1. Who is the website’s audience?
Consider everyone you want to visit your site and rank them in importance. Then think about who else will visit the website, such as competitors. Consider what information you want public.
2. What is the goal of the website?
Determine an action you would like each type of visitor to take. Think of measurable actions such as contacting you, placing an order or downloading information.
3. What does the visitor want from the website?
Put yourself in the place of the visitor. Why are they visiting the site, what do they need?
4. What does your competitor’s website contain?
Typically each industry sets standards in the level of professionalism of design, content, interactivity and services provided. Look for opportunities to surpass the competitors.
5. What is your company image, culture or brand?
What adjectives best describe your company? What existing marketing materials do you use? Do these materials align with the descriptive adjectives? If so, design the website to compliment the collateral. If not, evaluate what direction makes the most sense.
6. How will users find the website?
Do you want a regional, national or international audience? Is the audience a narrow group and easy to contact through advertising, or a broad range of people? Would it be easier to attract the audience through the search engines, advertising in trade magazines or direct mail?
7. What resources do you have to maintain the website?
Do you have staff that can maintain the website or is outsourcing a better solution? If you have the staff, what are their technical capabilities?
8. How do you measure the website’s effectiveness?
Once the goals are established determine a strategy to measure the actions. If you have an existing website, measure the old website to find a baseline.
9. How do you drive return traffic to the website?
What new information, tools or services can you offer or add to your website to give value to your audience?