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A simple question checklist to get you started on your new website

This simple checklist will help you think about all the aspects of your website. This will help you to have a good understanding of what you are trying to achieve in your own head before beginning. It is very important to be prepared before you begin a website project and before you sit down with your web designer. It will save you both time and money.  

 

Basic Information

Starting with the simple questions. 
  1. Who is the main contact, mailing address, email & phone? 
  2. What is your preferred method of contact?
  3. Is there a different billing address or contact?  

Broad Overview 

Broad overview questions are not to include any specifics, pull back and think big picture. 
  1. What is your business and what do you sell/promote?
  2. What is unique about your business or company?
  3. Do you have a slogan or tagline?
  4. Is this website to be ecommerce or information based? 
  5. What are some expectations that you have of this website?  
  6. Pretend it is six months from now. How will you know your website has been a success?

Website Specific  

These questions are looking at your website goals and needs. 
  1. Are there any collateral marketing materials (brochures, publications, corporate identity programs, or posters), or media (video or audio) that the Web site needs to be consistent with?
  2. Are there specific colors that should be used?
  3. Do you also need a logo?
  4. Do you need marketing materials and media to be created that are consistent with your new Web site? 
  5. What kind of people are you targeting with your website (age, demographic, etc)? 
  6. What do you want people to do after visiting your website (buy something, do something, response)? 
  7. How much of the content must be created from scratch and have you started that process? 
  8. Is your content in electronic form, and if not, do I need to handle the text conversion? 
  9. If you could, write out what you think the pages would be on your website (home, about us, services, products, etc)? 
  10. Tell us anything you can about the organization and content of the site. What features are necessary? (i.e. search, ecommerce, downloads, password-protected areas, mail forms, slideshows,  events, social integration, encryption, etc.) 
  11. Are there parts of competitor sites that you like? 
  12. Are there parts of competitor sites that you hate?

Support   

I always provide training for my clients to ensure they know how to use the website to make updates. Serious clients also sign up for dedicated help that ensures they receive security updates and faster support.  
  1. How many people will require training? 
  2. Have you managed a website before? 
  3. Are you familiar with website backups and security?

Hosting & Domains

I provide affordable hosting with full Control Panels (cPanel) for all my hosting clients. I also provide domain management.   Don’t worry if your answers are no, we can set those up right away! 
  1. Do you already have a domain name registered?
  2. Do you already have webhosting? 
  3. If so do you want me to transfer them to my system for you?

How to get started

You don’t need to have all of these questions answered before we begin your website, and chances are that some of your answers may change as you go along. 
 
I’m looking forward to building your web project for you! 

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