Planning Your Website
Building your website doesn't have to be a chore, but that doesn't mean it's a quick and easy process: it's not difficult, just involved. This guide is intended to give something of a jumping off point for creating (and maintaining) your website.
This all starts with a plan. Some of the questions asked will seem obvious, and that's good. You should know what your business is all about. The questions are designed to lead to more questions. These questions will lead to the answers that lead to your website content. Writing is a lot easier when you have all the answers.
Keep this in mind: Outlines are your friend.
About the Questions & Examples
The questions ask or refer to your selling something. This is true even if you aren't exchanging money. People come to your website and invest time into reading whatever it is you want them to read and learn. Time is money, so get to the point. Users who get frustrated trying to find information leave and they often don't come back.
The examples throughout are for Bob's Box Emporium. Bob runs a business that exclusively sells boxes. While this may seem like a simple business plan, Bob's products appeal to nearly every person across nearly every geographical and age line (everyone needs a place for their stuff). He also offers custom boxes, but that's for later.
Planning Your Website
Follow these steps in order and the content should come together much more easily than with no plan at all.
Writing the Content
Writing is often the scariest part of the process. Many people are afraid of writing, but if you've followed the steps above, the writing should come much more naturally.
Making Things Easier
Keeping content consistent across similar pages will help both you and your users when it comes to easily comprehending content.