Action steps for planning your next website design

Your website's place in your overall marketing is important, and I was reminded of this by an email I received recently from Jay Conrad Levinson of Guerrilla Marketing.

While a website can be a very valuable and low-cost form of marketing, it is not a magic bullet. It requires planning, careful content creation and ongoing promotion through other media channels if it is to truly succeed.

A website is sometimes seen by business owners as a static asset rather than what it truly is: a tool that needs to be used and cared for to be most effective.

Here's the checklist that Levinson prepared to help you create a winning website. Consider the eight steps and ask yourself if you've paid enough attention to all eight.

1. Planning
2. Content
3. Design
4. Involvement
5. Production
6. Follow-up
7. Promotion
8. Maintenance

Speaking as a website designer I can tell you our clients often fall into two categories: those that have a need which they know a website can fill, and those that simple 'want' a website.

The first group have goals and targets for their website, and we can craft a solution to suit their needs perfectly. These people have usually considered all the steps of the website design process as listed above and realise that the design and production of the website itself are only a piece of the puzzle.

The second group needs help identifying why they need a website and what the purpose of it is. A very simple site might be all they need if it's not going to play a major role in their overall strategy. (Although they're missing out if that's the case!)

So do your planning, define your purpose, and your website will perform better - and the return on your investment will be much higher.