Website Breakdown – the guide every startup should read

Website Breakdown – the guide every startup should read

Just what is important in starting and maintaining a successful website? Why think about it yourself when there’s a list here waiting for you…

Website Content – 50%

We’re not going to lie to you. That would be bad. But no matter what other tutorials may or may not tell you, at the end of the day, despite all the fancy marketing tricks you have up your sleeve, your website will go absolutely nowhere without good, quality content. Hopefully that statement is not too much of a slap in the face.

While marketing is essential to drive people to your website, it is ultimately quality content that will ensure those same visitors return again and again. To put it less technically, good content allows your blog to be “sticky”, meaning people will always want to come back.  It always comes down to content, and writing / collating your website content should be your top priority. Contrary to what many think, however, is that website content, while important, is not the only element necessary for a successful website. In fact, people who are of the opinion that content is the only important aspect to creating a successful blog could not be further from the truth.

No doubt you can guess what’s coming up next, however consider how you prioritize the following, and if you have enough information in a particular area to properly succeed in it.

Marketing – 20%

Next up is marketing, which really should be occupying 20% of time and planning. Of course this figure isn’t set in stone, as it all depends on the level of exposure your online enterprise already demands, and is of course subject to change as your website receives more visitors.

Good content is useless if no-one is around to see it, naturally, and it’s surprising that so many startups have a poorly formulated marketing plan. Ensure that you have an SEO strategy in place so that your content will benefit search engines.

Design – 15%

Then there is design, and we’ve split this area up into two sections, the first being physical website design, and the second being how the design will complement your marketing strategy, both areas that can be greatly overlooked by website creators.

Successful website design is something that must be considered, especially if you are entering an area that is already well developed and content rich. At the end of the day, the sites that are easier to use are the successful ones, and the ones that have issues fail. It really is that simple, so in order to succeed, you are going to have to have a website designed not only to complement your content, but also to make visitors want to return.

Successful design is easier said than done, of course, however with Wordpress a lot of the effort and struggle can be alleviated – do yourself a favor and purchase a premium Wordpress theme already designed with ease of use and compatibility in mind.

Site Accessibility – 5%

User experience is something that can make or break a website, so don’t let the “little” bits let down your site. Optimising your website is a very important aspect to consider, as having extended page load times can turn people off your website. There are a number of ways to optimise a website – click here for an extended review.

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