1. What are the first steps to getting my web site up and running?

There is a saying that if you fail to plan, you might as well plan to fail. So it is best to clearly define your site purpose. Without understanding what goals you want to achieve, it is difficult to establish a well defined strategy. So my recommendation is to work on your vision statement for your website and its mission – what you want to accomplish. Once this is established, it is easier to start working out the 3 main objectives you are trying to achieve and then the tactics you need to meet those objectives. Have a good idea who your target audience is. Consult with a web strategist or advanced web designer to discuss these steps.

2. What kind of budget am I looking at for getting a web site?
I typically suggest to my clients to consider 5 budget areas:

• Pre-development site market research 10%
• Web URL registration + Web Hosting 5%
• Web Design & Development 50%
• Maintenance & Future Updates 10%
• Online Marketing 25%

3. How do I register for a domain name? What is a domain name? (URL)
A domain name is your unique web address and typically has a suffix of .com or .ca, there are others, but those are the main ones. There are many domain registrars that you can find online. You will need to search your requested domain name to see if it is available. If it is, you can buy it for a minimum of one year. You do not own your domain name rather you are leasing it for the time frame you purchase. If you forget to renew, you could lose it, so beware, write it down in your calendar and set a reminder call.

4. Should I go with a friend to do my web site or someone who is a professional?
There is an old saying, “you get what you pay for” or “buyers beware”. I am not saying your friend may not be a good designer, but make sure that whoever you hire, you get referrals, review their current portfolio, make sure that you like their tone and style, ask for references, make sure they can work within your budget. You can also perform a search on the Internet for local designers/developers. Find out who is doing what work, or whether they are outsourcing.

5. How do I know how many pages I need?
It is always recommended that you look at other web sites that are in your field see what your competitors are offering. Also based on your objectives outlined during your planning stage, you will get a sense of what materials and content you will need to help achieve that goal. Always put yourself in the shoes of your audience and think about what kind of information or guidelines do I need to make this decision to sign up, buy or interact with the site.

6. What mind mapping tools or wire-frame software do you suggest using?
Basically I use just paper and free-hand much of my information, free flowing without editing. It is good to get all the information down on paper, worry about organizing it afterwards. The following sites can be used to help you: http://bubbl.us/; www.smartdraw.com/ ; www.mockupscreens.com/ ;
www.axure.com/ . I personally use a word document.

7. What sites do you use for keyword research?
Keyword research can be done simply by looking at the page source of your competitors and look at their meta-tags in the section of their HTML code. But there are software applications that can be used to extract from your competition such as www.compete.com or you can use https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal; www.ispionage.com

8. What questions should I consider when thinking of selling online?

• What are you trying to accomplish?  Think of your goals, mission, expectations
• Are you prepared to make the time and financial commitment?
• What is the likelihood that your products / services will sell online? Review the online- sales forecasts for your type of product / service.
• How will your online store differ from that of your competitors?
• Are you prepared to deal with the customer support issues? Volume of messages, shipping, return policy, technical troubleshooting etc.
• Do you have or need a fulfillment strategy?
• What are the costs involved in selling your products / services online?
• How will you find your customers and how will customers find you?
• How soon can you be profitable?
• What features do you want your online store to have?
• Charge fees for payment gateway, security, transaction fees, other fees