Although each project is different, there are some questions that relate to all sites.
As a Project Manager at Infomedia, I work with all different kinds of clients, and each one of them is different. They all have different goals, visions, and needs for their sites. But even though each project is different, there are some questions that relate to all sites. Below are some of the questions almost everyone asks. Thinking about starting a new project or launching a website? This list might help get you started and help you know what to expect.
When will my site launch?
This is always the very first question the client asks when I begin a project, and it’s the one that’s hardest to answer. I can get you a pretty good estimate, but I can’t always give you an exact date. Why? Because the launch date is determined by lots of variables. So I could tell you how long it will take to get the initial design for your site, but that won’t mean the design is complete then. Why? Because we want to get everything right, and we may need one or two rounds of revisions to design your site in a way that’s perfect for you. Building a site is a team effort, for sure. You’re part of that team, and I’d rather get the design perfect for you so you’re really happy than just “get it done” to hit an arbitrary deadline. Not to mention, sites built in responsive design are on the rise and that has the potential to extend your launch date too.
What do you need from me to get started?
I love it when the client asks this! It means you’re being proactive. We always like to start with a hi-res version of the logo, good quality images and content. We don’t need to have all of the content, but it’s nice to have some that we can design around. Having some pieces to work with helps the puzzle come together that much more quickly. And that brings us to our next question …
Who will input my content?
This is something I like to discuss up front. Where will the content be coming from? Will we be taking it directly from your old site? If it’s a new site, who will be writing it? Lack of content can really hold up the launch of a site. Sometimes we’re completely done designing and programming a site, but there’s nothing to go in it. Thinking about where the content will come from at the beginning of the project is a lot better than figuring it out at the end — everything goes much more smoothly and the end product is often better. Keep in mind, too, that SEO (search engine optimization) is a big ticket traffic driver when it comes to how your content is written. You want the words on your site to be words that people are searching for in Google within your industry.
Can I make edits and changes to my site after it launches?
Yes! That’s the beauty of WordPress and why we build our sites with it. It’s very user-friendly, so once your site is complete and you’ve been trained, you’ll have the ability to change images, text, quotes and almost whatever else you want to. This is really great because you can make changes as soon as you want to without waiting on a third party to do it for you. (Although if, for some reason, you can’t make the change, we also have a great support team to do it for you and most often a full hour of edits are included in your web hosting and maintenance package.)
As a client, don’t ever be afraid to ask questions! I love it when you ask questions, because that means you’re engaged — and an engaged client makes for a better experience for everyone (and usually makes a better website, too). So go ahead, ask away! And if I don’t know the answer, I’ll find it for you.
