How to Design a Website?
As more and more businesses shift their focus towards the digital space, having a strong online presence has become a necessity. A website serves as the digital face of a business and is often the first point of contact for potential customers. Therefore, it is imperative to have a website that is user-friendly, informative, and secure. In this article, we will discuss a five-stage pre-design framework, an action checklist, and website load testing that will help you build a website that meets your customer's needs.
Stage 1: Understanding Your Customer
Before embarking on designing a website, it is essential to understand your customer's needs. Who is your customer, and what are they looking for when they visit your website? What information is most valuable to them? Answering these questions will help you create a website that caters to your customer's needs.
Stage 2: Website's Purpose
The next step is to understand the purpose of your website. Is it designed to deliver information only, or will it also enable transactions? Understanding this will help you determine the features you need to include on your website.
Stage 3: Information Hierarchy
Now that you understand your customer's needs and the purpose of your website, it is time to determine the information hierarchy. What information is most valuable to your customer, and how should it be presented on your website? Ensuring that your website's information is presented in a clear and organized manner will make it easier for your customers to find what they are looking for.
Stage 4: Website Updates
It is essential to determine how often your website needs to be updated. Does it require daily or weekly updates, or will quarterly updates suffice? This will help you plan the resources needed to maintain and update your website.
Stage 5: Transactions
If your website involves financial transactions, it is crucial to ensure that it is secure. Use HTTPS:// if your website captures user data or conducts financial transactions. Additionally, it is recommended to use reputable online payment service providers like Razorpay, Paytm for Business, Instamojo, or Pay Money to process payments.
Action Checklist
Once you have gone through the pre-design framework, it is time to take action. Here is an action checklist that will help you build a successful website:
- Hire an external design agency to design your website.
- Choose a freely available content management system like WordPress if you have a content-heavy or simple static website.
- If you have a transactional website, build your own site, with safe and secure code.
- Book a domain name from any good hosting website like GoDaddy.com, Namecheap.com.
- Buy your hosting space on your own. Do not give hosting or domain rights to your web design agency.
- If you want your customers to make payments on the website, use reputable online payment service providers like Razorpay, Paytm for Business, Instamojo, or Pay Money to process payments.
Website Load Testing
Once your website is up and running, it is essential to test its performance. Website load testing helps determine how well your website can handle different levels of traffic. Depending on the expected website traffic, you may need a shared server or a dedicated server. Ensure that your servers are whitelisted and secure to prevent security breaches.
In conclusion, building a website requires careful planning and execution. By following the five-stage pre-design framework, action checklist, and website load testing, you can create a website that meets your customer's needs, is secure, and performs well. Remember to update your website regularly, ensure it is secure, and provide users with a seamless experience.
