3 Important Steps During the Planning Phase in Web Development

Developing a website can be an exciting adventure. Webpages act as authority confirmation, and often, business owners begin to feel like their work is “real” once they have a website online to prove it. This being said, website development can also be overwhelming if you dive in without any preparation. The following will explore three things you need to plan for when organizing your website’s development with a designer or a team of designers.

1. Strategize For Data Collection And Rights

Of all the tips on this list, this is one of the least commonly discussed. People are only just waking up to the realities of online data collection, storage, and sale, but you can bet that they’re going to want full transparency from the sites they visit in the coming months. More than likely, your customers and web page visitors are going to want to know what information you’re collecting and what you’re doing with it. As well, governing bodies all over the world are beginning to tighten restrictions on data collection. Every hosting platform has different rules and regulations, and this information is not always easy to find.

Beyond this, specific data elements could be incredibly beneficial for you to collect given your particular business. You might be able to provide your viewers, users, or clients a much-improved experience with the correct data. However much data you need, a plan must be in place to make sure you’re collecting and using this data responsibly, and you’re protecting those who trust you and have shared their personal information with you.

2. Understand What Types Of Content You Need To Boost SEO

SEO or search engine optimization is a crucial aspect of managing an online presence. There are criteria that search engines use to determine whether your content is useful and relevant to what people are searching for. This, in turn, determines how soon your page shows up when people search-relevant keywords.

Planning for SEO is an ongoing process that needs to be adjusted every few months as algorithms and user expectations change. You might want a blog section, a gallery, a review board, a video playlist, or any combination of these features.

In particular, you need to understand the pool of sites you’re competing against. If your business is located within a town or city, you ideally want to be first on the list when locals search for what you can offer. Hiring a local web design team can help with this as every population has slightly different searching habits. If, for example, your business is located in Ottawa, you might want to seek out a web design Ottawa agency. Local experts will be able to set your site up with the right tools and features for your content creation and posting schedule.

3. Learn About Security And Plan For Safety

No matter what content you’re creating and what data you’re collecting, you need to be aware of site security. Believe it or not, there are hackers out there whose sole focus is breaking into people’s digital businesses and stealing information like credit card numbers or company secrets. Develop a plan for security and make sure your web development team understands your concerns. Like SEO, this plan will need to be updated regularly as hackers, and digital thieves are always adjusting their methods.

With the above three topics explored and planned for, you’re well on your way to setting up a website for your business that collects the right data from your users, keeps data safe, attracts organic viewership, and keeps confidential company information secure. Once these strategies are in place, you can begin to think about the more lighthearted aspects like the color scheme and fonts.