Things you should do before opening a website
You've looked at countless websites and numerous times have told your self, I want to make a site. I want my own little corner of the web. So you decide to put your words into action. But! Before you open up your website to the public, here are some things you should do or ask yourself.
Check for Typos and Link Errors
Nothing screams "unprofessional" and "unready" more than typos and link errors. If there are typos, it makes it look like you just rushed through something and that you didn't really take your time and give it your best. You want to show your best, so eliminating typos makes everything look much, much better.
Link errors can be frustrating for visitors. You want to make your site as easy to navigate as possible so visitors will keep coming back. If visitors can't navigate around your site easily, they may just give up and leave. How are you supposed to provide helpful content to your visitors if they can't even find it!
Do I have time for this website?
Many owners have a great start when they first start their website, but then they realize that they really don't have time at all for it. Owning a website is very time consuming, so make sure you have the time to run your site and keep it going. Don't be just another crash and burn website.
Do I like the name of my site?
To be honest, I've struggled with this one a lot. I would shut down a website, then open one back up and title it the first thing that came through my brain. A week later, I wouldn't like it. But I already had visitors coming and I didn't want to inconvenience them by changing my name! Really put some time into what the name of your website will be. You'll be stuck with it for a while, so make sure you like it!
Now, you can always change it, but if you bought a domain name, there's money gone down the drain by having to buy a new one. It's also inconvenient to have to move everything to a new site, and to tell all your affiliates to change their links. Plus, you have to completely redirect all the traffic you once had to your new site.
Do I have enough content?
If your site serves solely as a blog, you don't need to worry about this. But if you have a graphics/tutorials site, you need to make sure you have enough content. I can't tell you specifically how much content you have to have; only you can tell yourself that. Always remember though that quality is over quantity. If your graphics/tutorials are the same thing that the next blog over has, your site won't stand out in a visitor's mind and they may just continue on without another thought about your site. It may take you some time to build up quantity content!
Check for Typos and Link Errors
Nothing screams "unprofessional" and "unready" more than typos and link errors. If there are typos, it makes it look like you just rushed through something and that you didn't really take your time and give it your best. You want to show your best, so eliminating typos makes everything look much, much better.
Link errors can be frustrating for visitors. You want to make your site as easy to navigate as possible so visitors will keep coming back. If visitors can't navigate around your site easily, they may just give up and leave. How are you supposed to provide helpful content to your visitors if they can't even find it!
Do I have time for this website?
Many owners have a great start when they first start their website, but then they realize that they really don't have time at all for it. Owning a website is very time consuming, so make sure you have the time to run your site and keep it going. Don't be just another crash and burn website.
Do I like the name of my site?
To be honest, I've struggled with this one a lot. I would shut down a website, then open one back up and title it the first thing that came through my brain. A week later, I wouldn't like it. But I already had visitors coming and I didn't want to inconvenience them by changing my name! Really put some time into what the name of your website will be. You'll be stuck with it for a while, so make sure you like it!
Now, you can always change it, but if you bought a domain name, there's money gone down the drain by having to buy a new one. It's also inconvenient to have to move everything to a new site, and to tell all your affiliates to change their links. Plus, you have to completely redirect all the traffic you once had to your new site.
Do I have enough content?
If your site serves solely as a blog, you don't need to worry about this. But if you have a graphics/tutorials site, you need to make sure you have enough content. I can't tell you specifically how much content you have to have; only you can tell yourself that. Always remember though that quality is over quantity. If your graphics/tutorials are the same thing that the next blog over has, your site won't stand out in a visitor's mind and they may just continue on without another thought about your site. It may take you some time to build up quantity content!