Setting up a Website

Mon 18 Sep 2006, 09:49

It depends on what you're trying to achieve with your website.

If your objective is keep a small network of people informed about a special interest, club or ongoing activity then by all means, use an existing free resource and/or borrow a version of Dreamweaver or Front Page (the former is a better application) and enjoy learning how to build a web presence.

If, on the other hand your objective is to 'outreach' to a wider community of online users or target a market for a particular campaign, product or service then you need to take the same steps with your web presence that would be necessary in professionally marketing any business or campaign.

Research your target audience or customer.
Clearly identify your objectives and how you will measure results.
Contact a professional web developer (as opposed to a Web Designer). Developers are experienced in achieving web sites that work competatively on the Internet by harrnassing useful technologies to get your message out and capture an audience.
Work with your developer to come up with a website plan that will work within your budget.
Set aside part of your budget to for on line marketing.
(I used use the slogan 'What Good is Your Website If Nobody Can Find It'?).
Make sure that your deeloper is able to assist you in optimising your web site for Search Engines and appropriate Directories, Google being the most important.
Register your website with the Open Directory Project, Google and (locally) Touch Oxford (but don't pay Touch any money, use their free service).
Create a linking strategy to get as many similar or sympathetic sites to link to you. (This is easier if you're nonprofit or campaigning). The more relevant sites that link to you, the higher Google will rank your site.
Get your developer to install a newsletter facility to build a database of opt in subscriber and write them a regular newsletter they recieve by email. Make sure your newsletter has good content and bears your website address; it will get forwarded.
Write articles ofr online publication about your special interest and use your byline as a link to your website.

Update your website frequently and preferably use a Content Management Sstem that permits you to simply cut and past text and image changes rather than having to go back to your developer everytime you want to make a change. The initial small extra cost will pay off over time.

Finally, make sure that all of your off line material (e.g.) business cards, brochures, posters prominently bear your website address (url).

You may have guessed I've been doing this for awhile; over twelve years to be precise.

You can find out more my visiting my website www.wychnet.net or emailing me directly on igor@wychnet.net.

Hope this was helpful.