In creating the first website for your startup, you need to have a clear idea of what the direction of your website is going to be. Do not complicate things for yourself, even by the slightest bit or you will go off track Startups do have access to the basics of HTML and CSS, and this can be enough. Here, let’s look at the 5 steps needed to help your startup get the perfect site.
1. Content is key and king to the site
Do not worry about the technicality, implementation, layout, and design of the website. A nicely written article is enough to get started. Use a bold headline as well as beautiful imagery to catch the attention of your target audience. Online ads pointing towards your article have always proven to work. No design trend or a technical stunt will change this fact.
2. HTML & CSS will take you beyond
HTML & CSS are enough to get you started and take you beyond. If your developers have knowledge of PHP then add headers & footers across all your templates.
The boilerplates of HTML & CSS will give you a set of components and layouts so you can get started. GetBootStrap is easy and will help you achieve the first few website goals.
If HTML & CSS become difficult, ask the developers to work on it so you can focus on your content. Templates are finalized pages of HTML & CSS that do look nice but do not have any customizing features.
Google will help you get the best templates you need.
3. Do not use a content management system (CMS) just yet
A content management system does bring in advantages of its own but for startups, it can turn life into a living hell. It can seriously alter the vision and the marketing direction by a drastic margin. It costs a lot to implement and run a content management system. Startups do not have such budgets.
Startups need to be agile and make their changes on the basis of analytics.
When does a content management system work? It works at the later stage when the startup becomes an established business. It only works when the business develops a need for processing and presenting huge amounts of data & content.
A CMS also works when the website has an article-based template. For startups, it should be used as an online service provider only.
Online Providers
They will help you through the basics and functionality of servers and handle your domains. However, they do not support the development of the backend to a large. Wix and Squarespace are part of such.
Content Management Systems
They are difficult to maintain. You handle the server, domain, and every nitty-gritty of the web. It does support backend development but not for startups. WordPress and GetGrav are good CMS’s for startups.
4. Correctly focus on the website’s design
Try focusing on beautiful fonts, great colors, and beautiful imagery instead of placing too much emphasis on the layout. The text and the imagery are the basics of making your startup website design stand out.
Startups often place too much emphasis on the layout which then makes them fall behind. The technical execution gets hurt if too much emphasis is placed on the layout.
5. Have a budget for marketing – do not spend all on web design
People don’t automatically pour in when a website is made. Needless to say, it isn’t 1999. It’s 2019 and a lot has changed. Once your website is live, you need to get it ranked and get traffic. Two ways are paid digital advertising and social media promotion.
A paid social media presence helps you reach your target audience on social media. However, using organic reach on social media will only make it hard.
Paid online advertising is expensive, yet it is very effective. It helps you find your target audience with much relative ease.
Over to you – what’s your choice?
Since you are starting a website, do not jump in for the expensive options and features just yet. You need let it up in the air and let it run for a few hundred miles before you bring in a CMS. If you are confused about the web design agency to seek help from, contact Branex without hesitation.
