Designing a website should be one of the easiest things to do today, and it can be if a few of the basics are followed.

When designing a website you needs to consider where to host the website, whether it will be with a hosting company or doing it yourself and then does the site need to be dynamic, written in asp or php or will static html suffice etc, etc..
These are a few of the questions that need to be asked in a web site design process and they can all be answered if one factor is considered at all times, always remember your audience.  If you keep this in mind, your website will have the highest relevancy possible to your audience, this way your will acheive more repeat visits as well as building upon unique visits.
This factor is important for any website, whether its primary focus is as an ecommerce enterprise, or as a reference for a specific subject.  If your website is relevant to a targetted audience they will return, increasing either your revenue or returning for more information on a subject to which you have become a leading source for.
These two examples are actually at two ends of the spectrum, one requires specific features that can only be sensibly achieved by a dynamic site, utilising a database driven website in either php or asp, and other is traditionally a static site, quick to load and favouring information over interactivity.......but it doesn't have to be.
Once the structure of the website has been considered and the decision to be dynamic or static has been taken, then a host needs to be found that meets the demands that are expected today and hoped for in the future.  Moving web hosts is possible but if it can be avoided by selecting the right hosting providor in the first place this is always preferrable.
The next step is designing the website, keeping the audience in mind.  A website that sells products online needs to be able to highlight several offers at the same time, allow easy and quick navigation to product types by a variety of methods, either brand name or product type and instill confidence for being professional so the visitor will use their credit card without fear of being a victim of online fraud.
Many will be surprised to know the name of the website is not always the first and most important factor today in website design.  With the volume of websites, it is content, relevancy and link partnership which are first in search engine optimising.  The domain name is for branding, chosen to be easily recognised, and if possible one that contains your keywords for promotion.  Websites that are being redesigned do not have this luxury so they do not have the distraction of considering the domain name as the most important factor.
Once the web site design is complete, the site is online and ready for business the art of search engine optimising and search engine marketing becomes the priority.  Build it and they will come does not apply to websites,  constant promotion is required, and if time permits, constant tweaking to make sure the website is reindexed on a regular basis.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sarah Hawkins, under SO Internet Services, has been providing SEO and SEM services since 2001, assisting companies gain greater exposure through one of the most important marketing channels today.  One of her website Website Design gives webmasters basic guidelines for designing their website