Building A Website

Ok so you're thinking of setting up a website ? Well i thought as a web designer and former online shop owner that could share some tips that could help you , and most of all stop those long nights at your computer pulling your hair out.

Research
Yes , probably one of the most important tasks in building a website and the most boring i know but there are certain elements that have to be in place on a website...some by law as well, and let's face it nobody wants the phone call or letter saying that they have broken the law, you should check with your countries website regulations policy for more information. Another area that should be looked at is competition...is there any? and if there is do you feel there is enough room for you as well unless your 100% certain there is then either brainstorm how you can make room or try another area.

Market
You more than likely know a lot about your market or audience already but there always room for more information on them , by knowing what they are looking for and how they want to get the information is such a good knowledge to know. No point in building a website or online shop if you don't know what they want.

Platform
When Building a website is it so important that you find a platform to build your site or shop on that you're comfortable with and suits the theme of your website. choosing a bad platform is a big mistake , i know i made it! And yes ill admit it was because of lack of research into what i was doing. Can you imagine setting up an online shop in blogger ?? Somehow i don't think that it would work that well. So be sure that you have picked the right platform before you start building the site of your dreams otherwise it could quickly turn into a nightmare.

Cost
Yes...the scary bit , but don't worry you can pull the pillow away from your face because it is infact not that expensive to start a website. Depending on your skills it can cost very little to go online , Ask yourself the question "What Can I Do ??" Can you design graphics for your site , or if you cant do that can you code a website but just need help on the visual side of things ? You can save yourself a lot of money by doing these types of things yourself. ooo and as my dad would say...shop around , don't go with the first platform , designer , developer that you come across by doing some research the costs can come down and your bank balance go up.

Design
Ok then fun bit , you have done all the leg work and feel that is now time to build a site. If you're using a designer company be sure they are clear on your vision before putting any money into the project. IF your doing it yourself try and restrain yourself from going a bit OTT on the design , remember who your market are and what they would like to see and not so much about what you would like to see because at the end of the day they are the people that will be using or purchasing from your site not you but that being said don't lose your personality completely from the site.

Yes i have waffled on long enough now but hopefully have made the task of building a website or online shop seem a little clear , remember to split it up into steps and tackle one task at a time if this is your first project. You can message me on twitter if you have any question about building a website , especially if your thinking of building an online shop @woodydesign.

Woody