Almost everyone has some hesitation when it comes to embarking on a new website simply because for many, it’s unknown territory.
So here are some practical tips about ensuring that your website project gets delivered on time, on budget, and on brand—and makes you the hero!
How Will I Keep Costs from Spiraling Out of Control?
Maybe you’ve heard horror stories about website projects that went off the rails—or maybe you’ve lived that! Taking the right steps before you start the work can eliminate those kinds of scenarios.
Choose Flexible Packages: Look for providers offering tiered options (like basic, advanced, or premium) to match your budget and goals. If the project comes in higher than you can afford, circle back to see if there are ways to rethink the scope.
Talk to The Web Creator’s Clients: Ask how the schedule, budget, process and final outcome went.
Get Clear on Deliverables: Request a clear breakdown of costs—design, hosting, SEO—so you know exactly what you’re paying for. Understand also that prices can go up when features or revisions go beyond what is scoped, so be sure to ask about budget implications as new ideas come along.
How Much of a Time Commitment Will It Be?
Yes, you’ll have to invest time in the project. Here are some ways to address that before the project gets started.
Streamline Processes: Use checklists and project management tools to keep the project on track.
Set Clear Milestones: Share a timeline with realistic deadlines for feedback and approvals. If you’re overly swamped, ease up on the schedule. But don’t let long delays occur—they are prone to increase costs.
Work With Your Web Creator Before You Begin: They can help you break down the jobs into manageable pieces and milestones that you can then use to estimate your own time.
Get Clear On Your Own Internal Process: Very often projects expand because people get involved at the wrong stage of the project. Determine who has sign-off authority, and as you ask for reviews, make clear what kinds of things they should look for. If you’re in the final review of the entire site and someone wants to make changes that will set you back several steps, the schedule can crumble.
I’m just afraid the whole thing will fall apart—and it will be my fault!
Understand that it’s normal to worry about things that you’re unfamiliar with. This is why selecting a partner that you can freely share your concerns and hopes with is so important.
Challenge your own fears, too, by remembering the projects you’ve successfully led in the past—and tapping into the skills you used to navigate them.
How do I decide what to include?
Again, this is where having the right partner can bring you assurance. An experienced web creator looks at your website with fresh eyes, and helps you identify not only what your customers care about, but how to persuade them.
If you have an existing site you’re hoping to make over, ask your web creator to do a content audit—if you need some extra help. While there will be some cost to this, it will be far less than the cost of the new site—and could save you money.
Review your competitor’s websites to get content ideas. And while it’s not ethical to take content from someone without their permission, there’s nothing wrong with letting the general topic categories from other sites inspire your outline.
Not a writer? Your web creator, if they’re part of a creative firm, will have resources to help you with this.
Here’s a brief outline, to start with.
What you offer, and what customer pain points your product or service solves.
The people, story, and why behind your brand. Make it personal!
Overview of your products or services, with as many great photos as possible.
Contact information.
Customer testimonials or case studies.
FAQs.
Call to action (CTA).
What if we don’t have a clear brand?
Find a creative team with experience in branding, and hire them to help you create yours. If your website creator is part of a creative team, they may have team members who can help.
If you can’t invest in a visual brand guide that outlines fonts, colors, and overall visual themes, see if your website developer can do some of this work while building your site. This would be an added expense, but doing it in concert with your website could save money.
If you have specific ideas in mind, create a “mood board” showing them designs you like in any industry.
How to Find the Right Web Creator
Finding the right creative partner begins with knowing what’s important to you. Start by creating a list of your wishes and your biggest concerns. Then do some online research. Once you’ve narrowed down the options:
Ask for referrals from colleagues.
Review their online portfolio.
Read what customers say about them in reviews.
Ask to speak to specific clients about their work.
See if they offer a free consultation. This will give you a feel for whether their style and approach is right for you.
What Happens Once the Project Is Done?
Take the time to understand what it will take to maintain the website by having that conversation with your web creator—and doing some research online.
Maintenance Packages: Find out what you can expect for updates, hosting, and support.
Content Revisions: Ask your web creator to show you how content changes are done, so you can determine if it is something you want to do in-house—or hire done. In general, we recommend making routine changes in-house because it’s fastest and least expensive.
Reliability: Know what you can expect in terms of reliability based on historical performance.
Your website is your digital storefront. Updating it so it is modern, user friendly, and easy to maintain can dramatically improve your brand’s reputation—and result in increased sales leads. With a good web creation partner, you should be able to have a new site on time, on budget, and on brand!