Building Web Sites All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies®

Chapter 3. Developing the Content

In This Chapter

• Researching site content

• Defining goals for the site

• Keeping the site relevant

So you've got a client who has signed on the dotted line and wants you to create a drop‐dead gorgeous Web site with all the bells and whistles that the law allows. When you brainstorm with the client and ask him what he wants on the site, you get an answer like, “You know, the usual.” Argggggggh. Wrong answer. The problem with many Web sites is that they don't have content that's relevant to what's out there. So instead of trying to read the client's mind and put together a site that will fail and inevitably taint your reputation as a Web designer, your best course of action is to do some research with the client to steer him in the right direction. Then, when he's developing the text content for the site, you can do what you do best: Design an aesthetically pleasing site that keeps visitors returning time and again. In this chapter, we show you how to guide your client in the right direction.

Knowing What to Put on Your Site

When you go to a bookstore and open a book on cooking, you find recipes and information on how to prepare them. When your client's customers visit her Web site, they expect to find content that relates to the title of the site. You know, truth in advertising and all that bunk? In most cases, the client is responsible for the text content. If your client has created content for the Web, or is experienced in marketing, you're home free. If ...