It’s a new year and updating your digital assets and website may be on your 2018 wish list. Our experiences in guiding our clients through the website development process have shown us that for most brands and organizations, feeling “prepared” for the work that lies ahead can be elusive. Here are five great ways you can prep and refocus the attention of your internal team before making a big digital change.
- Know–and commit to–your brand. If you need brand clarity, aren’t happy with your visual identity, or are confused about whether or not your brand is speaking to the heart of your mission, stop here. Whether going through a rebrand is feasible or not, you need to clarify your messages and your mission before you create a new website. Remember, it is your greatest digital marketing tool!
- Understand your audience. Who will be using the website? What do you want them to think, feel, and do when they land on your site? Establishing your audience is the best place to start and will be your guiding light in every decision you make along the way. (Hint–you’ll probably find some internal disagreement on this one. Just be ready to listen, it’s a great learning opportunity.)
- Create a wish list. No matter how lofty, write down a wishlist of what you would like your site to do for you (remember, think marketing and overall function), and what you want it to accomplish. Want a homepage that fits everything? Write it down. Want to include a specific form to generate leads? List it. VR tour of your campus? Get it down. Now, while these things may shift and change throughout the process, its great for your developer or agency to know your unedited goals so we can get you as close to them as possible.
- Scope out the competition. It’s always good to see what others in your industry are doing before taking on a huge undertaking like the creation of a new website. You’ll get to see what’s already out there and ensure that your gameplan will set you apart.
- Evaluate/prep your content. Having a content strategy for your new site is crucial, therefore getting ahead by analyzing the content you have and deciding what content you need will be massively helpful in the long run. Start small–begin by making updates or tweaks to existing content and end by writing up an outline of the things you will need to create from scratch. You will thank us later.
Our process is proven and has guided great organizations through the planning, design, and launch of beautiful and effective sites. Need help getting started? Send us an email at hello@brandalmanac.com and let’s chat!