Websites 101: 3 Fundamentals for Business Owners
Today, every business needs a website. You may be thinking about building a website or websites for your business with a DIY website builder. Or you may be hiring a professional team to build it for you. Either way, this article will provide you with the three fundamentals for building a website (and protecting your business).
Have a Content Plan
A website is essentially a collection of information (content) spread across different pages. Without a plan for what that content will be, you will not be able to build a functional website. Even if you don’t know exactly what you want to say, you can still create an outline that will inform your site structure (the hierarchy of pages on your site).
To create this outline, think about your customer. If they need information about each product you offer, you’ll need individual product pages. If your clients frequently ask the same questions, consider adding an FAQ section. Maybe your business requires clients to make appointments. If so, you’ll need a page for scheduling.
Design Using Your Brand Guidelines
Don’t get caught up in trendy fonts and web fads; always refer to your brand guidelines for styling your website or websites. This will ensure that your site stays “on brand.” Brand guidelines dictate your fonts, colors, photos, graphics, and the overall aesthetic of your website. They make design decisions incredibly easy, because there’s no decisions to make! Just follow the guidelines.
Protect Your Business
Security is paramount. Here are a few tips to help you keep your website secure:
- Purchase your domain and your hosting plan using a company credit card.
- Link your own email address (not an employee’s) to your accounts.
- Create a secure password for accessing the backend of your site, and do not share it.
As the owner of your accounts, you can always give—and take away—access to employees or vendors who need it. When an employee or vendor leaves the company, immediately disable their accounts and change all admin passwords. This may seem like overkill, but trust us. It’s not.
Building a high-quality website is no easy task. There are many different skills required, and it’s rare that any one person has all of those skills. If you find yourself in over your head with your website, reach out to the Diace Designs team.
About Kara Franco
Kara writes copy that speaks. She has a knack for creating clear, compelling messages without wasting words. She is passionate about digital marketing and believes that copy is the cornerstone of user experience.
Copywriter + Content Strategist
Kara@diacedesigns.com
