Achieving Website Success: An 8-Step Guide to Planning

Define Your Goals

The first step in creating your new website is to define your goals. What is the purpose of your website? What do you hope to achieve with it? Identifying your goals will help you determine the features and functionality you need to include in your website.

Research Your Target Audience

The next step is to research your target audience. Understanding your target audience will help you create a website with a much better user experience. Consider their age, gender, location, interests, and online behaviour. This information will help create a website that appeals to your customers and will help to drive conversions.

Choose Your Domain Name

Your domain name is the address of your website on the internet. Choose a domain name that is memorable, easy to spell, and relevant to your business. Avoid using numbers, symbols, or hyphens in your domain name; make sure it's a manageable length. Feel free to branch out from the usual .com or.co.uk top-level domains (TLD). 

Plan Your Website Structure

Website structure refers to the way that your website's content is organised. A well-structured website makes it easy for users to find what they're looking for and helps improve your website's search engine optimisation (SEO). Use a sitemap to plan your website structure, and make sure it's easy to navigate.

Decide on a Content Management System

A content management system (CMS) is a platform that allows you to manage your website's content. Popular CMS options include WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. Choose a CMS that meets your needs and is easy to use. We highly recommend Statamic.

Create High-Quality Content

High-quality content is crucial for your website's success. It helps improve your website's search engine rankings, engage your target audience, and drive conversions if done right. Make sure that your content is well-written, relevant, and valuable. Use keywords your target audience is searching for, ensure that your content is easy to read and remember to use internal links to connect relevant content.

Design Your Website

The design of your website is critical to its success. A well-designed website will provide a great user experience and can further improve your website's search engine rankings. The design should match your brand and be aesthetically pleasing, easy to navigate and meet your target audience's needs.

Launch Your Website

Make sure that all of the features and functionality are working correctly, and test your website to ensure that it's user-friendly. Once your website is live, you can start promoting it and attracting visitors.

In conclusion, these eight steps will help you create the perfect new website for your business. Remember to take your time and plan each step carefully to ensure your website is successful.