Are you thinking about designing, or redesigning, your website? Well, that’s great…because we’re firm believers that an exceptional website is essential for the VAST majority of businesses operating in this century. Here’s the thing though, there are a lot of considerations that need to be made before you even begin. Even as someone who’s not a web designer or developer by trade, it’s likely that you’re aware of the more obvious steps you need to take in order to make your website dreams a reality like purchasing a domain, establishing branding, having professional photos taken and writing great copy. But here in the House of 334, we like to make sure our clients are aware of factors that they may not have thought about in order to avoid pitfalls down the line.

To help us uncover three not so obvious things to consider before designing a website, we reached out to Kate of Kate Scott Co., Andrea of Balogun Strategy & Design and Erin of Product Powerhouse Co. — a few entrepreneurs from The List who know a great deal about the subject. So without further ado, let’s dig in.

Consideration #1: Your Strategy

Of course we all want beautifully designed websites that wow site visitors upon first glance. But what you may not have considered is that a well designed website begins with a solid strategy in mind.

We asked Kate of Kate Scott Co. what she felt was the most important thing to consider when building a new website, and her response was that it’s “the strategy behind the design.” Kate gave some great tips about how to determine your website strategy:

“What’s the #1 thing you want someone to do when they visit your website? Book a discovery call? Sign up for your email list? Purchase a product? Your content layout, calls to action, and navigation structure should all guide visitors to the point where they’re ready to book, subscribe, or buy. Aesthetics are important but without a strong strategic foundation, they won’t get you the results you want.”

And you know what? We couldn’t agree more.

Consideration #2: Your Client

This one can be a hard pill to swallow for some because ultimately, we’re all attracted to things that we like. However, designing a website for your business needs to be focused on what will attract your ideal customer…and that could very well be something completely different than “what you like.” For example, if your ideal customer is over 65 years old, you probably don’t want to design your website with sparkly pink unicorns nor would you want to use any slang terms that are frequently used in conversation by Gen Z.

In addition, Andrea of Balogun Strategy & Design felt strongly that:

“The most important thing for you to remember when you’re designing your website is that you’re speaking to a potential client. Your design and verbiage shouldn’t just be about you and what you’ve done, but about your client’s pain points and what you can do for them to help them succeed.”

And spoiler alert…we agree with that too.

Consideration #3: Your Designer

Selecting your website designer is a choice that you shouldn’t take lightly. You’ll be investing your time and money with this person or agency, as well as trusting them with bringing your vision to life. Like everything else, there are several factors to think about when choosing a website designer. Erin of Product Powerhouse Co. offered her insight:

“I think the most important thing to consider would be to find someone you respect professionally. As a website designer and strategist I’m always making suggestions like how to determine shipping rates or simplifying their services. When comes down to it we both want their website to look great, but also make them money! So if you don’t feel like you trust and respect the designer, you probably want to find someone else.”

Erin dug deeper into some factors that may not be as easy to find out unless you have a consultation. She suggests asking questions like:

“How does the designer like to communicate with their clients? Do they have systems or creative processes in place? Do they have a contract? These logistical things say more about the experience of a designer than their design style. Find a few designers who have the style you are after then look through their service to see how their process works.”

And you guessed it…we think Erin is spot on.

So have you considered these three not so obvious things as you prepare to build or redesign your website? Which consideration do you find most challenging? Shoot us an email or fill out our contact form to let us know how we can help. We’d love to hear from you!

Save this post by pinning one of these images to a Pinterest board!