What do I need to get a website created? Pt. 1

What is your site about?

The first step in creating a website is clearly defining your purpose.  What will your website reflect?

• An information page about your business
• Your personal blog
• An online store
• A social network
• A training center
• Many more ideas

Planning your site begins with creating your message.  Before you purchase your website address, there are a few tips.

If your site is about your business, purchasing a web address (also known as a domain name) that reflects the company name is obvious.

Many people are creating a personal brand online, or simply want to own the rights to their own name as a web address.  In upcoming posts, we’ll review what content is best reflected into a personally branded website.

Creating an online store, or any website where the main business activity is an actual website, not a physical location to visit, requires a great deal of planning.  It would be best to get a website address (or domain name) that reflects specific content, and get some search engine optimization research before buying that name.

Does size matter?

The length of your web address matters somewhat.  Consider what someone must type to reach your site, and where your link will be placed later.

If you want to make it easy for others type in your address, or post it often in Twitter – keep it short.  If you have a longer company/personal name as a web address, it would make sense to keep the same name as a web address if it’s available.

If your site is about an entirely online business, such as a store, the more important factor may simply be getting found.  Picking names that turn up well in search engines will become your goal.