“Align your visions with your goals”

RTW Media Group (RTWMG) is a local networking organisation for those working in advertising, PR, TV, radio and social and digital media. In its column for this month RTWMG member, Gary Brindley of Step3 Digital, explains how to brief your web developer on building a small business website…

Back in September one of our Royal Tunbridge Wells Media Group members talked about going pro or DIY when it comes to building your own company website. This month, I thought it might be helpful to further explain some of the benefits if you decide to ‘go pro’…

Ensuring a website project is fully understood before starting work should not rest solely at the feet of the client. A well-defined, robust discovery process will eventually define the requirements of the project no matter how little preparation the client has done. But, ultimately, making life harder for your developers will make life harder for you, so being prepared can go a long way to getting the best outcome in the shortest time. Here are a few things to consider…

Firstly, what should you include in your brief? I frequently see in initial meetings with clients, a focus on visual design, colour, typography, layout, and so on. Don’t get me wrong, understanding how we will work with the visual identity can’t be ignored, but it’s far too often an easy distraction, to avoid the important work of understanding the purpose of the website and how it will achieve its goals.

So, first and foremost, clearly define your objectives. What do you want your website to achieve? Whether it’s increasing sales, generating leads, or enhancing brand awareness, having a clear goal will shape the entire project. Establish a timeline and budget to set realistic expectations for everyone involved.

Telling your developer what budget you have can seriously help define how the project will run so don’t try to play your cards close to your chest. Outline your target audience. Understanding who you’re speaking to is crucial for developing engaging content (if that is part of the scope of the project) and a user-friendly design.

Include demographic details such as age, gender, location, and interests to provide clarity. The scope of work. Defining the structure of the website should be a collaborative process (such as a homepage, an about us section, what services you offer and contact details etc).

Alerting your developer to any specific functionalities required like e-commerce capabilities or client login areas from the start will save everyone a lot of time. A business website is more than a facade- it is the hub of your marketing, and so the project may well involve other pieces of work. For example, photography and copywriting. You may have resources internally who can handle this work, but don’t dismiss the work as unnecessary or unimportant. Good content can be just as important as the most eye-catching visual design, particularly when visitors reach the end of the funnel- where you want them to take action.

By considering these key points when writing your website brief, you’ll create a solid foundation that not only streamlines the development process but also ensures that the final product aligns with your vision and goals.

Gary Brindley is founder of Step3 Digital, a team of WordPress web designers and developers based in Hadlow, Kent. Step3 helps ambitious businesses thrive online with websites that pack a punch, websites that are informed by human behaviours to attract, engage and convert.

Contact Gary Brindley via email:
gary.brindley@step3.digital or via the Step3 Digital website www.step3.digital