The StyleSheet - For businesses that use the internet

Time for a Web Site Redesign? Here’s How to Get Started

Posted July 1, 2006 By Nick Weynand |

Any company that hasn’t redesigned their Web site in the last couple years is probably not completely satisfied with their online marketing.  As with all technology, standards have changed, trends have changed and the competition has been working hard to do a better job than you.

If you’re thinking at all about a Web site redesign, this article is for you.  I was inspired to write about this topic because Caroling Lee, our Producer, and I have been invited to participate in a lunch-and-learn about this very topic.  The lunch-and-learn is put on by our client, Greenlights, and will take place on July 6th.

In this article, we’re going to cover how to develop goals for your new site, how to scope out your project, how to develop a budget, how to find a developer and how to write the content for your Web site.  Each of these topics could probably justify an entire book worth of material, but I hope to give you a brief overview to get you on your way.  After you’re done reading, you’ll either be thoroughly confused (hopefully not) or you’ll have a general idea of where to begin the process.  Let’s get started.

Developing Goals

“No one should redesign their company Web site just for the sake of doing it…you must develop concrete goals for why a redesign is necessary.”

No one should redesign their company Web site just for the sake of doing it.  We all know your time is too valuable to be wasted, so you must develop concrete goals for why a redesign is necessary.  Whenever we complete a Project Kickoff with a client, we ask them to define their top three goals for the Web site.  Spend some time thinking about what would make this redesign a success.  Some common goals I’ve heard include:

• “Our current Web site doesn’t look professional.  We want it to represent us better.”
• “Too many people are abandoning our home page. We want more people to contact us.”
• “We’re not selling enough products online and we need to increase our sales.”
• “We’re not showing up well in search engines and we need to increase our traffic.”

All of these are great goals, but decide what’s right for your business.

After you’ve developed goals for your new Web site, you’re ready to start scoping out the project.

Scoping the Project

This step includes defining the specific items your Web site will need to contain in order to achieve your goals.  Start with basic information: how many pages will your Web site need, what information do you want to convey and how do you want this organized?  Many people draw a site map, which is a hierarchical representation of how the pages will be laid out on your new site.  After you have the informational structure down, think about the features your new Web site will need to have.  Does it need a shopping cart?  Does it need a donation form?  Does it need a product request form?  List every feature, large and small, that the Web site should have and then think about how you want these to work.  Most people don’t know exactly what they want, or don’t even know what’s available.  That’s okay, just do your best to come up with a list of features that will help you achieve your goals.

Developing a Budget

Usually when I talk to potential clients, they want to know how much it costs to develop a Web site.  As you can imagine, this is a very difficult question.  I highly recommend developing a budget range and then finding an agency that can give you the most value for your budget (more about finding an agency later). 

Developing your budget won’t be an easy task.  One way to do it is to think about how much the new Web site will be worth to your business.  You can do this by quantifying your goals: if you were to increase sales by 25%, what would this mean to your business?  If twice as many people contacted you from the Web site, how much revenue would this generate? 

Another way to develop your budget is to ask colleagues what they spent on their Web sites.  Ask as many people as you can.  You’ll get varying responses, but you’ll start to figure out what price range buys particular features and quality of service.

Once you’ve quantified your goals or done some research, come up with at least a high budget range.  This should be a number you’re not willing to exceed.  This is the amount that would make all of the benefits of the Web site not worthwhile or it would take too long to reap the rewards of your investment.

Once you’ve defined your goals, scoped the project and developed a budget, it’s time to find someone who can help you out.

Finding a Developer

Unless you’re up to speed on the latest Web standards, or skilled in cross-browser compatibility testing, don’t try to develop a site on your own.  Instead, find a developer that can meet your needs within the scope and budget that you’ve defined. 

The best way to find a developer is through a referral.  Ask someone with a great Web site who they used to build it.  Also ask them if they were happy with the process, got all of their needs met and are satisfied with the results.

“So what questions should you ask?  Relate all of your questions to your specific goals…”

I recommend finding at least three developers and interviewing all three.  If you ask the right questions, you’ll quickly be able to determine who’s serious about meeting your needs and who’s not a good match.  So what questions should you ask?  Relate all of your questions to your specific goals, and don’t worry about the details.  Ask each developer if they have experience successfully implementing solutions to your needs.  Also, don’t be afraid to share your budget with each person.  They are going to find out anyway and sharing your budget gives the developer a chance to come back with a simple “yes, I can meet your needs for that budget” or “no, I can’t meet your needs for that budget.”  This kind of response will make your decision easier.

It’s also important that you find someone you trust and feel that you can work well with.  Find someone who cares about your needs and is willing to help you achieve your goals.  Honesty is also very important.  Technology does not always play nice, so work with a person who is up front with you about technology challenges that you may face.

Writing Your Content

After you’ve chosen your developer, chances are your big piece of homework will be to come up with the content of your Web site.  If you have the budget, I highly recommend hiring a copywriter.  A professional copywriter will have the skills to draft marketing language that is readable, succinct and gets the point across.  Good Web sites are built around content.  The content is just as important as the design and functionality, so try not to skimp on this part.

If you must provide the content yourself, pick up a book on writing for the Web.  This subject could make up an entire article, but here are a few tips:

• Keep your content brief.  Most visitors don’t want to read, so get your point across as quickly as possible.
• Instead of long paragraphs, use bulleted lists where possible to break up the copy.
• If you care about search engine rankings, write your content around key phrases and key words.
• Imbed calls to action in your content.  Tell the visitor something and then tell them what to do, such as “Buy Now,” “Contact Us,” or “Request Information.”

When you deliver your content to your developer, make sure it’s organized and easy to follow.  This will save the developer time when plugging in your content and save you time from answering questions.

 

If you haven’t redesigned your company Web site in a few years, it’s time to start thinking about it.  Put the measures discussed here to work to make sure your Web site isn’t just redesigned, but helps your business succeed.

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