Sometimes running a website can be very time consuming, we all need one today as websites have replaced the traditional telephone books (white pages).

Things to consider

Domain Names

Is the website domain name related to the business or project you are working with?

Is the domain name too hard to spell over the phone or put into print?

Are there competitors that would love to slow you down by purchasing a similar or misleading domain names as yours?

Domain name management, do not overlook this as a simple task. Domain services done incorrectly affects email security and website function. (do have a trusted I.T. partner with a good history managing domain name services)

Design budget

To hire or not to hire, that is the question!

If you are tech savvy, have a low budget and time on your side then tools like wix.com or wordpress.org may spin your wheels.

Perhaps you are not tech savvy or do not have the time to consider this but have a goal, then hiring external help is the best time-saving tool you can buy. http://bigboywebsites.co.nz is one example of external help.

Management

Who is going to keep the website up to date, yourself or the external helper?

Is the website software itself easy to use? (aka Content Management System or “CMS”)

Backups and recovery for malicious events been considered? (ie website hacking events)

Is there an e-commerce component? Check with the CMS offerings what banking solutions integrate the best.

To be found, your website must exist in search results.

Once your site is up and running, setup an account with Google here: https://www.google.com/webmasters – This will help index your website sooner.

Set up social media profiles at websites like http://twitter.com and http://facebook.com so these items link back to your website.

Get feedback from your friends, ask them and be honest so you save time now improving the look and feel of the website, not later when you are busy on other tasks.

The real secret to a successful website?

Applying lots of effort with the right tools and advice.

If you are unsure, book with a local website consultant that can show a range of successful (and still active) websites as part of their portfolio, pay for their consulting time and start saving many lost hours in the future by getting things done right the first time.