Ordering a website: the best tips for 2022

August 02, 2022

Today everyone probably knows, or at least has heard, that a website is essential for any business. Without this marketing tool, it is impossible to be competitive on the market. Not many people know where to place orders for the further design of the site, what to consider when turning to specialists or how to determine the real cost of the future website. And maybe it is even worthwhile to create a website themselves with the help of a designer. This article will try to answer all these questions.

Is a website necessary in 2022?

In today's crisis situation, a website can be a lifeline for any business. The website can be used to sell goods, take requests for food delivery, easily take orders, organize a structured catalog with product demonstrations, or create an online store that will sell 24/7.

And of course, the site can be promoted by SEO, after which it will become a constant generator of potential customers. And if you order website development from a professional studio, where all the texts, headings and overall site structure are set up correctly, the site will rise to the top of the search engines as quickly as possible, even without additional investment.

Is it worth creating your own website?

With the development of the Internet and technology many different online website builders have appeared. Such builders have included banks, phone service providers and other companies dealing with IT technology. As in, they have lack of functionality. We advise against using them; you will only lose time and energy.

Currently, there are several good editors that are evolving and regularly adding new features. Here are a few of them:

• Tilda
• WIX
• WordPress
• Drupal

But of course, there are disadvantages to creating a website in an editor, here are some of them:

• You will have to understand all the details of development and design yourself. For professionals, this requires decades of work and professional education.
• The site will not really be yours, but will be tied to a specific editor and his server.
• Limited functionality that will not fit many market segments.
• Regular payments, which are higher than maintaining a regular website.
• Conditions of accommodation and payment are subject to change at any time.
• No one will tell you how to do it right, you are "on your own."

Eventually, the annual cost of a website at a website builder will be higher than the cost of a service at a web studio. And further costs will only increase. That's why it's worth turning to professionals who have created more than a hundred websites, and know all the tricks of development and optimization. And your time is better spent expanding your business.

First, determine the purpose of the site

Once you have determined the purpose of the future website, you are halfway through creating the site. Understanding what the purpose is helps you and the designer come to a consensus on the look and functionality of the site. Based on the purpose of the site, programmers will be able to offer the most effective solutions for the task.

Therefore, it is recommended that the client first think carefully and determine all the objectives that the website must meet. You can write them all down and divide them into primary and secondary components. This will shorten the development time and reduce the budget. For commercial sites, there is only one end goal - to make more money. For non-commercial could be: more website visitors, increase awareness of the blog, etc.

Here is a list of some of the tasks a website can perform:

• Attract new customers via the Internet;
• Selling products and services online (popular in 2022);
• Accept online payment;
• Increase brand awareness;
• Better service to existing customers;
• Expanding the geographic scope of the business (expanding into new markets);
• Inform customers with up-to-date information;
• Offering a complete catalog of products and services.

The list can be expanded depending on the topic of the future project. Defining the goal will help the client say exactly what needs to be done with the site.

Now we need to decide on the website design

The most appropriate is to use the colours and style of the existing logo or the current style of the company. Here, as in the previous point, it is worth trusting the Web studio designers. They will show you all the current Web design trends and tell you how to do the right thing to achieve the purpose of the site. Freelancers or novice web designers do not always have sufficient education and experience. Therefore, developing a design can take a long time, wasting a lot of your time and money.

The customer must realise that if he, his wife or his son likes the site, does not mean that all visitors and customers will like it. So you should not create a site "for yourself", but "how it is needed". First and foremost, the purpose of the site must be fulfilled. That is why it is best to listen to the web designers or at least come to an agreement on the subject.

The client can also think about the place or presence of certain elements on the website. This will make it easier to understand the task for designers, for example:

• Which colours should be used;
• What impression the website should make on the visitor;
• Which design elements should be used;
• Which font you want to see;
• Whether a "slider" is needed on the home page;
• How key elements should be placed;
• Is there a need for a side column;
• Etc.

The most important thing to check with the designer is the availability of adaptive ("rubber") design on the future website. This is a design that automatically adapts to the screen of computers, smartphones and tablets. By 2022, creating a website without adaptive design, is a waste of money as all major search engines have switched to "Mobile-first indexing". That is, they prefer sites with a rubber-stamp design for mobile devices. If designers assure you otherwise, walk away from such "specialists".

Which CMS do I use to order a website?

The next point is purely technical, so many clients do not need to understand too much about it, but have to rely on the professionals of the web studio where the site is ordered. The client need only look at the portfolio of studio, find working projects in similar niches and check their availability in search engines. Those who want to study this issue more thoroughly can read on.

Websites can be created based on a "Content Management System" (CMS) or pure HTML (static pages). Each approach has its advantages and disadvantages. We immediately answer that on sites on CMS there are plenty of advantages as well as disadvantages, especially in today's 2022.

The advantages of a website on CMS:

• Ability to add and edit site content yourself (basic knowledge is required);
• Most graphical elements of the site are customisable (also requires skills and understanding);
• Ability to create interactive websites;
• Endless possibilities for further upgrades;
• Quick design changes thanks to ready-to-use templates.

The benefits of an HTML site:

• Fast and cheap to develop;
• Site speed (one of the most important parameters);
• Flexibility and adaptability for SEO promotion;
• The ability to accomplish any task;
• The server is neutral, even the cheapest option is sufficient.

The point is that HTML/CSS sites are suitable for any project, even those with the most complex functionality. You cannot edit them yourself. Every time you want a change, you need to consult a specialist. In most cases, sites with a CMS system also require the treatment of professionals. Moreover, they are not always properly set up for SEO and load significantly slower.

In the current world of technology, CMS-based websites occupy a significant part of the market. But without knowledge and minimal understanding of this system, there is no way around it without hiring a specialist. We recommend websites based on pure code (HTML/CSS).

Which CMS to choose?

While developing a website on pure code is clear and simple, when choosing a CMS system, it is worth considering its popularity, which runs many sites around the world. Thanks to this, you don't have to search designers for a long time to create and edit the site - many web developers are already familiar with such CMS. Even with popular systems, all the pros and cons are already known - so you can accurately choose the "engine" suitable for your project.

Generally, developers work with several CMS, each of which is recommended for a specific project and budget. Here are a few of them:

• WordPress is most popular website engine in the world. It is flexible, easy to develop, secure and free. It can be used to create a simple blog or business site, as well as a full-fledged online shop or corporate website.
• Joomla! is the second most popular CMS in the world. It is more difficult for the end user to learn to use it, but has some advantages that can play in favour of choosing this content management system.
• OpenCart is the most popular online shop engine. Its main advantage is that it is free, fast and not demanding of server resources. In its standard edition, it already has almost full functionality for successful shop operation.

There are developers working on other engines, such as UMI, NetCat, Magento, PrestaShop and others. But because they are so rare, it will be difficult for you to find a specialist to edit or further improve the site in the future. Looking ahead, you will probably just be offered a complete redesign of the site on a more familiar and easy-to-develop engine.

There is no such thing as a perfect engine - there are specialists who know how to work with a particular CMS. Find a specialist, look at his work and ask questions, he will definitely give advice on how to develop a site. And to clarify, a commercial project need not work on a paid and expensive version of the engine - a good developer will make a great site for all tasks, whether on the free CMS, or on a paid one.

What additional features should be added?

First of all, the new website must fulfil the basic function described at the beginning of this article. It should also have to be understandable to users, well indexed by search engines and easy to edit for site owner. What functionality should be added or requested by the developer to the future site?

Must-have features of a website in 2022:

• CMS for website content management;
• SSL security certificate;
• High site loading speed;
• SEO optimisation for search;
• Configured sitemap, robots.txt file, favicon;
• Cache module for fast loading;
• Clear menu, search form;
• Feedback, call order, online contact.

What additional features might there be:

• Social media integration;
• User comments and reviews;
• Multilingualism if you work for more than one country;
• A section for publishing news, a blog;
• Calculator, quizzes;
• Turbo and AMP pages;
• Online payment via payment systems.

How to find a good website developer?

If you do a little search, you can find a lot of websites of studios, private artisans and freelancers in your area. But in most cases, the client does not understand the intricacies of development and pays attention to classic marketing triggers - price, promotions, and the work of managers. If the customer will be satisfied with this and make a profit is unknown.

OTo choose a website builder, we recommend you first read the portfolio and listen carefully to the arguments. Then don't be lazy and check via Google whether the site in question appears in relevant searches in the search engine. If the developer has worked on projects in your area, this is another bonus in his favour, as he already knows the various details of promoting this business on the internet.

The advantages of ordering a website from a web studio:

• The studios offer comprehensive services - design, development, promotion, advertising, etc. Clients do not have to look for a separate master for each job;
• The studios work officially, under contract, with payment on the firm's account. Thanks to this, the client is protected by the country's laws;
• The customer communicates with the manager or project manager during the development phases - all conversations are held in a common language. It will not be necessary to learn special terminology for the right "approach" to the programmer;
• Web studios are partners of many CMS, registrars, hosts, etc. Therefore, clients receive certain gifts and discounts on these services;
• The studio has an office where you can ask questions and get information about the stages of a project;
• The work will be completed exactly as written in the contract and the price will not change during the development process.

The benefits of working with freelancers:

• Save money on website development as freelancers have no mandatory costs, no staff, no accountant, etc. You work directly with one person;
• The work is done unofficially and paid for. Relevant for those who order a remedy with not too clean intentions;
• All negotiations are conducted directly, you can be informed of development progress immediately. But you will probably have to learn the terminology and delve into the website development process;
• You can get results quickly, even on holidays and weekends, as the freelancer is not bound by working hours.

But you must realise that when you work directly with a freelancer, your finances are not protected - the person may just take payment and disappear, not responding to calls and emails. Very often, clients cannot find a common language with a private developer - he does not understand what you want because he has no experience in communicating with clients. And of course, you can come across a novice specialist who will create a completely average resource for your money, which will not be visible in search engines, will scare off visitors and have zero conversion rate.

Once a developer has been found, when ordering the site, you should not just rely on your wants, but listen to all the recommendations made and agree with them as much as possible. After all, you are turning to experts in the field, who know how a site should be made today, how elements should be placed for maximum usability. The client can only clarify a few points of their specialisation: they can tell you which product to sell first, which ones you should not emphasise, and how they differ.

Understanding, how to advertise and promote website

Creating a website is not enough to get customers, you also need to "promote" it. You can do this by yourself, wasting a lot of time and effort or leave this to professionals. If the website is created in a web studio, that is where you need to apply for promotion.

There are several methods to attract visitors to a website:

• SEO promotion in search engines. The process is long (from 6 months), but ultimately it is the method that gets the cheapest and most interested visitors;
• Contextual advertising. Starts bringing in customers in just a few hours after launch. The only drawback is that customers will stop coming to your site when the money in your ad account runs out.
• Targeted advertising on social networks (targeting). Ads are shown to people based on selected criteria - gender, age, location, interests. But you should be aware that not all niches can be promoted using this method.

It is best to order promotion and website development in one studio. The site will then be ready at once and understood by specialists. They will know what has been done in the project and will start promoting it once the creation work is done. Also, studios very often offer different promotional packages as gifts, you can save some money on this.

How much does a good website cost?

The price of a website depends on many factors, so costs can vary widely. Many people saw contextual advertising ads offering websites for EUR 100, EUR 1,000 and even EUR 3,000. It is very difficult to understand how much you should pay for a website.

Don't go to the ads at the lower end of the market, there is probably a novice freelancer just getting started with the intricacies of website development. It's a waste of your money and time.

We recommend choosing the golden mean of website costs for your region and niche. Look at all offers from studios and freelancers, throw out the ones that don't have a good portfolio and derive an average amount. This will be a good price for a good site. It is also not unnecessary to contact them directly and clarify the price based on the requirements for the site, as the price mentioned on the internet often does not match the final price.

Types of sites

And here we come to the most important thing: the types of websites that can currently be ordered. Some sites are suitable for start-ups, some for small businesses, and some for large enterprises whose presence on the internet is necessary. There is no need to save money on the website. It is worth ordering recommended quality solutions. Then, you will not have any problems or questions about the operation of the project in the future.

If you want to create a really promising website that is suitable for making money later, you should look for a web studio with experienced professionals. To find out more about the quality of a particular company's work, look at its portfolio, which should be present on the website. If the portfolio consists of sites that you like and have achieved some success in terms of visitor numbers, then you can go to this web studio.

Promotional website

The simplest website, usually consisting of one small page. These mini-sites are usually used for events (concerts, conferences, seminars, etc.). Such a site usually becomes unnecessary after the event and is simply deleted. Sometimes the domain name is used to create other promotional websites of future events. For business, such simple sites are not suitable - they contain too little information for the future customer.

Business card website

"Business card website" - this acronym appeared in the mid-2000s, when website development was complicated and expensive. It was then that the simplest websites began to be called "business cards". These sites usually have 1-2 photos and one page of text. Now they call them affordable sites, but the line between the quality "business card" and company website has practically been erased. It is a website for a company or business, with all the information and contacts.

Corporate website

A corporate website is a classic website consisting of static pages. Great for start-ups, small and medium-sized businesses, as an inexpensive demonstration site. Such a website can be used on a permanent basis by almost any kind of business. One of the most universal websites today, it fits under seo promotion, under contextual advertising and targeting.

If you are not sure about your choice, this is the best option.

Landing page

A landing page is a one-page website whose entire content encourages the visitor to take an action (e.g. leaving a request). It is perfect for selling a specific product or service. Combined with contextual advertising, a steady stream of customer requests can be arranged. A landing page sells the most compared to other websites. Although many people say that one-page sites no longer work, they still show good results.

Order a Landing page if you have a small selection of products or services.

Catalogue website

Catalogue site is a site with a large catalogue of the company's products, but without the ability to place an order online. The goods on this site are categorised and have detailed descriptions and photos. This site is suitable for companies operating in wholesale and retail trade. Designed to introduce potential customers to goods from the catalogue.

Online shop

The online shop is a modern solution for organising online commerce. The product catalogue is divided into logical categories and subcategories. Goods have detailed descriptions, photos and the ability for customers to leave feedback. The preferred delivery method and payment system for accepting payments are set up. The choice of such an option should be treated with responsibility, as a large shop requires a large investment of time and effort from the owner.

Company website

A company website is a full-fledged representation of a company on the internet and an effective tool for attracting and retaining new customers. If necessary, such a site may contain separate elements from all the previous options, such as a product catalogue or separate landing pages for certain products. Such sites also set up a system of employee communication within the company. But recently this has been abandoned in favour of implementing CRM systems - these are more efficient, easy to learn and simple to implement.

Internet portal

An Internet portal is a large, interactive website that brings together a wide range of functions and features for users. Mail, information search, news, playbill, library, articles, photo and video galleries, weather and more - all on one site. It should be clear that such a site must have sufficient financial resources and a qualified team for its continued maintenance.

Forum

Forums used to be very popular, where people would come together based on their interests, communicate with each other and exchange interesting information. Now, such sources have been replaced by social networks. It is much easier to create and browse content, find people to talk to and share their own experiences. Many popular online forums are now practically dying out; the number of visitors has dropped by a factor of ten.

Which website sells better?

Landing pages sell better and are designed for exactly that purpose: everything is aimed at selling goods or services, every block, sentence and image has been thought through. The customer's attention always goes where it is supposed to go, which is where the order form is usually located.

A landing page is perfect for selling and promoting one or more products and services: English courses, plastic window installation, in-home manicure or dog walking service. If you have a large shop, create an online shopping website, and create a separate landing page for specific products, services, promotions. If you are a beginner or sell goods of limited supply - feel free to choose a landing page, and then, under the right circumstances, order a full site.

What does it all come down to?

There are different websites, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. It is difficult to find a universal solution, as the site must be chosen for the specific task it needs to perform. For example, to be a large display of the company's products, to sell goods online, to bring potential customers or simply to be a representation of the company on the internet. So before ordering, it is worth answering this question: what problem should the future site solve?

We hope this material will help you avoid mistakes when ordering a website. If you have any further questions, please contact our studio. We will advise you free of charge and suggest solutions suitable for your project.