Considering launching your first website? There’s obviously a lot to think about. Whether you’re planning on building your own or hiring a web developer, you should consider the following:
? What’s your purpose? Is it going to be a personal site? Or are you selling a product or service? Different sites require different components. For instance, if you’re selling a product you will need a shopping cart, as well as other ecommerce capabilities.
? Make a plan. Before you jump the gun, it’s important to make a plan. Start by jotting down ideas about how you want your site to look. Consider your color scheme, navigation, pages, and tagline. Your website should represent you and/or your company—so take your time!
? Choose a domain name. A domain is the web address to your site. For search engine purposes, try to include the main subject of your company within the domain. You can use sites like Go Daddy, to check the availability and purchase your preferred domain name. Keep in mind, your domain will influence whether or not consumers visit your site.
? You have options—do it yourself or hire a pro. It all depends on your budget, timeframe and technical skills. Essentially, developing your own website can be cheap. However, if you do not have the time to invest in learning how to use HTML and code, hiring a web developer might be the better choice.
? Try a web developer tool. Have you considered using a content management system (CMS)? With its increasing popularity, CMS software allows you to create and maintain your site from a web browser. A good CMS will be easy to use—unfortunately, there are hundreds of them out there. Choosing the right one can be tricky. [Read: How To Choose The Right CMS]
Ultimately, there are many options to consider when developing your first website—which can be a major undertaking for anyone. Using a CMS is always a great choice; as it often provides all the functionalities you will need without the headache of starting from scratch.
So, if you’re creative enough and have free time to learn the ins-and-outs of web development, try it yourself. And heck, if that doesn’t work out, you can always hire a web developer!