Finally a new website – just how?
At some point it will happen in all small and medium-sized companies: The companies finally need their own website. Or it is time for a relaunch because the old website is getting on in years – either because the content of the website no longer fits the company or because it no longer complies with current web standards.
Regardless of whether you take on the implementation of your new website in-house or whether you hire an external team – there are many important work steps that you should do before the actual implementation. It is best to summarize these points in a so-called website concept . Because this concept is the basis for all further work steps such as the decision on the appropriate technical platform, the structure of the website, the creation of texts or the selection of the appropriate image material.
You will see: With such a strategically oriented concept you not only save time in implementation, but also money! It is best to create your individual website concept in two different phases. In phase 1 you determine the framework of your website:
The preliminary work: Write down your thoughts and ideas!
The preparatory work will help you to quickly get a new, strategically aligned website – regardless of whether you want a new website or relaunch the old one. Please ask yourself the following questions:
1. Why do you need your own website / a relaunch of your existing website?
Would you like to develop a new target group? Does your old website no longer meet current technical standards? Do you want to blog in the future? Has the content of your offer changed? Or do you need an e-shop from now on to sell your offers digitally?
2. Who do you need the new website for?
Who should visit your new website? People who are looking for information? Or people who need your services or products – and should perhaps even buy them in the e-shop right away? Or visit your next event? Or are they people looking for a new job? Do your customers come from different countries?
3. How should your new website be structured?
Would you like to limit yourself to a topic or a product and need a landing page for this? Or do you need a platform on which you can present your company and your offers comprehensively? Or would you like to share your knowledge and form new networks?
4. By when should your new website be ready?
How much time do you need for all the work? In what order is this work best done? Which service companies should you support? Who is coordinating the various work? How much buffer do you need to absorb “surprises”?
5. What can your new website cost?
How much money do you want to invest in your new website? Do you need external support and do you have to budget for this – for example in sub-areas such as design, photos or text? Or can you do all the necessary work in professional quality yourself? Who should maintain the website later and, if necessary, install updates?
Also Read: What Are Cookies, And How To Display Them On A Website?
When you have answered all of these questions, phase 2 follows:
The content: Bring structure to your new website!
In phase 1 you defined the framework of your new website – in phase 2 you now bring structure and the first content into this framework. How do you organize the different contents thematically? Do you have any initial ideas for a design? Which pictures do you already have, which ones do you still need? Do you need new texts or do you have to professionally supplement and adapt the old ones?
In addition, there are elements in the structure of the website as well as content components that should not be missing on any website. Here is a selection:
- The start page: Here, next to the logo, you place an initial short text that picks up the visitors – for example, your self-image and the added value of your offer in about 3 sentences.
- The contact: On every subpage, people should be able to contact you easily – be it by phone, email, social media or a contact form.
- Search engine optimization: under which search words or keyword combinations would you like to be found? What search volumes are there?
- Navigation: Name the navigation points as clearly and unambiguously as possible – and it is best to avoid nested sub-navigation.
- Images / colors: Define the cornerstones of the design of your website – it is best to define the color worlds and the imagery.
- Texts: Gather your first text ideas, headlines and sentence fragments, which you ideally assign to the appropriate navigation points.
- References: Don’t forget the important voices of your customers! Because nothing sells better than real, comprehensible statements from satisfied clients.
- Legal: Determine where the imprint, data protection declaration and cookie notice are placed so that these legally relevant texts are accessible from every subpage.
Ideally, you develop an initial rough, schematic overview of your new website from this content – for both the desktop view and the portrait view on a mobile device.
Authenticity prevents business bullshit bingo!
My extra tip: In this second phase, please make sure that you remain as authentic as possible with your content. Do your customers appreciate your directness and the specific offers? Then it is best to present yourself as a hands-on company on your website and use your own linguistic world for this. Or do your clients come from companies themselves and buy your expertise in a highly complex subject? In this case, focus on your specialist knowledge in terms of language and think about where exactly the added value is for other companies – not only in technical but also in emotional terms.
Because if you stay with yourself in terms of content, you avoid linguistically polished and thus interchangeable business bullshit bingo. In your own words, on the other hand, you provide content that precisely presents you and the diverse benefits of your offers.
There is much to do…
Yes, I know there is a lot to do right from the start when relaunching or launching a new website. But if you invest a lot of time and brainpower in the website concept, you may save yourself nasty surprises!
Would you like an example? If you only notice during the technical implementation that this website does not suit you, your target groups and your goals, the necessary revision of the first drafts will cost you a lot of money and nerves – either because you are keeping your employees on this project for a long time. Or because you have to re-brief external companies and of course then have to pay for the further work. So it is best to proceed strategically from the beginning and carefully create your individual website concept! Then nothing stands in the way of a great website that perfectly suits you.
Also Read: The Website As The Center Of Local Digital Marketing