When most people start out thinking about having a website, they tend to think in general terms about the look of the site and with hopes of finding new customers. It is my job to try to expose the different elements that go into making this work. Critical elements in building the website are choosing colors, organizing the site content to make it easy to use, writing content that is useful and compelling, selecting images and photos that contribute to a rich visual experience, graphics that fit into existing branding, and determining what features (calendar, tips, email opt-ins, quotes, testimonials) will encourage visitors to return.
Elements that are not immediately recognized by most site owners are the importance of search engine optimization, sponsored search, social media, frequent updates and managed promotion of the domain name on all literature and news releases. Add considerations for hosting technologies, setting up emails, registering domain names and file transfers, and the decision to jump into creating a web presence can quickly feel overwhelming.
Over the coming weeks, I'll begin to drill down on some of these elements, providing both simple overviews and more detail. All comments are welcome.
