5 Things to Consider Before Building a Website

Updated October 6, 2023
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Creating a website is a great step toward establishing a successful business. A website can establish awareness and customer loyalty to your brand. There are a few things to think about before building your website, and we will be going through some of them together. By following along, it will be easier for you to stay on track and not get overwhelmed.

Choosing a Web Hosting Provider

Your website will need server space for which to store its files. This is where the hosting provider comes in. You will choose a provider and hosting plan, and you will rent server space from them. The type of plan that is best for you will depend on the estimated amount of traffic for the site, the number of images you want, and the scalability that you need. GreenGeeks is an example of a hosting provider that offers a variety of different plans to suit your needs.

GreenGeeks also helps users build their websites from the ground up. If you want to create a website with GreenGeeks.ca, you can look into their webpage design package. This includes hundreds of different templates and 24/7 customer service available to assist you.

Which CMS to Choose

Choosing a CMS (content management system) is a big deal for your website. The CMS will determine the functionality of the site, and it will directly impact the users’ experience.

You should also keep in mind the marketing and sales tools that you will need to integrate with your CMS. For instance, you may decide to incorporate gated content into your website. This means that the user would need to input some sort of information before they can access that content. You will need to make sure that your chosen CMS can completely integrate with this form of tool.

WordPress is a commonly used CMS because it is very customizable and also easy to use. On the other hand, many users decide to go with Drupal because they have very strong security processes in place. There are so many different CMS options to choose. Make a list of the features that are a priority for you, and go from there.

Don’t Neglect the Branding

If you are a new business owner, this is your opportunity to promote your brand to a wide audience. Consider investing in a marketing team to design an eye-catching logo for yourself before you create the website. Then, you can upload the logo directly onto the site as soon as you finish it.

Placement of the logo is equally important, as you do not want it to go unnoticed or be obtrusive to website visitors. Keep it clear from any text or images and place it in the upper left-hand corner of the site. This is what will draw people’s eyes when the site loads. If you expand to a shop or blog page, keep the logo image and placement consistent.

Cater to Mobile Users

If a group of people is having a conversation about a particular website, they are far more likely to use their mobile device rather than their desktop computer to bring up the link. People enjoy using mobile devices because of the convivence and ease of use.

One thing that you can do to achieve this is plan out the site’s format. Big buttons are a must. Otherwise, you risk frustrating your mobile users. If you have a ‘click here’ or another similar button, make it large, easy to see, and accessible to all users.

The other major way that people make their sites mobile-friendly is by focusing on responsiveness. Ideally, all the content will be the same on mobile and PC, but the optimized appearance will fit the device size. Do some research into web design responsiveness tools before completing your website.

Include Testimonials

If you sell products or services, you have likely already made some sales in the past. Don’t waste the opportunity to capitalize on this in the form of testimonials. Before creating your site, reach out to customers from the past and politely request a testimonial from them. If you performed quality work for them, they should be happy to oblige. Once you have them gathered up, you can create a Client Testimonials page on your site for people to view.

While you are in contact with these customers, make sure to let them know about your new website. They may have an interest in visiting the site to find out more about your expanded services or product line.