Things to consider by company before starting a brand new website

When a company is planning to start a brand new website, there are several key considerations to ensure the project aligns with business goals and achieves long-term success. Here are the primary factors to consider:

1. Purpose and Goals

• Define Objectives: Understand the primary purpose of the website. Is it for brand awareness, lead generation, e-commerce, information sharing, or community building?
• Target Audience: Identify the demographics, needs, and behavior of your target audience to tailor the website to their preferences.

2. Budget and Resources

• Financial Planning: Determine the budget for design, development, hosting, maintenance, and future updates.
• Human Resources: Assess whether you have in-house expertise or need to hire external developers, designers, or content creators.

3. Technology and Platform

• Platform Choice: Decide whether to use a CMS (like WordPress), an e-commerce platform (like WooCommerce or Shopify), or custom development.
• Scalability: Choose technology that can grow with your business and handle increased traffic, content, or sales over time.

4. Content Strategy

• Content Plan: Develop a strategy for content creation, including text, images, videos, and any interactive elements.
• SEO Considerations: Implement SEO best practices from the start to ensure your website is discoverable by search engines.

5. User Experience (UX) and Design

• User-Centric Design: Focus on creating an intuitive, user-friendly interface with clear navigation and a responsive design that works on all devices.
• Brand Consistency: Ensure the design aligns with your brand identity, including logo, color schemes, fonts, and overall tone.

6. Functionality and Features

• Core Features: Identify essential features such as contact forms, blogs, e-commerce capabilities, social media integration, and analytics tracking.
• Custom Functionality: Consider whether any custom features or integrations with existing systems are needed.

7. Security and Compliance

• Data Protection: Implement security measures to protect user data, including SSL certificates and secure hosting.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure the website complies with relevant regulations, such as GDPR for data protection or accessibility standards for users with disabilities.

8. Hosting and Domain

• Domain Name: Choose a domain name that is memorable, relevant to your business, and easy to spell.
• Reliable Hosting: Select a hosting provider that offers reliable performance, uptime, and customer support.

9. Timeline and Development Process

• Project Timeline: Set realistic timelines for each phase of development, including design, content creation, testing, and launch.
• Agile Development: Consider an iterative approach where the website is launched in phases, allowing for feedback and adjustments.

10. Marketing and Launch Plan

• Pre-Launch Strategy: Build anticipation for your website launch through social media, email marketing, or other channels.
• Post-Launch Strategy: Plan for ongoing marketing efforts such as SEO, PPC, and content marketing to drive traffic and achieve your website goals.

11. Maintenance and Updates

• Ongoing Maintenance: Plan for regular updates, backups, and security patches to keep the website running smoothly.
• Content Updates: Ensure there is a system in place for regularly updating content to keep the website fresh and relevant.

12. Performance Monitoring

• Analytics Setup: Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor traffic, user behavior, and conversions.
• KPIs and Metrics: Define key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of the website against your business goals.

By carefully considering these factors, a company can ensure that the new website not only meets immediate needs but also serves as a valuable long-term asset for the business.