Website Design and Build

When you are starting your own business, one of the first things you will need to think about is creating a website to showcase and promote your services.

First of all you will need to think about domain names and hosting:

• What domain name will you use?
• What email addresses do you need to set up?
• Which hosting package should you use?

The next stage is finding a professional to help design and build your website. Once you have found the right designer, you will need to share your ideas to him or her.

• Do you have a basic idea of the type of design you are looking for?
• Do you have a company logo or branding that needs to be incorporated?
• Have you looked at your competitors and peers’ sites and noted down what you like or dislike about them?
• Can you put together a clear brief to communicate to your designer?
• Have you considered the user when thinking about your site’s layout? Will it be easy to navigate?
• Which content management system (CMS) is best to use? Your designer can advise you on this.

Your designer will help and advise you about all of the above, but it is good to have some ideas of your own about design and layout.  Looking at your competitors sites will give you lots of ideas about how you might outshine them.

Regarding your website’s content, you will need to ask yourself the following key questions:

• How many pages will you have on your website? Usually, having five or six top-level pages is adequate for a consultancy business website.
• What will the pages be about?  They will probably be:
  • About you
  • Your services
  • Case studies
  • Contact details
  • And most importantly how your clients can benefit from your services
• Will you start a blog to demonstrate your expertise?

Your website content is obviously up to you, as only you have the first-hand experience and knowledge needed to write about your business. However, you can employ the services of a copywriter to polish up your text and make it more engaging to read.

Website prices start from £430 and are quoted per project according to requirements.