A guide to getting your first business start-up website
Friday, 9th January 2015
So you've got your business plan sorted and your business name is pretty much confirmed. Contracts for premises are being prepared and you're even thinking about recruiting staff. But *usually* left until the very last moment is the website.
At Edward Robertson we're used to working with small to large businesses that have already been through the process of getting their website done and are looking for either a refresh or a redesign of what they already have.
But many people come to us for their first ever website and we like that because not only does it mean that we potentially have a new customer for life but it gives us an opportunity to get in at ground zero.
However we understand that the world of website design can be a bit intimidating so here's some handy tips to remember when getting your startup website.
1. Domains and Hosting
You purchase a domain name e.g. www.yourcompanyname.co.uk which points people to the website that lives on your hosting space. Domain names are usually a small fee paid yearly or every 2 years whereas the hosting cost is a small fee paid monthly (think of it as renting - the fee depends on how big and complicated your hosting package needs to be).
Where we come in is we design and build the website that is stored on your hosting space. We have our own hosting and domain services too so we can take care of all of the setting up for you.
2. Content is king
We can help source stock photos and information for your website but the real expert on your business is you. While we recommend that provide content for your website, we help in organising and editing it into something that can be easily digested on your website.
3. Brand consistency
We also recommend keeping your branding across all mediums as consistent as possible. For instance, if you already have a logo, typeface and colour schemes existing from earlier print work then let us know and we can work with that. Alternatively we can provide logo and brand design services for you to incorporate into things such as leaflets and shop signage in the future.
4. "How much does it cost?"
We believe cost is relative. A cheap website will have the limitations of a cheap website because the small budget means that there is limited time that can be spent on designing and creating it (or we lose money and that wouldn't make for a very good business model!).
We build sites that are versatile enough to be expanded if needed without having to completely redo them but we also build sites that we believe will give you a return on your investment whether that be more enquiries or more sale conversions.
Remember; it's in our interest as well that your business is a success!
Want Us To Help?
If you are looking for someone to help create your start-up business website then please get in touch. We've got offices in Darlington and Newcastle upon Tyne but we're happy to arrange a visit to have a chat!
