve and adapt to future changes - a hefty redesign bill could face you if you don't.
Don't allow yourself to get distracted by technology. True, internet technology and capabilities are developing at a rapid pace but that must not get in the way of the message. After all, it is what you say that will win your customers - not whether you use the latest Java programming!
Where technology does add value to your content then make sure your web site developer is able to take full advantage of technology advances.
Finally, once the site is up and running, don't just turn your back on it and think it will take care of itself. The internet is a constantly evolving medium and so too are web sites. One of the key advantages web sites have over traditional media is that they are extremely easy to update and at very little cost.
Work with your development consultancy to monitor your web site's performance and tailor the site accordingly, you may find that additional content or emphasis is required in certain areas.
It is always important to give web visitors a reason to return to your site. The easiest way to do this is to regularly update the site or add new content to keep it fresh.
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