| Building your first web site can be a bit intimidating. | | | | - Golf Club Price Comparisons |
| However, if you have a clear understanding of what | | | | - Golf Apparel and Accessories |
| you need to do and more importantly, how to do it, | | | | Remember, anticipate what your web site visitors |
| creating your first web site can be fun and enjoyable. | | | | are interested in and provide clear and concise |
| First step; take a deep breath and understand that | | | | navigation for them to discover it quickly. |
| building a web site is a process. It's not something | | | | Begin Writing You Web Site Content |
| that should be rushed or taken lightly. Remember, the | | | | Now you are ready to begin writing the content for |
| success of your site will depend largely upon the | | | | your web site. This is where the selection and use of |
| fundamentals of how you plan and build your site, | | | | "keywords" is very important. |
| and not on the look of more advanced high-end web | | | | Keywords are important because search engines use |
| sites you see online. | | | | them to determine where your site will be listed in |
| What Is Your Goal? | | | | their search results. To help get you started on |
| Your website content, function and design are based | | | | selecting the right keywords for use on your web |
| upon your ultimate goal. For instance, are you trying | | | | site please read the following articles: |
| to sell a product or service? Are you providing | | | | - Keyword Selection and Optimization |
| valuable information on a particular topic? Do you | | | | - Keyword Density - Balance |
| want visitors to interact with your site (discussion | | | | Get A Domain Name |
| groups, comments, sign-ups)? | | | | One of the first and most important task in creating |
| Take time to clearly and concisely define the goal of | | | | your online presence is to choose a domain name for |
| your website. | | | | your website. The domain name will represent you, |
| - I want people to visit my web site, read about my | | | | your hobby or business and will give your website a |
| product(s) and place an order. | | | | memorable name, so your visitors will be able to find |
| - I want visitors to join my club or sign my guest | | | | and remember it easily. |
| book. | | | | More than 128 million domain names have been |
| - I want my web site to be a resource with | | | | registered worldwide and thousands of new ones are |
| information on a specific topic, and links to other web | | | | added every day. That is why it might be hard for |
| sites with additional information. | | | | new users to get the name they really like for their |
| Understand Your Visitor Personas | | | | website. Do not get discouraged from that fact, but |
| Designing a "one size fits all" web site is perhaps the | | | | rather try to be creative! |
| most common mistake made in developing a web | | | | Remember that you can use a combination of almost |
| site. And surprisingly, Fortune 500 companies with | | | | all characters (letters, numbers, hyphens) for your |
| large advertising budgets aren't immune to making | | | | domain. The length of a domain name can vary, but |
| this mistake. | | | | generally speaking it should be a minimum of 3 and a |
| Lets say your web site is about golf clubs. Visitors to | | | | maximum of 67 characters. |
| your site can include a variety of personas: | | | | Tips to help you choose a successful domain name: |
| - They are looking for information of how to buy | | | | Brainstorm for words relevant to your web sites |
| select golf clubs. | | | | content. |
| - They know exactly what clubs they want to buy | | | | - List as may words as you can think of related to |
| and are comparing prices. | | | | your preferred domain name. |
| - They are interested in golf apparel as well as golf | | | | - List as many words as you can think of that are |
| clubs. | | | | related to the content of your website. |
| Each persona has an expectation that the information | | | | Shorter domain names are easier to remember and |
| they are interested in is not only available on your | | | | type, and far less susceptible to mistakes: for |
| site, but can be found quickly and easily. As a rule of | | | | example is easier to remember, type than |
| thumb, each persona should be able to find the | | | | But sometimes there is an exception to this rule. A |
| information they are looking for within two clicks | | | | longer domain can be easier to remember by human |
| after reaching your website. Visitors will leave your | | | | memory than the shorter one - for example is a |
| site out of frustration if it's too difficult to find the | | | | sequence of unrelated letters that is difficult to |
| information they are looking for. | | | | remember and type correctly, whereas, if we |
| Map Out User Pathways (site navigation) | | | | expand it to its long form 'RelocationServices.com' we |
| Now that you understand the overall goal of your | | | | are more likely to remember the domain name. |
| web site and the various user personas of your | | | | Start searching for alternate domain names. |
| visitors, it time to begin designing the structure | | | | If you do a search for "domain name registration" in |
| (navigation) of your site. | | | | any search engine you will find several reputable |
| Note: You'll notice that we haven't yet discussed the | | | | domain registrars to choose from. Most registrars |
| actual look and design of your web site but don't | | | | provide a "domain availability" search tool that will not |
| worry, we will get to that. We first have the set the | | | | only check to see of your preferred domain is |
| foundation before we begin building the site itself! | | | | available, but will also offer multiple alternatives that |
| One-size-fits-all web sites fail to incorporate specific | | | | are similar to your preferred domain name, and |
| navigation pathways for different user personas. | | | | available for registration. |
| Using the earlier example of golf clubs; if the site is | | | | Helpful tips when registering your domain name: |
| solely about selling golf clubs, visitors looking for | | | | Try to register a domain that contains a popular |
| information on how to buy/select golf clubs, as well | | | | keyword applicable for your industry. This will help |
| as visitors looking for golf apparel would quickly | | | | your customers remember your domain name better. |
| become dissatisfied and leave the site. These are | | | | Don't register a domain containing the digit "0" in it, |
| visitors that may have actually purchased golf clubs if | | | | unless it is going to be part of a recognizable word |
| they had only been presented with a clear and | | | | (like 1000 or 2000). This is because the digit "0" is |
| concise pathway to their information of interest. | | | | often confused with the vowel "O". |
| The solution? Incorporate distinct user pathways in | | | | Try to avoid using domains that contain "2" for "to", |
| your web site. A very simple example would be a | | | | "4" for "four", "u" for "you". Your visitors will easily |
| site with the following links prominently displayed on | | | | get confused. However, if you must register such a |
| the home page: | | | | domain, register the expanded form of the domain |
| - How To Select Golf Clubs | | | | as well, i.e. |