The Website Development Process: Phase I: Website Planning

Phase I is the information-gathering and assessment phase of the process. This phase includes:

• A thorough review of your current website (if applicable)
  
  
• A discussion about your goals, ideas, and plans for the site
  
  
• Review of your business and marketing plans
  
  
• A review of existing marketing materials and a discussion on where the graphics currently reside
  
  
• Discussion on various hosting options including the registration of the domain name on first generation websites and your current email hosting requirements
  
  
• Review the websites of your competitors including identifying likes, dislikes and special features available on those sites
  
  
• Review your existing business processes to determine if any should be automated onto the website (i.e., requesting estimates online, scheduling appointments online, providing feedback online)
  
  
• The development of a website map – what information will be available online and how each piece will be connected with the others (the general navigation). Generally website maps provide detail anywhere from 2-6 levels deep from the homepage

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