Welcome to the world of website development. So, are you ready to design your first website? First and foremost, choose a relevant name which is memorable. Also check whether your chosen name is not already taken up by somebody. Do this by checking the domain name at whois.com or other such sites.

If this is your first website project or you would rather get your website designed from someone, search on the internet for "website development" and "website design". Out of the results contact a website designer with proven repute and good clientele.

Start with what you know. If your company already has logos, colors or graphics of some type that represent your business then use them.

Conduct some research. Spend some time searching similar sites that relate to what your site will be about. This might help with the layout and organization of the information you want to present on your site.

Forms are a very important part of every web site. They give you orders for product, tell you what your customer wants or gives you feedback on the services you provide. A well thought out form can save you and your customer a lot of time.

Below is a list of questions that should help get you going in the right direction when making plans for the design of your web site.

• Who is your target audience? What are they looking for from your web site?
• What time frame do you want your web site to be done in? Will it be done in stages?
• Have you seen web sites by other companies in your industry? What do you like and dislike about these sites?
• What three basic colors would you like to use?
• What products or services are you providing? Are you selling online? How do you want your items displayed?
• What is the scope of your site? Small business, ecommerce, corporate, personal, etc.
• Do you have the text, logos and images that you want to use on your site?
• What other ways are you promoting your business? Will these methods have the web site address as a prominent feature? Have you priced search engine placement?

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