I've been working on two web copy writing projects at the moment and they highlight the best and (in my opinion) one of the worst ways of tackling the development of a web site.

With one, I'm writing new copy for an existing site the development of which has very much been driven by the visual appearance of the site.  The client does not want to change the template for the site (and, hence, also can't significantly change the structure) as each change seems to clock up yet another cost.

So my writing is an exercise in saying what needs to be said within a framework that isn't necessarily the best to meet the needs of the message.  I'll make it work one way or another but it's not ideal.

Working on the other site is a different matter altogether.  For one thing, I've been working with this client on a range of marketing projects on and off for a few years so I know the business well.

And that's why they asked me to plan the structure of the site with reference to both their operational and marketing issues - we'll get a site that really adds something practical, functional and valuable to the business.  The site is half written at the moment, with a meeting in the diary with the chosen web developer to talk about the design and technical development, before finishing off and fine tuning the copy.

A good business web site these days has to be much more than an online brochure (we all know that by now, surely?) and that means that it entails more planning and more knowledge than simple web sites of the past.  So what's the best way to tackle the development of a new web site?  What's the best starting point?

1.  Your business strategy: if you accept that your web site could be more use to your business than an online brochure, you need to think about what other business purposes it can serve.  For example, as well as helping acquiring customers, can it help deliver some part of your service and/or customer care?  I like to work with these steps.

2.  Your marketing strategy: it's not good enough to keep your web site separate from the rest of your marketing issues.  Customers expect your web site to add something to their experience of your business beyond that offered by your offline promotion and they expect some joined-up thinking.  Think also about your marketing targets - what respective contribution, for example, do your online and offline efforts make towards meeting overall customer acquistion goals?  Client no. 1 has a clear idea of who the target audience for the web site is, and targets other types of customer through networking and other offline activities; the two compliment each other rather than confuse.

3. Your web strategy: with the increasing uptake and ongoing introduction of new forms of social media the boundaries of your web strategy shouldn't stop at your own web site.  What other parts of cyberspace do you inhabit (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn...) and how does what you do there support and enhance your own web site?

4.  Your web site plan: I start by drawing up a schematic to show the architecture of the site - how many pages, what goes on each page, how they should link together, what features might be required for different pages or parts of the site? This visual plan helps everyone - client, copy writer and web developer - to share the same vision for the site.  It's OK to revise this after input from all parties but eventually it needs to be agreed by all.

5.  Your web content: I find that web developers like to have some idea of what the copy and other content (downloads, embedded elements, specific graphics) are likely to be to give them a clear steer on what their design needs to accommodate.  This doesn't mean that every last word has to be pinned down before handing it over - inevitably there will some tweaking and development to be done and some pieces of information that take a little longer to materialise than others - but providing the developer with some meaningful content is a bit help.  And, with sympathy to them, it gives them confidence that content will arrive - I can't count how many conversations I've had with frustrated web designers who can't make any further progress with a site until the client provides copy (hint, you can always point slow-coach clients in my direction to sort them out ).

6.  Your web site development and design: it's not left until last(ish) on the list because it's not important but because getting the foundations right will make the development and design as effective as possible.

7.  Repeat stages 5 & 6 a minimal number of times until the web site is complete :)

Underpin this with a couple of key principles...

1.  Your website is YOUR web site - it is your responsibility to ensure that it works as hard as possible for the benefit of your business.  However good at web development your web developer is, they don't know your business strategy and it's not their job to.  They can make suggestions about what is possible - and if they're good they will - but they can't decide what will best deliver to your business strategy.  That's your job - take the advice you need beforehand and then take responsibility for your decisions.

2.  Get all parties involved working as a team - don't keep your writer separate from your developer; ensure they both talk to each other, to whoever is leading your marketing strategy, and to whoever is responsible for any operational issues that the web site will affect.  This way you get to pool the problems to be solved - and the combined brain power to solve them.  A good team spirit will also help ensure the site gets finished on time.

Happy web development!