Five steps to getting your new website up and running in record time

Much like a builder’s house, a web developer’s website never seems to reach the top of the ‘To do’ list. But at Beckenham based Critical Mission Computing (CMC,) the opportunity for some publicity has suddenly forced the production of our new website up our agenda. And being on the ‘client’ side of the fence made us consider what advice we might give to those in need of a new site but perhaps overwhelmed at the thought of tackling the project. Here’s our top tips to help businesses get their new website up and running quickly and efficiently.

1. Stalk the competition

Look at your competitors’ sites. See what they include and how they present it. Decide what you think works well and what doesn’t. Also collect examples of sites you like – both in terms of style, colour and theme. This will be really helpful when it comes to briefing the web developer.

2. Set a deadline

As we’ve found at CMC, it’s good to have a driver to keep the momentum of the project. So, set yourself a deadline by which to have the site live. And stick to it! But make it realistic, remember you may need to collate new copy, images, video or customer testimonials. All of which take time.

3. Consider your content

Once again, put yourself in the shoes of the people who will visit the site. What information will they be looking for? And what extras could you give to set you apart from your competition?

Websites are now much less text heavy than they were. But words are still important. We recommend around 500 for the home page and 350 for inner pages.

4. Find your voice

The tone of your site is so important. You know your customers and the type of people they are so think about the tone of voice you’ll use to communicate. This will depend on your audience. On the whole, uncomplicated language and short sentences are the way forward. But if your subject matter is technical and your audience are other professionals then more complex language may be appropriate to demonstrate your credibility and knowledge.

Once again, this is where your competitor research can be useful. How do they speak to their site visitors? Does that work? Or could you do something completely different to make yourself stand out?

5. Images

Once you’ve decided on your structure and content you can consider how you will illustrate your site. There is a huge selection of stock imagery available, but this can look impersonal, so we usually recommend combining it with your own (professional) photography. And it does need to be professional – snaps from a phone are fine for social media but not generally for websites.

Try to think outside the box for ways to bring your site to life. Can you bring a humorous angle to some of your photography if that’s appropriate? Our social media manager tells us that she sees increased engagement when she illustrates posts with photos of animals or food!

And finally, if you’re using a template or theme then you’ll need to consider the size and shape of the images required.

If you can take the time to consider these factors in advance the development of your site should run smoothly. At CMC we love designing and building new sites for businesses of all sizes. We’re innovative, practical and proudly transparent. But don’t take our word for it. Have a look at what our customers say. And if you like the look of us then why not get in touch to discuss how we can bring our expertise to a new website for your business?