Here is a useful list of points to think about when considering having a website designed:

1. Do I really need a website?

Sounds silly, but do you need a whole site? If you have an existing site, could you create a new section

or a microsite devoted to the new content that you wish to communicate? Perhaps just a single, well
thought-out page with links to downloadable documents and other supporting websites would work?

2. What do I need the site for?

Think of the top three reasons for having the site built. Is there a specific agenda that you need to communicate? Do you need to build a database of users?
Keeping the primary objectives clear in your mind will steer the design and also prevent other ideas from creeping in and diluting the sites effectiveness.

3. What’s going in to the site?

The more that you can supply to the designers, the more efficiently they can work and so the lower the costs will be. Can you supply the content for the site? Do you have images/brand assets (logos/typefaces etc) that you can supply to the designers to help make the site engaging and aligned to your organisation?

Will the site content need to be updated regularly? Do you want to be able to update it yourself, or would you like to arrange a maintenance contract with the designers?

4. How will I get to the site?

What URL would you like? Would a subdomain suffice? eg. dads.bookstart.org.uk
How will you make your audience aware of the website? It’s worth retaining a portion of your budget
to promote the website once it’s live.
Could you use a social networking site to promote your site? eg setting up a facebook group?

5. How do I find a designer?

a. Ask around - referrals or recommendations can be the best way to find someone.
b. If there are websites that you like, have a look at the footer - often designers will leave a link to
themselves if the client will allow it.
c. Try approved index.co.uk - a website that will take a brief from you and then arrange for quotes to
be sent to you.

6. Things to remember:

Keep it simple - make sure that your essential messages are communicated clearly. Keep your audience in mind. Make sure you retain ownership of the code behind the site as well as the content. This means you are then free to update the site as you see fit in the future without needing to rebuild again.

//BELLAMYSTUDIO / 07939 597934 / PAUL@BELLAMYSTUDIO.COM