There are so many options for building a website these days, ranging from no cost to thousands of dollars. How do you know what is right for you? I have a few tips to share:
1. Think about the purpose of your website first and that will guide you. Are you trying to sell chocolate-covered teddy bears? Do you want people to come to your Klezmer punk band shows?
2. Do your research. Look at other sites in similar fields to see what’s out there, what you like and what you don’t like. Make a list of the components you want in your site, e.g. a slide show of your teddy bears, a contact form, a list of all of your gigs you’ve ever played, a blog, a shopping cart.
3. Decide on your budget. How much you want to spend can make a big difference in terms of customization. Can you live with a site that may look like everyone else’s because your main goal is disseminating information, not wowing people with sophisticated graphics? Be realistic about what you can afford. Remember you can always do more later, especially if you use a scalable platform like WordPress.
4. Who is going to update the site? Your web designer? Your eight-year-old whiz kid? You? This will make a difference in what platform your web designer selects.
5. It’s not just about money; it’s also about time. Building a website is not as simple as handing the keys over to a designer. Since the website is about you and your business or cause, it is up to you to provide the content – the pictures, the stories, the calls to action. Make sure you have the time to devote to the project before leaping in. It will only be frustrating to you and the designer if you jump in and then stall part-way through the project because of lack of time to dedicate to the project.
