Are you ready for your first website?

Here are nine things you should do before you hire a web designer! Speaking as an industry veteran, this makes the experience much easier for us all. Incidentally, I’d love to hear from you if you have questions or additional tips to add to this list. Just send me an email.

1. Secure your URL/domain name. Visit a domain registry such as www.godaddy.com or www.register.com and lease your URL for a specified period. If you purchase your website from Ovation Creative, we’ll register your domain free for the first year.
2. Prepare a “site map” for your website that lists the pages you want ... Home, About Us, Contact Us, and so on. This will give us a general idea of the size of your site and provide the basis for an accurate quote.
3. Identify your target launch date, if any. Take into consideration any important upcoming events like bridals shows and promotional opportunities.
4. Identify your budget parameters. In website design, there are often several ways to accomplish the same goal. We can get creative to help you stay within your budget.
5. Decide if any areas of your website will require regular or frequent updates. This will help you choose between our standard and premium monthly hosting plans.
6. Review your logo and printed marketing materials. A website is a key element of your marketing strategy and should be consistent with your printed materials. Do you already have a logo? Do you need one? How about brochures and business cards? We offer a 20% discount on any of our affordable ImageMaker Packages when you purchase a website.
7. Prepare a list of three or more websites you like ... and what you like about them. This gives you an opportunity to convey how you want your site to look and function and aligns us with your aesthetics and expectations.
8. Think of adjectives to describe your ideal website ... elegant, corporate, feminine, playful, etc. This is another opportunity to communicate your aesthetic direction.
9. Prepare a list of local competitors’ websites so we’ll know how to help you stand out from the crowd.