For smaller businesses, building your own website might be more affordable than hiring an experienced web developer. However, note that successful websites involve comprehensive research, planning, design, content, and updates. These milestones will help you get through each phase of development before your big launch.
Determining your budget is the first step to making your website a success. Although there are free platforms you can use, you’ll eventually have to pay fees for copywriting, photography, SEO, and more as you expand your website. A creative brief, sitemap, and wireframe can help you get started.
After the research stage, the homepage design, desktop, and mobile views, and other design elements will need to be thought out. Finding a color palette that works well with your brand, ensuring that text is legible, and that information is conveyed clearly is vital.
Content is just as valuable as the aesthetics that go into your website. Think about conducting keyword research, using concise page headings and titles, and including calls to action. Google’s SEO starter guide is a good introduction that describes how to improve your search rankings.
If you’re starting a website from scratch, you’ll need to do a lot of testing and coding to check if it functions properly across platforms and browsers. Any bugs, errors, and broken links need to be addressed.
Before your launch, you’ll need to work on your marketing and social media reach to generate buzz around your website. As these various milestones are completed, you’re finally ready to launch your website and make it available to the public!
After your launch, your work isn’t over yet. You’ll need to constantly respond to user feedback, make adjustments, and continue to conduct regular tests and updates so that your security and compatibility remain constant.
Learn more about the key components of a retail website at Page Kits!
After conducting his fair share of research and gaining relevant experience, Gab put up Page Kits to help others who were in his position grow their e-commerce stores and thrive.