Take time to decide
Finding the right agency to work with, or the best tools to help you self-build, takes time. Don’t worry about this – being happy with your choices now can save you time and money later on. Having to change designer or platform half-way through the design process might mean having to start all over again. We’ve put together some tips on what to think about, when you’re making these decisions.
Software to create and manage your website
If you’re going to self-build, you’ll be looking at tools to help you do this. Is someone else designing your site? It’s still a good idea to think about how you might make simple changes once it’s live. Let’s look at some of these tools now.
Content Management Systems
A Content Management System, or CMS, helps you create, manage and change your website’s content. You’ll need this if you’re creating your own site. Some web builder tools have built-in CMS platforms. These include step-by-step guides to help you update your site.
Having a CMS isn’t just for self-builders, though. With it, you’ll be able to manage and update your site, too. You might want to add new promotions, change your photos or remove outdated details. You can do this, even if someone else has built your site for you. You just need to know how to use the CMS.
With a CMS, you can:
- Add pages
- Change text and images
- Add keywords/phrases to all sections
- Embed videos and other media
- Add documents
- Change navigation
When you’re looking at this software, you may see other features or benefits. Look at these based on your own organisation’s needs – both now and in the future.
Look for:
- Ease of use – Look for a CMS where any changes are as simple as filling in a form
- Security and access control – How easy is it to control who can create or change content on your site?
- Templates – These make it easy to copy content quickly. They help to give the site a consistent look and feel
- Support – No matter how user-friendly your CMS is, you may need help. Compare service levels and response rates
- Mobile-friendliness – You want your site to look as good on a mobile device as on a laptop
- User interaction – Looking for customer feedback or to build a forum for your supporters? Check for this feature
- Analytics – These help you track, measure and learn what’s working on your site
Plugins for added features
These are optional ‘extras’ that work behind the scenes of your website. They give you more features, reach or flexibility.
Some, like Hummingbird, help your users reach content more quickly. All-in-one tools such as Jetpack include visitor stats, video hosting and links with social sites. There are also plugins like Yoast to boost your site’s online visibility. Others, such as UpdraftPlus, help you back up your content.
You can pick one or more of these, depending on what is going to be useful to you.
Find the right web developer
Want someone to build your site for you? There are many web design agencies and freelancers. To pick the right one for you, be clear on what you want. You’ll be working closely with them, so take time to explore your options.
Points to think about:
- How’s their customer service? – Read online reviews and speak to others who’ve hired them
- What’s their portfolio like? – Look at other websites they’ve set up. Do they all look the same or do they each uniquely reflect the site’s use and content?
- Do they understand search engine optimisation? – This is key to people finding your site, so it’s important that they do
- More than just appealing visuals – You’ll be paying for a site that works well and looks good, so check they can do both
- What’s in their Service Level Agreement? – Check this includes support and security updates, so you can get help when you need it
- Compare costs – Look at what the design price includes. Are there extra costs after the site is live?
- Agree that you own the domain, website and CMS at the end of the project – So you’ll have full access to all elements
- Can people use their sites? – They should check the site on all browsers, devices and platforms for viewing and download speed
- Do they provide training on managing the site?
- Can they explain web development without jargon? – They should be able to talk in terms you can understand
- Will they set up the site so you can see how visitors use the different pages?
Decide your website name
Whoever designs your website, you’ll need to pick a name for it yourself. This needs some thought, as it’s how users will find you directly. Plus, it can make a difference to whether they see your site when they search for something online.
Website designers use the term ‘domain name’.
What’s a domain name?
A domain name is your website name. It’s the address that gives people access to your website. Your domain name is part of your online identity, so make sure you pick a good one.
Your domain name should be:
- Linked in some way to the name of your organisation
- Easy to pronounce
- Easy to spell
- Short
- Easy to find – What would people search for if they wanted to find your products or services?
- Linked to location if you’re local – Including your town or area in your name could help people find you quicker
Buying a domain
Once you’ve thought of a name, you’ll need to check if it’s available for one or more ‘domains’. Sites like Namechk or Namecheckr can help you find out whether your name is available. These sites check domain names and social media usernames across multiple networks. This helps you make sure your domain address and social site name can be the same.
The best domain name to buy has ‘.com’ on the end. It’s the most common extension and it’s been around the longest. This makes it instantly recognisable. Be aware that your name might not be available with this option.
Think about buying the same name with various different extensions, like ‘.co.uk’, ‘.net’ or ‘.org’. This can prevent others from registering a similar address. You could even buy mis-spelt versions too, to make sure all potential customers reach you. Doing this can also help to stop fraudsters from producing fake sites to scam your customers.
Once you (or your web developer) register a domain name, you can use it for both your website address and an email address. Having an email address that matches your domain name looks professional and builds credibility.
