If you own a business, you need to create a website for people to find you online. This is the digital face of your company; it’s almost like an online store or office. Websites come in different varieties, and no two look the same. Before you create your site, there are two main questions to answer:
What is the purpose of your website?
This may confuse you, as you just read that a website is your digital face. Sure, websites serve the purpose of letting people find you online. The main reason for them is to help you draw in new customers. However, some websites are built differently than others. This is mainly based on the specific purpose of the website. Generally, you will choose one of two options:
- An online store
- An online brochure
Choosing an online store
An online store is exactly what it sounds like; a store where people can buy products online. Here, your site is created with product listings, and everything you sell is shown to the users. Someone can visit your website, add things to a cart, and pay for them. From here, you deliver the products straight to their door. Of course, you still provide information about your business, but the main function is that this site is a place to sell your goods.
Choosing an online brochure
An ‘online brochure’ is basically a website that provides information. People can land on your pages and learn everything they need to know about your business. They’ll see the services/products you offer, when you were established, who works for you, etc. It’s all about giving people information and convincing them to get in touch with you. It’s called a brochure because it’s kind of like receiving a brochure through your letterbox. You can’t buy something directly from a brochure, you just get all the information and then contact the business. This is the same, only it’s all online.
Effectively, you have to choose which option to go for based on your business. One option will make more sense than the other – but that’s up to you to decide.
How will you build the website?
After deciding on the purpose of your site, you have to consider how to build it. Primarily, you have two options again:
- Build it yourself
- Get someone else to build it
Building a website yourself
This is a budget-friendly option, but it doesn’t always yield the best results. You can use a platform like WordPress to design and publish a website all by yourself. However, you won’t make it that unique, and you’re limited by your own knowledge.
Getting someone else to build it
This is the best option as you hire a professional web designer to create your site for you. This makes it totally unique, offering a dazzling site that shames the competition. Unfortunately, it will be significantly more expensive. For this reason, many people opt to start with a self-built site, then upgrade it when business is booming.
Answer both of these questions to understand how you will build your site and what it will look like. After, you can focus more on aesthetics, but these questions are the best place to start.
