Guess what-people still make a lot of goofs when it comes to website planning and execution. And whether or not you use Trifecta to build your new website, we want to pass along some tips that we believe are helpful as people and businesses begin to think about a website.

First, make sure that you budget for it. In the past, some have incorrectly thought of a website as a one-time expense. While we'd like to say that's true, it really isn't. And if you don't account for it in your budget, you won't get as much out of it nor will you have any money set aside to build the next version a few years down the line.

So make sure you account for at least 10% of its initial cost for annual maintenance and remember that the past has shown that websites only have a shelf life of several years before technological innovations necessitate a new version.

This doesn't even include the money it takes to host, protect, and properly market your website. Hosting and backing up your website are access and safety issues that everyone must include in their cost of owning and operating a website.

Beyond that, spending money to market your website through SEO and pay-per-click campaigns has a proven track record for delivering a great ROI (return on investment). Failing to market your website (particularly if you're part of a competitive industry) is poor follow-through, and that type of short-sighted business planning typically leads to failure.

Want more tips? Check out our advice in next week's blog.