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How to plan a web site

Web design planning

Office Activate starts with your company marketing plan and your expectations and then we develop a detailed web marketing plan. One valueable resource is the web site questionnaire which is used to determine your specific web site and marketing needs. Some things we consider are your competitors, the market place, your budget, your message and your target audience.

Your web site should be an extension of your marketing plan, and enable you to reach and communicate with anyone with Internet access.

The following provides a simplified template to assist you in planning your web site.

Web design goals

What are the over-riding goals. For example:

• Cut down on user telephone calls for support
• Promote our product line or services
• Provide contact information
• Provide valuable advice to our customers and potential customers

Then ask the newspaper reporter style questions for these goals for each need below. Ask these questions for business needs and user needs: who, what, where, when, why and how.

Newspaper Reporter questions. For example:

• Who are the customers? (demographics, etc.)
• What do they want?
• How do they buy?
• When do they make a decision?
• Where
• Why

Web design business needs examples

Example motivations for your company:

• Cut down on calls asking for information
• Get new members from the Internet
• Showcase the personal trainers working at the gym
• Sell more photography supplies
• Reach new potential subscribers
• Sell advertising on the Web site
• Have a site that reflects the magazine

User Needs examples

Example reasons a potential customer would use your web site:

• Check out the gym online
• Get basic information like operating hours and policies
• Get information about photography
• Get back issues of the magazine
• Contact magazine staff
• Get links to equipment listed in the magazine

Click this link for a detailed web site questionnaire that you can print out and fill out to help you define your goals and needs or click the link on the left menu.