Let's get started! But first, we need these 4 things.
Gulf Coast Pixel celebrates 18 months in January 2019.
We are pumped to reach such a milestone as a digital agency. As we continue to work with amazing people, we reiterate to clients a website is more than just pictures & words that float on the interwebs. Your website can be valuable digital real estate where you get to share your story, build trust with customers, and increase your earnings. So what do we need from you to get started on your website? Just 4 things. We have found this shortlist will expedite your launch and put your best foot forward on the world wide web.
Contract signed. That sounds so simple, but we have contracts in place to protect our clients as well as ourselves. Contracts also layout the expectations for both parties. Our clients know what to expect from us and the agreed-upon rate. Contracts allow everyone involved to be on the same page before the website begins and this eliminates confusion or awkward misunderstandings in the long run.
Logo & branding. You have or are building your brand. We at Gulf Coast Pixel are now extending or updating that brand digitally. It should all be cohesive. We will ask for every version of your logo. And we will want it to be beautiful & crisp so that visitors to your site will start or continue to recognize your brand. In your previous marketing, do you use special fonts that are important to your brand? Share those with us and we will need those hex codes used in your logo and style guide.
Photography, good photography. Do you have products that will take the spotlight? Do you have an office or storefront that shows the culture of your business? Want to convey a message about your business? “A picture is worth a thousand words” is a phrase for a reason. You want your photography on your website to help tell your story- photos that will fill in what words can’t say. And your photography matters. Get this done professionally or you can consider stock photography. You want photos that are clear, crisp and professional. Have you seen the sites with pixelated imagery? You know how that made you feel. Womp womp.
Words, great words. Going back to storytelling, the actual words describe your products, convey your message, and share your culture. Content seems to be the cog in the wheel for most projects. In our experience and according to our colleagues, too. We give you the option to write your own content, but we highly recommend you hire this out if you don’t have a specific copywriter on your team. There are a few reasons and this really calls for a post all on its own, but I’ll make it quick. A great reason to hire a content writer is having a professional writer create content from a different perspective and with deadlines. You’re busy running your business and adding one more thing to your plate is the last thing you need. With content writing getting pushed to the bottom of your to-do list, your website launch will be delayed. In the long run hiring a writer will save you time AND money.
After 18 months, we have found this list reduces so much time in getting your site launched. Planning and preparation are the key. And of course, we can help you get all of these items ready because of the awesome people we work alongside and the resources we have in place. Let’s do this!