Choosing and Developing your Website: The Key Considerations

website design

For any new or established business, the deployment of an engaging and functional website is absolutely pivotal. With an estimated 15% of the UK workforce now self-employed this need is even more pressing, as business ventures of all scopes and sizes must develop a purposeful website that sits at the heart of their model.

There are a number of different facets associated with developing a successful website and online presence. While entrepreneurs and business leaders are able to take care independently, however, there are technical aspects of development that must be handled by viable industry experts.

What are the key considerations when developing a website?

With this in mind, what are the fundamental considerations when designing and developing a website? Consider the following:

  1. Determine Clear Goals and Actionable Objectives for your Website

Initially, you should focus on creating one or a number of actionable goals for your website. More specifically, you should determine exactly what you want it to achieve, whether it is designed to be profitable or simply to serve as a medium through which to interact with and engage customers. This is an important starting point, as the intended purpose of your site will have a huge influence on its design, layout and the amount that you are willing to invest in its development. While monetised sites will often feature advertising space and deliver higher returns, for example, blogs and informational websites will feature richer content and place a greater emphasis on quality.

  1. The Design of your Website, Branding and Layout

While website developers and designers will help you to create a viable, finished product, it is important they are able to execute a clear and concise vision. This would ideally come from you, as your website is the online representation of your brand and must, therefore share consistent messaging. By creating a visual layout of your site and presenting this to developers, you can gain feedback before arriving at a design that is both achievable and desirable. Remember, it is your responsibility to ensure that the layout of your site and its incorporated branding adequately represent its purpose, as otherwise your investment will be wasted. 

  1. The Employment of Professional Services

There are a wide number of expert service providers in the website design and development sector, in addition to those that deliver professional hosting services. It is important to select your service provider carefully, however, as not only will you be forced to work with them closely but this will also represent a serious business cost. Your main challenge will be to save money without compromising on the quality of service, although there are a number of firms that deliver comprehensive design and hosting packages. Take 1and1.co.uk for example, which offers an array of free and paid website design templates and styles while also providing reliable private and powerful hosting. 

  1. Is your Website Optimised for Mobile Usage?

Whether you operate a product or service driven business, you cannot ignore the power and influence of e-commerce in 2014. A growing number of people are using their mobile devices to reference, source and purchase products, with smartphones expected to account for more than 30% of global retail e-commerce spending by the year 2018. This will represent a 15% rise in just five years, so it is absolutely imperative that your website is optimised for mobile usage and devices. This will require you to create the ideal balance of text and imagery on your website, while it is also important to use large and actionable icons to provide a seamless connection with your social media accounts. Your hosting team should also ensure that each landing page can load within 3-7 seconds on a mobile device, as otherwise it may struggle in a competitive marketplace.

About Carson Derrow

My name is Carson Derrow I'm an entrepreneur, professional blogger, and marketer from Arkansas. I've been writing for startups and small businesses since 2012. I share the latest business news, tools, resources, and marketing tips to help startups and small businesses to grow their business.

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