Questions are usually asked when putting a business online. Questions such as: What part of my business can go online? Who updates the contents of the website? Do I or does my business need to employ additional staff to maintain (add and update content on) the website? Can or will all needs initially be represented online? What if I have something to add to the website that was not provided for by the developer? Do I need to have a project budget in mind before calling a web developer? What is the Return-on-Investment for the website? These are some typical questions that are asked by clients of web developers.
This article will attempt to address these questions.
It is worth mentioning that websites should provide positive publicity for the individual or business. Having said this, we shall go on to answer the questions above in the order by which they were asked below:
What part of my business can go online?
Your website should contain, as already mentioned above, positive publicity for you or your business. Putting electronically administrative processes can be added as a value-added service. However, very sensitive information about the individual or business need not be on the website.
Who updates the content of the website?
This question will be answered together with the next, Do I or does my business need to employ additional staff to maintain (add and update content on) the website?
The answer here depends on you, the individual or the business. Additionally, the website should be built to allow for real-time updating by the owners or staff of the owners on the website. This invariably means that the developer does not need to be contacted every time the website needs to be updated. A custom application should be built by the developer to support updating content on the website. However, real-time updating can be a tedious task, especially in large businesses where regular and updated content on the website is vital to her success. In such businesses and in others that can afford the additional staff, employing one is necessary.
Can or will all needs be initially represented online?
It is hard possible that all needs can or will initially be represented online. This is due to business processes change, and so do standards. Developers however try to anticipate these changes and provide for them. In a rapidly-changing world, developers typically seek out-of-the-box ways to electronically provide for these changes so that the individual or business can continue to reap benefits of going online.
This brings us to our next question:
What if I have something to add to the website that was not provided for by the developer?
If the need arises to add something to the website that was not provided for by the developer, you contact the developer to do that for you. It can be seen as serving, in some other professions. The developer should seek to address the issue, as well as anticipate and provide for others of that nature that might come up.
Do I need to have a project budget in mind before calling a web developer?
Yes, you need to have a project budget (estimate) before calling. Do not however wildly guess. You can inquire from people who have websites, or from the developer (usually, quotes are provided as a free service on developer's website). This is important as the estimate helps the developer come to a quick judgment as to the nature and technologies that may be employed to complete the project.
What is the Return-on-Investment for the website?
Every business seeks profit for every expense made. Your website should, in the very least, provide publicity for you or your business. This publicity, as you will agree with me, is crucial to the success of your business. Additionally, your website can be a good way to advertise your products and services to the world, even without other mass media advertisements like radio and television. Websites are typically a far-reaching, globally accepted, inexpensive and rewarding medium of advertising anything at all.
Conclusion
So far, this article has been able to explain some typical questions about what you need to know before asking for a website. This article has added professionally to give individuals and businesses more reasons why they should go online. We hope we have been helpful.