Trends change. Businesses change. So it makes sense that your company website will also change and evolve over time.
If you’re embarking on a website redesign, one of your first jobs is to prepare a brief for your web designer. This doesn’t need to be complex, time consuming or technical – think of it as a helpful roadmap that sets out:
How much you want to spend
Whether you’ve got £500 or £5,000 in the pot, be clear about your budget up front. As with most things, you get what you pay for, but some providers (we say modestly) can work wonders on a small budget.
Your goals for the website
Do you want to drive traffic, generate new sales leads, present interesting content, or what? Tell the designer exactly what you’re trying to achieve through your site.
Who you’re targeting
Clearly define your audience and create a simple profile of your ideal visitor. For example, what information do they need to find and/or what problem are you helping them to solve?
How visitors should navigate around the site
Draw a rough site map that plots the journey a visitor might make around your site. There should be a logical flow of information from one page to the next.
The content for each page
Your website copy should communicate the benefits of working with you in a way that’s concise and engaging. Don’t make your visitors wade through an essay – less is definitely more. If you’re struggling to find the right words, a copywriter can help.
Accompanying images (or image guidelines) for each page
Dated images can really turn visitors off. So before you simply re-use existing images, check that they’re modern, right for your target audience and perfectly reflect your business.
What action you want visitors to take
A website without compelling calls to action is like a hot dog without onions – wrong, wrong, wrong. Think about what you want people to do when they’re navigating your site. Should they check out your product or service pages, sign up for your newsletter, book an appointment, or what else?
Links to your social media profiles
Including social media buttons shows visitors that you’re active online and lets them follow your business for future updates.
A list of competitors’ and other relevant websites
Provide links to sites that you a) admire and b) hate with the fire of a thousand suns. There’s no better way to give your designer an idea of what you do and don’t like!
If you’re looking for an affordable, fuss-free way to update your website, talk to OCTOPUS. From web design and copywriting to posting regular content updates, we’ll work with you to create a website that drives your business forward.
