7 Website Questions

The evolution of websites has been rapid over the past two decades. From AOL sites to Geocities having a website has become a necessity for many small businesses. Advertising on the web is like putting your billboard out on the highway. It needs to be up before anyone sees it. There are several companies that specialize specifically in CPA websites. The truth is that websites can be built and maintained for a lot less than you'll be charged through one of these. Companies that specialize in websites for CPA's take advantage of the fact that many CPA's don't know how much it actually costs to maintain or build a website. In most instances you're paying $600-$1200 a year for many services that are free or obtained for relatively low amounts while still remaining high in quality. Before you go buy a website ask yourself a few questions.

1. What do you want and need?
- You need to have a good idea of what your looking for in a website before you go shopping for your domain name and site.
2. Will the site be a brochure or will it be interactive?
- Will your site just contain information on who you are and what you offer? Do you want a site that's more interactive? Most accounting and bookkeeping professionals get excited about the idea of a very interactive site but really don't have a need for it.
3. What do clients want and need?
- Think of your current and potential clients. What would make their lives better? What will attract people to your firm after viewing your website? Think about this step carefully, who are you trying to attract?
4. What do you need on your site?
- Do you need e-commerce set-up i.e. a shopping cart, credit card processing, or any add-ons to your site? Generally CPA firms do not need these features. Their websites are simply advertising for their firm and making potential clients feel comfortable contacting them.
5. What is your budget for your website?
- Go in with a set amount in mind. Have an idea of what your expecting to spend in technology costs for your firm before you start. It's very easy to hire a programmer who decides to run wild with things you don't need or want.
6. Should I just hire the local kid or neighbor?
- It's very possible to get web design very cheap. The problem is that when something needs to be updated no one knows how or that person is very slow. Be very careful in making sure that choose a company that you can keep on retainer for a low price. Some companies will do 1 hour a month and allow you to roll over the hours each month. Basically allowing you to do updates a few times a year as need be. But ask yourself, how often do I update my advertising brochures? Websites don't need to be updated all the time if they're kept simple and concise. Which leads us to the next point, can you update it yourself?
7. Can I do it myself?
- A CMS or Content Management System allows you to do all website updating yourself. If you can type on Microsoft Word there's no doubt you can design your own website. Templates for designing a website can be found at www.godaddy.com (they also host your domain name) and even at Intuit http://www.intuit.com/website-building-software/. What many offices do is assign a member of their staff to be in charge of website updates. As long as the website is simple the problem is solved.

Remember that with a website you usually pay for what you get. If you're paying $60-$200 a month you should expect A LOT of service. If you're paying just for web hosting through godaddy.com you should expect to design your own website and not be paying someone else to do it. You should also expect the level of service to be commiserate with the amount of time you put into it.


Special Thanks to http://www.7designavenue.com for some of the information above.