How To Make the Most of Your Website Through Advance Planning

One of the most difficult, but key components of the Internet marketing process is to design your website to achieve the goals you have set for your business.  But this critical step is usually the one business people skip, or just leave it to their web designer to consider, which can be even more damaging to their overall goals. 

When you take the time to strategically plan the outline of your new website or an upgrade of your current one, not only will you achieve a website that will show off your business in the best way, but one you will be able to add and edit content easily, and probably most important will help to achieve your overall business goals.  Here are a number of important steps to take in the website planning process:

1.  Create a list of anything your website visitors will want to know about the product or service you are offering.  For example, visitors to a school’s website would probably want to know the attendance levels, size of the classrooms, information on staff members and what sports they can participate in.  Try to list every possible topic about your industry, service or product that a visitor to your new website might be interested in knowing.

2.  Put yourself into the visitor’s shoes.  Visit and review some websites similar to the one you will offer as if you were a potential customer.  As a visitor, what do you like and dislike about each site?  Are you inspired to take action from the website?  Are you able to find what you are looking for quickly and easily? How many different pages do you have to click through to find what you want?  With the goal of making your website as easy for potential customers to use as possible, note all of this information down for future use.

3.  Research to find out what keywords your visitors might search for. You don’t need to invest in expensive search tools, Google has a free keyword tool that is adequate for this purpose.  By typing in a general phrase such as “exercise video”, other keywords will come up that are related.  Your visitors already have questions about these things.  By arming yourself with this information, you will be able to plan your website to answer their questions right away. 

4.  When planning your new website, make sure to keep in room to grow.  Don’t be lured into a website format that won’t let you expand easily to add new content pages or products.  A good website is a constant work in process. 

5.  Finally, make sure your website is easy to control, so you don’t have to rely on your website designer to make even the smallest changes.   Successful Internet marketing today relies on a dynamic website with fresh content added often, and having an antiquated website that only your designer can change will just not work anymore.  You need a website platform that will allow you to add website content fast and simply.

The investment by your business into a new website is a large part of your marketing budget.  Make the most of your investment with a new website that supports the goals you have set for your business. 

Marty Dickinson is the founder of HereNextYear, Inc., a full service Internet marketing company in business for over 10 years. His specialty is Internet marketing solutions for the small business owner, speakers and authors. Visit to see what HereNextYear has to offer and to learn more about their innovative new website packages fully integrated for ease with social networking and other Internet marketing strategies.