Ready for a new website? Here are the top 5 questions to ask yourself!

So— you’re ready for a website refresh, or even a new website altogether. You may have high bounce rates, an antiquated site, poor conversion numbers, or your site simply doesn’t reflect who you currently are. Answering these five questions (and answering them thoroughly!) will help you give your site the mini-facelift it deserves. Or, help you to build one from the ground up.

Why do you need a website?

Why do you need a website?

Before you can dive into semantics, you need to “figure out your why,” We know, this phrase is a tad “namaste” – but figuring out your why is imperative. What purpose will your website serve? How will your site help you accomplish your goals? Back up… what are your website goals to begin with? 

 

Maybe you’re selling a product or advertising service. Perhaps you’re looking to spread awareness or connect with a large-scale audience. Whatever you’re trying to do, first, write it all down! Brainstorm however you see fit, but get all of your ideas out of your head and onto something tangible before you begin to build.

Who is your target audience?

Who, exactly, is your target audience? Are you appealing to high schoolers, baby boomers, or someone in between? Perhaps the mommy bloggers are your sweet spot. Or something niche and cool, like Colorado snowboarders, pastry chefs, or zookeepers. Once you’ve defined your target audience, the rest will start to fall into place. But how do you do so?

Client interviews can be helpful when analyzing your customer base, and these interviews can carry over into other sectors of your site. For example, within a client interview, you can define your target audience and what they’re looking for, or the top features they hope to see simultaneously. Sometimes, it’s even easiest to start with who your customer base is not, and narrow it down from there.

Conducting market research and identifying industry trends is important, as well as analyzing your competitors. Google Analytics is always a helpful tool to supplement your research! 

What are some top features you hope to implement?

What are some top features you hope to implement?

What features do you want your site to have? What will actually take place on your website? What do you want visitors to do once they’ve arrived? All important answers to surmise throughout whatever your brainstorming process looks like.

 

 

Do you want a strong call to action? Aesthetically pleasing photos and images to peruse? A strong sense of identity, evoking emotion in your “About Us” section? Is extremely easy navigation important to you? Will you create interactive features to engage with? There are so many elements to consider, but since it’s your site, this process should be fun.

What are your voice, tone, and style?

Injecting voice, tone, and style will help your audience and potential customers get to know you and hopefully relate to you at the same time. The tone of your site should be distinct and recognizable and likely reflect the vernacular of your audience. 

For example:

  • If you’re ~appealing to woke millennials~ you might type some copy like this. #LOLZ
  • If your audience is Gen Z, you’ll low-key understand the assignment. No cap. 
  • If you’re a Colorado ski company, you’ll want to appear gnarly, bruh. Shred the pow!
  • If you’re posh and supremely polished– how sophisticated your prose shall appear.
  • You might consider a Miss Rachel anecdote if you’re appealing to the mommy-blogging crowd.

Etc. etc. etc. You get the gist of what we’re saying. Your customers want to feel seen and heard by you and know that they can relate. Pro tip: glance around at some competitors, or make a list of your favorite sites before getting started on yours for inspiration of voice, style, tone, and more!

When do you want to launch your site?

Deadlines can be tricky, so perhaps just give yourself both a soft and hard one to start with. But try to stick to them as best as you can! Make a timeline outlining every section and estimate how long they’ll each take you before attempting any stringent due date. 

Be sure to consider if there’s a certain time of year you aim to launch by and be sure to have self-discipline when setting priorities. Try to keep a schedule, but also don’t overcommit when doing so. Understanding the complexities of the process from start to finish is paramount when considering a launch date, but we wholeheartedly believe in you! 

Whether you need guidance with answering any of these six questions, or you’re ready to build your dream site, we’re ready to help. Contact us today!

Create a New Custom Website With FYIN!