7 things to keep in mind when building a website

Congratulations on taking the big first step toward getting your business website online! By signing up with Yola, you’re on your way to creating a professional website for your business. If you’ve suddenly realized you don’t have everything you need to get your website live, don’t panic. Here are a few simple things you can do to help get your website in great shape and ready to launch.

What do I want my website to do?
When buying a car, you’d probably consider where you’ll drive it, who will be using it, and what features you’ll need. It’s a similar process for your website. Think about specifically why you want a website. Is it to sell your products online? Blog about your industry? Provide directions to your location? It’s important to identify your main goals so you can plan for them.

Who do I want to visit my website?
You’ll also want to think about your target audience. Who would you like to visit your website? What’s their age range? Technical experience? Educational level? Income bracket? The answers to these questions will shape how you design your site, what you want to say, and even how you present your products and services.

What should I name my website?
The default web address we provide is certainly serviceable, but it’s not very memorable. Picking a good domain name (web address) for your website is critical; it’s how your customers and the search engines find you. Make sure the domain name represents your business, blog, or personal site. It should be short, easy to remember, and tell people what to expect from your website. Also establish whether you want a .com, .biz, or .org (if you’re a non-profit) site.
Learn more about picking a domain name in our tutorial.

What do I want to say?
Spend a little time considering what you want to say. This will determine the number and types of pages you’ll create. Think beyond text—photos, videos, and animations/slideshows go a long way toward communicating exactly what you want. Don’t have good photos for your website? No problem. We’ve partnered with Fotolia to bring you over 8 million royalty-free images. And don’t forget to plan for how much time and effort it may take to keep your website content up-to-date.

What do I want it to look like?
Designing your website is the fun part. Bells and whistles are great, but don’t get too carried away. Keep it simple and easy for your customers. Yola’s easy-to-use Sitebuilder lets you customize your site to suit your needs. Start by selecting a design; we have over 100 professionally designed templates to choose from! You can then personalize your style by changing your background, font or banner.

How do people find me?
Publishing your website does not necessarily guarantee visits from prospective customers.  Make sure your site is search engine optimized (SEO) and search engine friendly. This means you’ll want to spend some time thinking about keywords (words that accurately describe your business and your website) and ensure they’re included in your website copy and messaging.

How do I promote my website?
Once your website is live, it’s time to start promoting it. There are lots of ways you can do this, including Google AdWords, a “pay-per-click” advertising program. (Attention Yola Silver customers: You have $50 of free AdWords credits!) Social networking is also a great, inexpensive way to get the word out. If you’re on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, make sure to post links to your new website. You can also create a blog on your website, write interesting articles about your industry, then post links to them.
Check out this video on more tips to promote your website.

If you haven’t launched your website yet, now’s the time! Follow these seven steps and your business website will be bringing in the customers before you know it.