Define
The next step in developing the content for your website is outlining your goals for the website. This applies to what you imagine the website can be in the long term, but more importantly, creating a plan and some boundaries for what you feel is essential in order to make your website useful in the near term.
Is your goal to get something up on the web as quickly as possible so that your customers can find and contact you? Are you selling products that need to be backed by a payment gateway so that you can get paid through your website? Do you just need to get a page up that outlines your services? Lets dive in and start thinking about your short term goals.
Your Minimum Viable Product
The MVP, or Minimum Viable Product, is a concept used in product development to describe the minimum set of features that a product needs to have in order to be usable by its target audience. In the context of building a website for a small business or organization, the MVP can be thought of as the minimum set of pages, functionality, and content that the website needs to have in order to effectively communicate the business’s value proposition, showcase its products or services, and enable customers to take action (such as making a purchase or filling out a contact form).
Here are some common elements of an MVP website for a small business:
- Homepage: A clear and concise overview of the business and its products or services, with a prominent call-to-action (such as “Learn More” or “Get in Touch”).
- About Us: A page that provides background information on the business, its history, and its values.
- Products or Services: A page (or pages) that provides detailed information on the products or services offered by the business, with clear descriptions, images, and pricing information.
- Contact Us: A page with a contact form, email address, and phone number that allows customers to get in touch with the business.
- Social media links: Links to the business’s social media profiles, allowing customers to connect with the business on those platforms.
- Blog: A page with a blog section that provides valuable, relevant information to customers and helps to build a relationship with them.
By focusing on these core elements, you can create an MVP website that effectively communicates your business’s value proposition and provides a positive user experience for your customers. Over time, you can add additional features and functionality to the website as needed to meet the evolving needs of your business and your customers.
Your Value Proposition
Identifying your value proposition is a crucial step in developing a website, product, or service that resonates with your target audience. To know your Unique Value Proposition you must first identify:
- Your target audience
- The product or service you are providing
- The benefits of said product or service
- The reason your customers need your product