I have been part of lots of web projects… some have fallen flat on their faces, and some turned into major success stories. Of course, there were a few in between! For those of you just getting started on a new venture, here is my personal step-by-step formula for setting up a new web site, from concept to its initial launch.
My mom is a professional scouter. I’m so proud of her; she went back to school and got her degree in Scouting Education just last year. When I was growing up, camping was an amazing experience. We’d get to the campsite prepared - we had tents full of warm sleeping bags and pillows, food for meals (plus a little extra, in case we got stranded or the fish didn’t bite), and fun stuff to do while we were there.
One time, in college, I went camping with some relatives. We took out an RV with pillows and not too much else in the food/clothing/shelter department — no food, no utensils. We had fun stuff to do, though! Even so, as you can imagine, our prepared campsites gave us a richer, more successful, more pleasant experience: one we looked forward to repeating.
Having a web site with a firm foundation is just as important. If you want it to be successful in the long run, you need to “be prepared,” as my mother would say.
Come up with a good idea
If you have a killer idea, you’ve gone one major step forward. Can you fill a need? Do you have knowledge on the perfect subject? Are you itching to tell your story online?
Keep in mind that a great idea does not a solid business make. Even if you’re just the “idea man,” your job is NOT done once the idea has been thought up. It’s going to take a lot of time and plenty of effort to turn that idea into a real, working web site.
Identify your profit model
Even if you are the most non-self-serving non-profit out there, you will need to be able to cover your expenses at the very least. Yes, it’s possible to be a non-profit and have employees who get paid. It’s also possible to be “for-profit” and make nothing!
On the other extreme, there are those of us who dream of companies with nice fat profit margins. However, the best way to flourish is to cover expenses and then consider the kind of profit you want to come away with.
There are lots of ways to make money online. The “Big 3″ that always come to mind for me are Sponsors, Advertisers, and Subscribers. Sponsors are big-money advertisers with which you build long-term relationships. Advertisers are cheaper, “here today, gone tomorrow” types, and can look like inobtrusive AdWords or big fancy banner ads. Subscribers pay to use the tools you make available on your site.
All three will work, and sometimes you can do more than one at a time. Which one is right for your web site?
Write up a business plan and do a market analysis
Do your homework, and think twice about this new site.
- Is your idea really all that good?
- Is it unique, or are there 100 other sites just like it out there?
- Is your profit model realistic?
- How long will it take to make a profit?
- Can/will you wait to quit your day job?
- While you’re waiting to break even, how much money will you be laying out, and can you really afford it?
Do you still think your plan is the next best thing since sliced bread? If you have doubts, now is the time to resolve them. Don’t be afraid to put your plan on hold while you work some things out.
Put together a solid business plan that makes sense to you and everyone you run it by. You’ll be glad you did. This includes identifying what it’s going to cost to put together and maintain your web site. I’m not going to tell you what it will cost; it depends so much on your project, budget, and expertise. You’ll need to have some idea of what you want the site to do and what it’s going to look/feel like, but the details can come later.
Register a domain name and business
I’ve already written about choosing a domain name. If you do it “my way,” it’s a long process, but it’s important to get it right. Your domain name and your business name can be one and the same, or they can differ slightly.
In 5 or 10 years, your domain name’s age will be very important. You’re not very likely to change your domain, no matter how many times you “redesign” your site.
If you know what hosting company you will be using, go ahead and register your domain through that company. I usually include the first year of the domain registration in my clients’ initial web setup cost; your web developer may do the same.
Register your business through the proper channels. It’s important, and it’s the law.
Now, you can get started on your web site!
This is what you’re waiting for, but I’m not going to give it to you tonight. In my next post, I’ll go into the following steps in detail:
- Work out your expected/desired visitor cycle
- Plan your menus: do some card sorting
- Get a professional graphic design
- Do some paper prototyping
- Have your site professionally developed
- Do some usability testing
- Launch!
- Maintain your site