Having an online presence is essential for any company’s success in this digital age, no matter if you’re a hardware store or a hairdresser. Your website can be one of the best marketing tools you have, so you must get it right. There is a lot of information on the internet providing tips on how to create a great website, but for your benefit, here are the essential points to help maximize the effectiveness of your website and get your business effectively in the digital marketplace.
Here are some key questions to reflect on…
How will customers find you?
Making your website easy to find is a significant step in boosting your business and sales. To be found on the internet, you will want to follow these steps:
- Have a strong custom domain name that matches your company name or describes your business somehow. Burger King or Pizza Express are great examples!
- Educate yourself on technical search engine optimization (SEO) best practices. A good SEO strategy can have a massive impact on your site’s success. SEO is a highly specialized field, so it is worth learning how to do it effectively yourself or finding qualified professionals who can help you.
- Think about keyword research and content marketing to drive traffic to your website.
- If you can afford to, investing in paid advertising campaigns is also a great way to reach new customers who might not know about your business.
What will using your website be like?
Think about the user experience. Reflect on a website you have used that was easy to navigate in the past. What did you like about it?
Prioritize making your website mobile-friendly, neatly organized, and easy to navigate. Consider the load time (a page taking too long to load can lose customers!). Big Commerce explains the importance of optimizing your page load time: ‘Users who are frustrated by a slow-loading site are likely to “bounce” – that is, visit your store once, leave and never return. ‘You can avoid this by keeping all software up to date, using a good website host, and optimizing videos and photos for quick downloads. The little things make a big difference.
And lastly, make sure your website illustrates what you are selling or the services you provide. Aim to make someone know precisely who you are and what you do simply by looking at your homepage.
What is your brand?
A crucial part of having a great website is great branding. It’s best to keep your design fresh and straightforward but have a unique feel to it. Make the website interface positive and the goal in mind to drive results.
The homepage is critical because it’s the first thing a potential customer will see and is essential to the website’s design.
Many people turn to professionals to ensure this crucial element hits the mark. Not sure where to start? Type something like web design Cheltenham into your search bar and see what results come up for you. When working with a web designer, your priority should be making sure a new visitor understands who you are and what your business is. Make it as easy as possible!
How will you keep your website relevant?
Blogging regularly is an integral part of having a successful website and business. When it comes to driving traffic and getting noticed on the internet, content is vital. Publishing quality and relevant content optimized for search engines will boost traffic to your website. If writing isn’t your forte, no problem. Find a professional copywriter who can help you get started.
When content planning, think about it from the customer’s point of view. If you’re looking for specific services or a product, what information would be helpful to you? What detail might convince a customer to choose you over someone else? Content will also keep someone on your website for longer, allowing them to explore more and making it more likely to result in a sale.