Unlock Success with a Trusted Business Website Designer: 7 Key Questions to Ask for a Winning Online Presence

In 2023 it may be considered surprising that many businesses in Australia still do not have websites.

However, given the lack of transparency and understanding of what is involved in building and owning a website, it is understandable why some business owners have been hesitant. A business website should be an asset, and whether you have invested a couple of thousand dollars in a starter site or built a more comprehensive website for your business, you should expect to receive a return on your investment. Over the years of being involved in business, I have heard several stories about ‘websites gone wrong,’ this article shares key messages that other business owners have told me that they wish they had known before engaging a business website designer.

7 Key Questions to Ask a Business Website Designer or Agency

1. Who Owns the Website Domain?
2. What are the Ongoing Costs?
3. What CMS Platform will the Website be Built on?
4. Will my Website be Optimised for SEO?
5. Is Google Analytics included in the Setup?
6. Will the website be optimised for Mobile?
7. What happens if we break up?

Who Owns Your Website Domain?

Who owns the Domain is one of the most essential factors to consider.
A Domain Name is technically not owned by anyone, similar to your Business Name or Trading Name; it is registered. And just like you wouldn’t allow someone else to register your business name, we recommend you take the same mindset regarding your Domain Name.
Pro Tip: Remember to renew the registration when it falls due. Otherwise, someone else can register it, and you risk losing access.

The risk of forgetting to re-register your domain name can be mitigated by setting up an auto-renewal process and diary reminders every six months to check the status and ensure your credit card details are up to date.

Ongoing Costs of a Business Website

Take the time to ask and understand the ongoing costs of your website. All websites require ongoing maintenance and need to be hosted.
Hosting is where all the files and data necessary for your website to work correctly are stored. The hosting service provider provides a secure service and maintains the running of the physical server where your website files are stored.

Hosting involves ongoing fees, and they can be charged monthly or yearly. If your web agency manages the hosting service, understand what this fee covers, how often it is charged, and what they do for your money. Agencies can provide hosting and maintenance packages, which may be a combined charge or charged separately, so ensure you seek clarity on what is included. Websites must be maintained to ensure they are running well. Software and plugins are constantly updated, and the online world is forever changing. Out-of-date software can cause issues with how well your site is performing and create vulnerabilities to hacking and malware attempts.

Website Warriors offer Website Security & Maintenance and Hosting Services, or we can train your staff to undertake the monthly maintenance.

Understanding these costs upfront can ensure no surprises once your website has been delivered.

What CMS Platform Will Build Your Website On?

Website Warriors uses WordPress as the CMS platform because it is flexible and powerful.

It is also a trusted platform available since 2003, with an estimated 810 million websites built.
WordPress has remained committed to continual improvement and technological advances and is our preferred platform for business websites.

What is the Importance of SEO?

Everyone has heard of the quote, ‘Build it, and they Will Come,’ but this is not necessarily the case for websites.

A beautifully designed, visually appealing website means nothing to the search engines. This is not to say that website design is not a vital component of a well-performing website, but websites must be designed based on the foundation of SEO best practices. 

SEO may be one of the most significant areas of confusion and misunderstanding regarding websites.

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation which includes technical and content components and is the hidden ingredient behind a great-looking website compared to a website that delivers results and is a business asset.

Is Google Analytics included in the Setup of my Website?

Google Analytics is a free website tracking tool and platform that collects data on how visitors interact with your website.
Utilising the insights from this data can be invaluable for decision-making and business growth.

Google Analytics provides data on the number of users, pageviews, locations, device types, behavior flow, and more.
But, Google Analytics can only collect and report data after it has been set up on a website.
Having Google Analytics set up from the day your website goes live provides you with invaluable business information.

Will the website be optimised for Mobile?

Depending on your business, as many users may access your website on a mobile device as on a tablet or desktop, the user experience must be great on both.

There are many factors to consider when optimising for mobile, including a responsive design, button size and placement, and website speed.
With the increasing number of people using mobile devices to access search, ensuring that your business website designer understands your business needs and customers’ journey is essential.

What happens if I break up with my business website designer?

It can be hard to envision anything going wrong at the beginning of any new relationship or venture, but life happens, and things change. It would be best if you were responsible for ensuring that vital business assets are within your control. Whether personal or professional, we never want to be stuck in a situation we can’t extricate ourselves from. For peace of mind, it is crucial to ensure that your terms of agreement cover what happens if you decide to terminate services with an agency or website designer.

Know from the beginning who owns what, how to access the information, and the timeframe for transferring data and access.

Treat your Website as a Business Asset

Engaging a website agency or business website designer involves asking critical questions to ensure a successful website development journey.

Key considerations include domain ownership, understanding ongoing costs, the CMS platform used, SEO optimization, Google Analytics integration, mobile optimization, and contingency plans for parting ways.

By addressing these points at the start of the journey, business owners can make informed decisions and establish a strong partnership that aligns with their goals and objectives.

Website Warriors are here to ensure that your website meets your business needs. Book an obligation-free introductory call today.