Planning is the key to success in everything you do for your business, including your web design. The opposite is also true. Website projects fail when designers just throw things together. Find out why you need a website project plan, how to create one, and where to find a free guide that simplifies everything.
The Foundation for a Successful Website
If youโre reading up on how to have a successful website project, you probably fall into one of two categories:
- Youโre starting a business and you need a website that will bring you traffic, sales and leads while showing off what you do or sell
- You have a website and it isnโt working
Either way, you already know getting the results you want is going to take time and cost money. Both of those things are limited resources. Having a website project plan helps you focus on the most critical aspects of website design. Itโs also a tool to communicate your expectations to the web design team or web agency you ultimately work with and evaluate the end result.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_blurb title=โStart A Website Project Rightโ url=โhttps://spadedesignlab.com/learn/web-design-resources-guides/5-steps-to-a-winning-website-project/โ image=โhttps://spadedesignlab.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Spade-Design-5-steps-to-a-winning-website-project-web-design-Dallas-how-to-start-a-website-project.pngโ alt=โSpade Design, 5 steps to a winning website project, web design Dallasโ icon_placement=โleftโ image_max_width=โ200pxโ content_max_width=โ1100pxโ icon_placement_tablet=โโ icon_placement_phone=โtopโ icon_placement_last_edited=โon|phoneโ _builder_version=โ4.4.8โณ header_level=โh2โณ header_font=โ|700|||||||โ header_text_color=โ#2e2545โณ header_font_size=โ26pxโ header_line_height=โ1.3emโ body_text_color=โ#404048โณ body_line_height=โ1.5emโ background_color=โ#ffffffโ background_size=โinitialโ background_position=โtop_leftโ background_repeat=โrepeatโ width=โ100%โ max_width=โ100%โ module_alignment=โcenterโ custom_margin=โ||0%||false|falseโ custom_padding=โ30px|40px|30px|40pxโ animation_style=โzoomโ animation_direction=โbottomโ animation_intensity_zoom=โ20%โ animation_starting_opacity=โ100%โ box_shadow_style=โpreset2โณ box_shadow_horizontal=โ0pxโ box_shadow_vertical=โ0pxโ box_shadow_blur=โ90pxโ box_shadow_spread=โ-24pxโ box_shadow_color=โrgba(0,0,0,0.33)โ global_module=โ232296โณ locked=โoffโ saved_tabs=โallโ]A successful website project is a collaboration between you and the design agency that you choose to work with. This guide will help make sure you end up with a project that everyone will be proud of.
[/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_text admin_label=โTextโ _builder_version=โ4.4.8โณ background_size=โinitialโ background_position=โtop_leftโ background_repeat=โrepeatโ custom_padding=โ25px||||false|falseโ]What is a Website Project Plan?
A website project plan is a written document that covers the process of developing your website. It starts by identifying what you need, who your website is intended to reach, what features you require, how best to present that information and so on.
If putting something like that together sounds like a lot of work, it is.
Itโs tempting to just find something you like the looks of and tell your web designer, โMake me something like this, only with my information.โ But a successful website helps your business stand out.
Who Needs a Website Project Plan?
If youโre just creating a blogging website for personal use, you can possibly skip the website project plan. But itโs worth your time if youโre any of these:
- Entrepreneurs starting a new business
- Small to mid-sized businesses
- Nonprofits or other organizations
- Religious or educational institutions
- Enterprise-level business
- Web designers, marketing agencies or web development firms
Every one of those entities is made up of people already giving all theyโve got to keep up with daily tasks. Whether youโre the owner, the boss, the head administrator or the person in charge of your companyโs website project, you probably already have plenty on your plate. But weโve been doing this for years now, and weโve seen time and again that the success of the end result is directly connected to what happens during the planning phase.
Like Building a House
Hereโs what people do that gets them in trouble. They Google something like web design Dallas and get a list of DFW website developers. They call them up and say something like, โHow much is a website?โ Some of those agencies ask for a bunch of information they donโt feel like they have time to provide. Other website design companies or freelancers might give them a ballpark figure. So far thatโs fine.
Things start to go wrong when they hire the guy (or girl, or group or whatever) with the lowest up-front cost, then say, โBuild me something like this competitor, only I want to rank better on Google.โ Thereโs no thought or planning, so they either get something thrown together or a copy and paste version of someone elseโs website.
You wouldnโt call a home builder and say, โHow much to build a house?โ then hire the contractor who gave you the lowest number. You would expect anyone worth their pay to ask a lot of very detailed questions about what you want before they put together a quote. And, you would most likely want references and a way to look at their previous work.
Itโs the same with web design. Before you get a quote for your website project, the person or agency youโre considering might be able to give you a ballpark figure, but to give you an accurate view of what where you currently are, what your goals are, and the best way to help you get there, they need information from you. If youโve already created a plan, you have those answers at your fingertips.
How to Actually Create a Website Project Plan
โOkay,โ youโre saying. โIโm convinced. I donโt want to waste time and money on website design that doesnโt work. But I donโt even know where to start.โ
Every project should be a collaboration between the person or agency creating it and the business or organization the website represents. At Spade Design, weโve worked with businesses all over the world to create websites that bring them traffic, leads, and sales, in each case starting with intensive planning.
Weโve streamlined our planning process to make it more efficient both for us and for clients. Our website planning guide explains how to create a website project plan with actionable tips you can do all at once or a little at a time. The guide is free. Get your free download here.
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A successful website project is a collaboration between you and the design agency that you choose to work with. This guide will help make sure you end up with a project that everyone will be proud of.
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