When planning to develop a
Web site, it is important to have a clear idea
of its purpose and objectives. Listening to
the comments of its intended users can help
to address their needs. Good design, combined
with functionality and sound marketing, can
help to deliver an effective Internet presence.
The choice of software and hardware to develop
and host a Web site is an important consideration.
Multimedia can enhance the user experience by
creating a range of interactive features. Information
could be collected from visitors to improve
areas such as customer services, sales and marketing,
A site could be connected to an Intranet and
integrated with existing systems.
Security and usability issues should be considered
during each stage of the planning and development
of a Web site. It is also important to consider
how a site will be managed after it is launched.
A site should be able to handle changing traffic
levels and it should be possible to update content
and develop the structure of a site, with minimal
interruption to its smooth operation.
Effective advertising and marketing can help
to attract visitors to a Web site. Being well
ranked in search engines for relevant terms
is important, as this is how most people will
find a site. Real world efforts using traditional
media such as print can compliment an online
strategy.
Using a memorable domain name can help to raise
a Web sites profile. I registered the domain
name imagined.co.uk in 1999 to promote my Web
site design and development work. The definition
of the word imagined is 'existing in the mind
only' and I chose to use this word because it
describes the creation of new ideas involved
in the process of designing and developing a
Web site.