Holistic Web Site Development and Promotion Process

Posted on 03. Feb, 2010 by Pete Hollier in Search Marketing, Search Optimization, Social Media, Web Usability

The Holistic approach is an uncomplicated common sense approach to the web site development and promotional life cycle.

Holistic: “Emphasizing the importance of the whole and the interdependence of its parts.” (Dictionary.com)

The philosophy of a holistic web site can be somewhat overwhelming due the numerous elements and professional disciplines involved. However, with some pre-planning and breaking the process down into small manageable segments the process becomes less overwhelming and more manageable.

The preparation of a web site development and promotion plan enables your company to prepare a program which will ensure the project is completed on-time and on-budget and effectively meet your business’s goals.

Communication is the most important aspect of the Holistic approach.

Good communication between the business and the development team from the outset of the project is one of the key factors which determines the projects overall success, good communication can not be overstated. As the project evolves all current and future specialist should be consulted to determine the needs of each individual discipline, to understand how each impacts on other elements and professions to ensure a practical effective integration of elements is achieved.

The Project Manager

With so many varied elements and professions required to develop and promote a web site, the Project Manager plays a critical role to ensure the right professionals are selected, organized and scheduled. Without effective project management the project is prone to both time and cost over runs.

The Business Case

Building the business case for the web site development and promotion program is imperative. No one knows your business and your target audience better than you do.

This information, and details of the business objectives and goals must be communicated effectively to all team members so they are able to obtain a clear understanding of the business, the business requirements and to have a clear understanding of the target audience. Good communication of the business clients and goals, will assist the team to develop a program which fulfills both the business’s and web site visitor’s needs.

Two Stage Approach

I consider it important the project is staged in two distinct parts; Web Site design / development and Web Site Promotion. Although the project has been separated into two distinct entities, how the web site will be promoted should always be a consideration and kept in mind throughout the development process.

Although some members of the Promotion Team may not be overly active during the development process, it is imperative they be consulted throughout the process to determine specifics which may be required for them to succeed with their tasks once the web site is live.

The Development Team

• Business Representative / Project Manager
• Web / Graphic Designer
• Web Developer
• Search Optimization Consultant
• Content Developer (Text, Video, Images)
• Web Usability Expert

The Promotion Team

• Business Representative / Project Manager
• Marketing and Public Relations Professionals
• Social Media Marketing Consultants
• Search Optimization and Marketing Consultants

The Last Word

I know this appears to be what may be considered a basic common sense approach however, from my experience more often than not, many aspects of this simple process are either skipped over or ignored. In many cases steps or professionals are excluded for financial reasons or to shorten the development life cycle.

The results of these exclusions in general cause the web site to not achieve the business or web site visitors’s goals, causing the need for additional revisions to the web site to meet the requirements of the promotional team.

In conclusion, attempting to avoid costs at the front end of the project is very likely to cause poor performance, and the costs of the program are likely to be much higher than they would have been if the process was followed. Web Site revisions cost time and money, do it right the first time to ensure your business’s resources are used to their maximum potential.

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If you would like to use this article on your web site please contact pete@seowizardry.ca for an html version. All I request is you provide Pete Hollier and Seo Wizardry with a reference to this article and provide a link back to www.seowizardry.ca