Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can I plan my own website?

A. Yes, you can. But you need to be careful that your investment is not compromised by lack of expertise. Many internet publishers would have succeeded by employing expertise earlier.

Q. Can I write my own website content?

A. Yes to this too. But again you need to take care that your writing is appropriate for the internet — it has its own peculiarities.

Q. Where do I start?

A. With a plan, no different than any other business activity or venture. Unless you have one, you are likely to waste time and lack direction.

Q. Who is my audience and why should I worry about them?

A. They are your visitors, buyers, inquirers, donors or subscribers. Unless they feel ‘connected’ with your website, you’re unlikely influence them.

Q. Can I improve my under-performing website, or do I need to get a new one?

A. All websites can be improved to some extent. The question is simply one of economics; in some cases the economics of ‘fixing’ an old website just don’t stack up. You need to evaluate both options.

Q. Don’t I just need a copywriter?

A. You can certainly use a copywriter, but you may also need a website editor or consultant. There is a lot more to planning and writing good website content than just writing copy. Also, many copywriters are not familiar with the peculiarity of web-based documents.

Q. Will a new or made-over website solve all my problems?

A. No, not always. Few websites are launched in 100% perfect condition. However the basis of a good website should be in place from the outset and should require only small, incremental improvements to be successful.

Q. What about images. How important are they?

A. Very important. They can be a vital part of the rhetoric of the website, or be pivotal in providing information. Organisations selling services are challenged to use images that are congruent with the benefits of their services.

Q. What About Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)?

A. If you are relying on Organic searches for your website traffic, then SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is extremely important. SEO is a subject on its own, involving much technical detail. However, as a website publisher the most important thing you can do is to plan and develop your website with excellent quality content and to keep it updated regularly. SEO is a long-term strategy which involves testing and monitoring.

Q. Will SEO Improve My Website Results?

No, not necessarily. Simply increasing the number of visitors will increase your conversion numbers but whether or not that’s sufficient depends on your base conversion rate. The more effective approach is to increase your conversion rate first (by improving your website) before addressing SEO. Following that approach often leads to increased visitor numbers anyway.