When considering the issue of low cost website design functionality, it would appear that it is most often only dealt with from a website designer’s perspective. There are certain issues that you as a perspective website owner should consider and be familiar with long before your chosen website design sees the “light of day”…
How do you as a prospective website owner view or perceive “functionality and features” in a website design?
Let us briefly consider the term functionality as it relates to a low cost, free website or even a cheap website design …
· shaped or constructed with regard mainly to its function, rather than to aesthetics…
· the capacity of a design or application to provide a useful function.
You have decided to take the important step, because owning a website today is a must, rather than, a-nice-to-have. However, even before you start searching for and contacting a website designer, there are certain steps you can take to better understand the functionality aspect of a website design, desired features and workings of a website design in general.
The most common mistake committed by new website owners is surfing the internet and feasting their eyes on the aesthetics of website designs. This means the look and feel of a website design that you visit. This should be your last consideration in the process.
Keep the following in mind. Internet surfers and there are millions every day are looking for information. The may be momentarily impressed by fancy images, colour’ and graphics of a professional website design, but if they cannot find what they are looking for, they will leave sooner than they have arrived. The searching visitor requirements will only be met if the website design features allow it and come ready built into your website design. Web page content should focus on the visitor rather than dazzling images!
Determine your goal and reason for owning a professionally built website. In other words, what purpose will your website serve and what benefit does your business seek to gain.
Will it serve to complement your brochure or paper advertising? Do you want to showcase product features or services you provide?
You may well be advised to search the data bank of some of the major article directories for website functionality aspects, user friendliness, practicality and ease of site navigation. You may find that some design features are simply impractical when measured against your goals you determined for your website. In future issues we will consider how to approach the planning and mapping process involved in designing your website. As a prospective website owner you need to realize the potential public image platform your website may create and how it can add value to your marketing strategies.
Content is king, quality content on your business website design will determine the first step to a successful business website. Visitors or customers that land on your website should be able to see immediately what you offer and why they should stay on your website.
Do you want your website design to have e-commerce functionality built in? What do you want to sell on your web site? How will customers interact with your business site? Do you want to impart immediate and effective product information down loads?
The aforementioned started to touch on the issue of functionality of a professionally built site and how it could meet your pre-defined website goals. This includes the capacity of your site design to fulfill the functionality and features aspect of a website that focuses on serving the needs of your target or niche market. Low cost may be a viable option if can meet pre-defined website design goals.
In future publications we will focus on how to approach various issues relating to website planning and final execution as well as important decisions you have to make before you can even decide on the look and feel aspect….
