| Website planning is arguably the most important step | | | | you can continue to refine & add additional pages. |
| to building a website, and yet it is often overlooked. | | | | Next, using the content you've already gathered, |
| Without a clear, concise, written website plan, your site | | | | arrange your website page in an attractive and |
| will take longer to develop and publish; and you'll | | | | organized manner, ensuring everything fits on the page |
| struggle to stay on target toward your objective. So in | | | | and flows. Locate your logo and photos on your page. |
| this installment of "Make My Own Website", we'll take | | | | Edit or rewrite any articles you need to. |
| a closer look at this forgotten step. | | | | When do you want to publish your site, and how often |
| How to plan a website begins by addressing these 6 | | | | will you update it? Identify a reasonable time frame to |
| basic questions: *Why *Who *What *How *When | | | | complete your project and publish your website. |
| *Where | | | | Establish a schedule to come back and review your |
| Why are you creating a website? Your website's | | | | site; be it monthly, quarterly or annually. Regularly |
| purpose. It could be for social interaction, sharing news | | | | schedule maintenance checks to verify functionality of |
| information, marketing a business, product or service; | | | | your site, as well as assess the relevancy of your |
| as well as selling a product or service. | | | | message. Is it still effective, or has it become |
| Who is your intended target audience? Study your | | | | outdated? |
| target audience. Put yourself in their shoes. Identify | | | | Keep in mind your website will never truly be finished. |
| common characteristics of your target audience. Write | | | | Your website, like you, the internet or even the world |
| them down; their skills, interests, and knowledge. | | | | itself, is continuously evolving. And as your purpose |
| What is your message? Content will be the hardest, | | | | evolves, technology advances, and new mediums of |
| most time-consuming element of your planning. Start | | | | communication develop, you will find yourself returning |
| by identifying the content you already have (brochures, | | | | to your site to refine your message. |
| logos, photos, articles, etc.). Next, identify the content | | | | Where will you put your website (who will host it)? |
| you still need. Complete all of your content research | | | | Your choice of service will be determined in part by |
| before you begin configuring any page. Each page of | | | | your individual hosting needs. Before you begin to |
| your site should have its own theme, that corresponds | | | | research the various services you need to identify |
| to the overall message of the website. | | | | those specific features your site will require. |
| How will you configure your website? Begin your | | | | A final thought concerning website planning. As you've |
| website planning by drawing a diagram that shows | | | | learned, your website plan is your road map to creating |
| how your pages will be organized. Identify the priority | | | | your website. What was previously only a concept, |
| and order you will work on your web pages. | | | | with general ideas and objectives, has advanced to a |
| Remember to focus on and configure only one web | | | | formal plan. By working through these questions, you |
| page at a time. If your website will be more than 5 | | | | have taken the initial step of identifying priorities and |
| web pages, you should consider publishing those 5 | | | | eliminating options for your site. |
| pages first. Once those pages have been published, | | | | |