Setting up a website involves more than just hiring a web developer. A website builder can assist you with many aspects, but it is still wise to prepare a few things before starting the collaboration. We will advise you on how to be well-prepared when approaching a developer or internet agency.
Checklist: 8x preparations
Once you have decided to team up with a web developer or internet agency to set up a website, having a basis is a good step. A website builder can certainly help you if you have not yet thought about certain things or are unsure. However, if you already have the basics in place, setting up your new website will be a lot quicker. The following preparations will help you lay the right foundation.
1. Determine the purpose of your website
What do you want to do with your website? Sell products, provide information, or entertain visitors? You also need to consider who your target audience is and what you can do for them.
2. Think about a design
Recognizability is an important part of your branding. What is your corporate identity? Which colors, typography, and imagery characterize your company? Have you thought about a logo yet? Don't worry, we're not going to bombard you with questions. You really don't need to have all these things figured out yet. But a mood board, for example, where you test different colors and fonts, will help you get started. Advising on the design and setting it up are also part of the web developer's job, so you're definitely not on your own.
3. Create personas
To get a clear picture of who your customers are, creating personas is a good way to prepare for setting up your website. A persona is a detailed and accurate description of a user of your service/product. This fictional person represents your entire target group, as it were. This allows you to identify the problems/questions that are relevant to the target group. You can also keep these alongside your website to see later whether the different types of customers within your target group feel addressed.
4. Determine the structure
Website visitors should be able to easily find their way around your website. If it becomes difficult to access important pages, they will often close your site immediately. When setting up a website, structure is therefore important. Consider the following questions:
- What sections/pages do you have?
- What are the most important pages (these will appear in the menu and footer)?
- Which features would you like to see (newsletter sign-up, multilingualism, login function, etc.)?
You also refer visitors to other pages/sections of your website with calls to action. Examples include: "Request a quote now," "Read more about..." and "Order now." These buttons naturally refer visitors to the correct page where they can immediately perform the action.
5. Select the appropriate domain name
Your domain name is the unique address of your website on the internet. Choose a domain name that is easy to remember, so that visitors can find you online easily. What makes a good name? A short name is often useful, as is one that is easy to pronounce. You can also incorporate an important keyword or come up with a very creative name that sets you apart from your competitors. Want to know if a domain name is already taken? Check it via SIDN or Who.is, for example.
Is your target audience mainly located in the Netherlands? Then a domain name ending in .nl is a good option. Do you operate internationally, or is the name with .nl already taken? Then .com is also an option.
6. Provide content
In addition to the appearance of your website, the content of the site is just as important. When setting up a website, think about the content you want to put on it. Think about text, images, infographics, videos, etc. With a template, you can easily choose examples of how the layout could look. And what exactly do you want to say? What tone of voice will you use? Always keep your customers in mind and write for them. Write about the solution to the problems/questions of potential customers. It is tempting to write down what you do for customers, but it is better to choose a tone such as "we can do this for you." This makes you come across as less direct and gives visitors the freedom to choose exactly what they need from you.
How do you write a good text? We are happy to give you a few short tips:
- Ensure correct spelling
- Ensure proper formatting with paragraphs and subheadings.
- Reflect your company in the content
- Pay attention to SEO for good findability
Do you find it difficult to write SEO-optimized texts for your site? JKC Media not only develops your website, but also writes the content. Read more about having content written.
7. Conduct keyword research
8. Consider the legal aspects (GDPR, etc.)
Privacy statements, cookie notifications, terms and conditions, the GDPR: there are legal aspects to consider when setting up a website. European legislation contains rules regarding privacy protection. Web developers can help you with this, but if you already have the documents at hand, setting up your site will be a lot faster. For example, you may need to display a cookie notification if you use trackers on your website.
Need help setting up a website?
Want to work with our internet agency? JKC Media will develop a professional and profitable website for you. In addition to web development, you can also hire us to write content or design a corporate identity.