So you've decided to create a website, and you've thought about what you'd like to put on it.  Fantastic!  Now, it's time to start the design process.

Who Should I Ask To Create My Website?

• Your Brother-in-Law:  Seriously!  If you have a techy relative, that's great!  If you just have a simple site that doesn't need to change much over time, this might be a perfectly viable option.  Bake him some cookies, bring him a 6 pack, and you are golden.  But...  there are some significant downsides to this plan.
  1. Lack of priority:  If he's techy, he is probably in demand for his skills.  Even if he isn't terribly busy right now, he probably will be soon.  The minute he gets an actual paying gig, or ANYTHING in his life starts keeping him busy, his focus on your little site is going to go out the window.
  2. Is he creative?  Techy folks may have the computer skills to put up a site, but will he build you an attractive site that will clearly and beautifully relay the information you want to put forth about your business?
     
  3. Is he available long term?  I have taken over many sites that were created by relatives and friends.  They start off strong, but in a year or so these friendly volunteers aren't available (aka don't want) to continue supporting your site.  You may wind up with an outdated site that you can't change. 
  4. It makes Thanksgiving awkward.  If he promised you he'd help, and you put your trust in him, and he didn't follow though, it gets hard to ignore this at social occasions. 
• A Volunteer:  If you are working with a non-profit, and have a volunteer board, it might seem like a great idea to ask a volunteer to create your site.  However, please see points 1-4 above (substituting "Thanksgiving" with "seeing them on the golf course"!)
• A Computer Programmer:  Programmers are amazing for high end, customized websites that require special coding ability.  Many times their skills are WAY more than is needed for a simple website.  And they can rightfully charge an arm and a leg for their coding skills.  Also, many techy folks like to "speak geek".  They may seem overwhelming when they are trying to explain what needs to be done on your site. 
• A Graphic/Web Designer:  Graphic and Web designers are fantastic, and very creative.  They can and do create beautiful websites using a variety of programs.  Some can be expensive, and you'll want to make sure you hire someone who is going to be around long term.  I've taken over websites that were created by professional, well meaning graphic/web designers.  However, when they got busy, or focused on other things, they became increasingly unavailable for website maintenance.  This is absolutely not the case with all designers!  (Heck, my daughter is graphic designer!)  However, please look for someone with a strong track record of reliability who is planning on staying around.

Please take a look at my portfolio of websites.  Please feel free to contact any of the businesses or organizations for a professional recommendation of my work.  Don't forget to check out my stellar reviews!

Have any more questions?  Want to get started designing?  Please Contact Me!

Ok - so you've answered the question "Do I Really Need a Website?".  Congratulations!  You are now ready to take the next step!

Some people would think the next step would be to start looking for a website designer, and we'll get to that shortly.  However, it's a good idea to do a a little pre-planning before starting the search for your perfect design partner.  This will help you in your initial discussions with a designer, thus making your conversation very productive.

At the minimum, your website should have the following pages:

Home Page
The home page is the place where most of your potential customers will land. 
Your homepage should clearly show the name of your business/organization and provide the following:

• A simple description of what you do (with a link to an About page)
• A list of categories of services/products you provide (with relevant links to those category pages)
• Embedded social media feeds (facebook, instagram, etc).
• Your logo and informative pictures about your products/services
• A calendar (if appropriate)
• A blog feed (if appropriate)
• Plus any other information you would want your customers to see right away.

About Page
This page should display general information about the owners/founders of the organization.  The about page should discuss how and when the business was created and a little bit about it's history.  It should also have pictures of staff/board members and links to bios.

This is a great place to put your Mission Statement or Curriculum Vitae.

Product/Service Pages
These pages should be displayed so that each page represents a single service or category of products/services.  Google likes pages "chunked" up in in relevant portions.  Don't try to list and describe all of your products and services on one page.  List them logically with relevant links between pages.  It's good to use Next and Previous links if a customer should go in order from one page to another.

Contact Page
This is where you'll display (in a clear and concise way) how a potential customer would contact you.  You'll want to list both your physical and mailing addresses, with an interactive map if appropriate.  You will want to make sure that the phone numbers and email addresses are hyperlinked, so that people can simply click on them to call or email you directly.

Important!  If you work from home, I highly recommend that you DO NOT display your home address.  I would suggest getting a PO Box or purchasing a mailbox from a UPS store location, and using that address instead.  You can't be too careful in this public arena!

Trust me, your website will grow from here.  But this is a good starting point in planning your site.

Have questions?  Feel free to contact me and I'll be happy to discuss your website needs. 

"Do I really need a website?" 
This is an important question to ask yourself if you are starting out with a small business or non-profit.  And I would venture to say the answer is almost always a resounding "Yes!"

Having a web presence gives your business or organization legitimacy.
Nowadays, if you can't be found on the web, people get suspicious of your legitimacy.  Just having a simple website that displays even the barest information about you goes a long way.  It shows that you are professional and established, and that you care about conveying accurate information about your business. 

Your website is your online business card.
When you meet someone in a professional arena, it's customary to give and receive business cards.  If someone simply scribbled their phone number on the back of a napkin, you might think they were a bit less than professional.  However, if they presented you with even a simple business card, with clear contact information, you would know that they cared about their business and the impression they make.

Your website allows you to (at least partially) control what information is listed about your business.
Having complete, clear and up-to-date information posted online is essential for any business or non-profit. Trust me, if you have been established for any length of time, you will probably find information about your business on the web that may or may not be correct.  It's important to get ahead of the curve!  Creating even a simple website can help ensure that the information publicized is as correct as possible. 

We at MTC Web are committed to helping everyone establish a web presence, no matter how small an organization.  Contact us for a free consultation to discuss how we can help you create and maintain a professional image on the web.