A small, useful step still needs a clear boundary.
During COVID in 2020, PlainBlack offered free websites to help businesses get online. That was a response to a particular moment. This article looks back at that offer; it is not an offer of free websites today.
The job at the time
Businesses needed a way to tell customers what was happening and how to reach them. The useful starting point was a presence people could find and understand. A large feature list was not the starting point.
The question behind the offer was practical: what could we build that would help someone take their next step?
What we would carry into a project now
Start by naming the problem. “We need a new website” might mean customers cannot find opening hours, enquiries are going missing, or an old offer is still being promoted. Those are different jobs.
Then agree what is included. A website also has ongoing needs: someone must keep the information current, respond to enquiries, and deal with domains, hosting and any connected services. Decide those responsibilities while the project is small enough to understand.
Keep the first version manageable
- Pick the customer action the page must support.
- Use accurate information and real business assets.
- Test the enquiry or booking route from start to finish.
- Make it clear who updates the page after launch.
- Add further features when there is a reason to use them.
That does not mean every business needs the smallest possible website. It means the size of the build should follow the work it has to do.
The current offer
Today's services and project terms are agreed around the work required. The 2020 offer is part of our history, not a current price or a standing commitment.
See what PlainBlack does now, or identify the first thing your existing site needs to fix.