How to design your website. Web design in less time with quicker results.
What is the purpose of your website?
Work out a website design that fulfills the website purpose.
What will you provide to your customers from the website?
| Website Design | Description | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Static Website | Simple digital brochure using a few web pages for an organisation | Quick to set up and no content maintenance |
| Dynamic Website or Blog |
Content Management System (CMS) setup with online editor tools | Training, Internet Browser and login is all that is required to create and update content |
| Ecommerce Website | CMS with payment gateway and SSL security certificate | Sell 24/7 using encrypted communications. Payment processing is handled externally. |
| Membership Website | CMS with payment gateway, membership plugin and SSL security certificate | Provide training to unlimited online audience. Multiple paid membership levels are possible. Content access permissions by membership level. |
| Digital Products Website | CMS with payment gateway, digital downloads plugin and SSL security certificate | Sell 24/7 using encrypted communications. Payment processing is handled externally. Almost instant delivery. Unlimited digital inventory. No shipping. |
| Website Application | Advanced application using custom coding and potentially databases, web servers and cloud computing services. | Your website based application can be made available to the world. Software as a Service (SAAS). |
What are your customer characteristics?
Do you cater to multiple customer segments?
What will your website provide them?
Ctrl A = Select All, Ctrl C = Copy, Ctrl V = Paste.
Save your results in a text document, email or website planning document.
| Website Content Type | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Text and HTML | Create content that can be read by all the 3.5 Billion Internet Browsers including smartphones quickly. |
| Images | Images can provide better user engagement, convey information and ALT text descriptions for search engines. Keep images small for quicker loading. |
| Video | Video can be embedded within a webpage. e.g. YouTube, Vimeo etc. Videos can play in a small window or enlarged to full screen. |
| Audio | HTML5 provides full audio controls for an audio file. Create another way to convey information. Audio can be also used for a Podcast (online radio show). |
| Maps | Provide an interactive map to you physical premises. You can create a Google Map entry to go with this. |
| Forms | Forms can be used for competitions, customer enquiries, opt-in forms for email marketing, surveys and form to spreadsheet workflows. |
| iFrame | This is a webpage within a webpage. The embedded web page can be from almost any website. This could provide complimentary information. |
Now you have an outline for a Web Design, either complete the 5 Website Design Checklists below or progress to Web Hosting.
