If it is a technical site or if you want to show off your creative flair, you might use technologies such as Flash, Java, etc. If you want to display information quickly, text and graphics might suffice. The purpose of the site is therefore the deciding factor for many of the decisions that follow. The next step is to plan content. It is a vital component of your site.
Graphical design attracts visitors but the content is the most important aspect of the site.
Plan the various pages required for your site and write all the content before beginning the design. Carefully dividing the content into the appropriate sections ensures a successful and user friendly site although spreading the content over too many pages can make information difficult to find. The pre-design step is research. Look at similar websites, which have similar aims to yours. Visit successful websites, which are relevant to your site and take time to explore every aspect of these, considering design and content as well as making a critical analysis of the faults and advantages of these sites.