A website is a journey not a destination

Having been developing and designing websites for over 11 years certain things do arise that make you sit back, and think in general about what a website is for and how clients view their existence and use.

Of course there are a multitude of reasons people want a website, from portfolio sites to shops to just about anything. However there are always clients that have a business idea, see the website as a way of achieving this, but just want the site up yesterday without taking the time to do some basic planning.

From our experience we sometimes find that the client is very blinkered and just wants the site up and running as soon as possible without going through the required process it takes in pulling a website together. Of course we will help with the technical aspects, gathering content, provide help and guidance on how visitors use the site etc, but there is still a lot of work for the client to contribute too.

It's their idea, their baby, and only they know how the business will work.

With customers being very net-savvy these days they will almost always visit your website first to check you or your products or services out before getting in touch. Of course you can always update and change the website at a later date, but as first impressions last, it's imperative to make sure that your website is spot on from the start.

So as a client, please expect to be grilled about your business idea and have a really good think about what you want out of the website and help work on the steps needed to build the website so that is an integral part of your business, rather than just ticking the “Need a website” box. Be prepared to spend some time on working on your content ensuring you have the right images and the right message.

As web designers and developers we do have some magic up our sleeves to make your site look awesome and work well, but be prepared to roll your sleeves up and get involved too!