As a web design and development company, we often come across clients who fail to plan their website well enough in advance. This can often lead to more problems later with the site and often frustration on both sides of the project! In this blog post, Ben Yates, Marketing Manager for 16 Design, based in Middlesbrough talks us through some basic pre-planning that can really help your website succeed.
What is the ultimate objective of your website?
Don’t let content, functionality, design features or anything else get in the way of your primary goal. No matter if it’s selling products or services, creating leads, asking for donations or simply giving directions… Make sure that is what your site is planned out to do. Never forget the reason you are creating your website in the first place.
Why is planning your website so important anyway?
You most likely plan everything else your business does, so don’t let your website be any different! This planning should be carried out by key stakeholders in the sales, marketing, PR, communications and management teams. Your new website is not the sole responsibility of the IT department.
You wouldn’t ask a construction company to build you a house without plans!
You know what sort of house you would like…
- How many rooms do you need?
- How many bathrooms should there be?
- Do you want a driveway?
- What about a garden?
- Bungalow or stairs?
So put the same thought and planning into your new website, that way you’ll enjoy living in it.
Planning in advance can save time and money further down the line…
It seems obvious writing this now but spending five hours planning before beginning the project can save up to three times as much time after the fact. Designers and developers work much better with all the information available to them. Although we build sites to be easily changed and adapt to changes in your requirements, making amends just after completion due to a lack of planning simply adds time and potential costs.
What could go wrong if you don’t plan your website in advance?
The designers and developers could end up making decisions on your behalf.
The level of back-and-forth via emails or phone calls regarding small issues can quadruple or worse.
Delays and deadlines being missed.
Frustration, confusion and dissatisfaction on both sides of the project.
Poor return on investment for the client and a fractured relationship with the developer.
In summary
Someone once said ‘P*ss poor planning, equals p*ss poor performance’ and it rings true in this case! Sit down and plan your website before getting a quote, before you start designing it and most importantly before you start building it! This will save you time and money, and result in a better return on investment.
Many thanks to Ben Yates for those wise words! Here at Sleeky, we have had the privilege of working with lots of fantastic clients recently, many of whom have come to us with a website plan too! The Newcastle based commercial builders and construction company J3 Building Solutions recently came to us with a very detailed plan for their new website. As a result, we were able to design and build a site they loved and ahead of schedule too! Happy designers, developers and clients all round!
