Friday, March 7, 2014

How Much Website Do You Need?



So you’re a new company getting ready to build your website, or you’re a company that’s been around for awhile, but still needs a website. You may be wondering how many pages your website needs. You don’t want to miss anything, but you don’t want to go for overkill, either. After all, cost is a factor, but you need to make sure you have enough information out there. So how do you determine how much website you need?

Start by thinking about your company and also the purpose of the website. Do you want customers to be able to order products on the site? Do you want customers to have links to other companies you work with or resources of information? Is your website designed for a specific event or purpose rather than an overall website for the company? Thinking about your industry and intentions may help you determine how many pages you need. A clothing store that offers custom designed sneakers, for example may need more pages than a fundraising website for a school trip. A restaurant may have straightforward, simple pages such as About Us, Menu, Locations, and Gallery while a university may need several pages and sections for students, classes, alumni, and staff.

There are pages that every website should have and needs. These include a Home page, Contact Us page, and usually, an About Us page. The home page sets the structure for the rest of the website and designates the layout for the other pages.  The About Us page or something similar gives customers a general history of the company, can present fun facts, and bring a personal feel to the company.  The Contact Us page provides all the information about how to get in touch with you: address, phone number, directions, email address, and a contact form to fill out. You can count on these pages as being a part of your website and then develop ideas for your other pages.

Another thing to think about when determining how many pages your website will need is your target audience and usability. If you work with older adults, people who are busy, or have services someone may need in an emergency, it’s best to keep things simple. Do away with the “fluff” and provide information, links, and resources the visitor will need to “get in and get out”. The easier it is for them to use your site, the more likely they will go to you for that product or service they need. If you are a publications company, fluff may be what you need to give your site personality and reveal your creativity. In this case, you would want to include possible a blog, samples of your work, and detailed descriptions of all the services you have to offer.

Beyond Custom Websites has done it all, from one page landing pages to websites with 15 pages or more. We have typical package options, but you can customize your website to fit as few or as many pages as you need. Our web developers, graphic designers, and business professionals will help you decide what pages to include in your site and how many you will need.  Once your site’s structure is laid out, we get to work and build you a completely unique, modern website in an efficient period of time. Find out more about what we do on our website..