Websites are a critical component of doing business these days. Without a website, it is much more difficult for a business to exist, grow, and succeed. This is not true for all types of businesses, but it is for most. This means, the website is an important part of the company. Here are some key reasons why:
- Is a ‘store window’ that works for you 24 hours a day.
- Enables you to reach a global market.
- Promotes your products and services
- Gives your credibility
- Offers online support to your customers (which can save you time).
- Provides a way for people to contact you.
Business websites must be designed and developed properly. Business websites designed to produce the desired results is key. Yet, this often does not happen. Websites are often created by someone who is not necessary a businessperson. Who does not own a business or even is an entrepreneur. Now, a creative person can deploy quality websites for a business, but it often requires the involvement of a businessperson to project manage, define site goals, and more.
Business websites designed poorly can have a horrible impact on a business. They must be created to produce results. This involves a complex process of customization of design templates, utilization of software applications, decisions on site elements, content, features, functions, and much more. For a business, a website must work for the business and for the customers. Websites are not simple anymore. They must work correctly on mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets. Load fast with super easy navigation. Optimized for search engines. Content rich. This includes text, images, and videos. Much goes into business websites nowadays. Business websites designed to produce the desired results includes all of this.
So, how does a quality business website look like? What makes a business website produce results? Why do some not produce results? These are all very common questions asked by entrepreneurs and company executives. Not all business websites are the same. Requirements vary depending on industry and business type. Nevertheless, all business websites must be created to produce results for the business. Otherwise, it is harming the business and company efforts. There are common best practices with business websites. There are also common business website mistakes.
Business Website Dos and Don’ts
Do’s
- Do create a navigation bar to make it easy for your clients to find the information that they need on your site. List your content by theme and importance to your client.
- Do use easy to read and simple colors and fonts. Again, if your visitors can’t read the information on your site they will leave and visit your competitor instead.
- Do invest in creating a professional, secure site for your business. Your website is the storefront window for your business, so you want it to look as professional as possible.
- Do keep it simple. If you have too much content, page copy or too many calls to action on your site, it will simply overwhelm your prospects and they won’t buy from you.
- Do make it possible to contact you easily from your homepage. You want to make it as easy as possible for clients to contact you.
- Do aim for at least 500 words of text per page, with keywords included and 1-3 aspirational images. This will make it easier for Google to send targeted traffic to your site.
- Do create a mobile and tablet friendly site, and test to make sure they are easy to navigate, and visitors can contact you from the devices.
- Do add your social buttons and link to your business blog to grow your brand awareness and generate fresh content on your site.
- Do add your business reviews to your website homepage. Potential customers like to know what previous clients had to say about your services and they serve as online testimonials.
Don’ts
- Don’t underestimate the importance of a strong, easy to navigate site for generating more inquiries. Your visitors only have a short attention span. If they can’t find what they are looking for, they will abandon your site.
- Don’t publish irrelevant content including too many links or have videos on auto-play or confuse your visitors with distracting external ads.
- Don’t bury or over complicate your contact form. It is one of the most important sections on your site. You want to encourage visitors to contact you.
- Don’t make it hard for a prospect to find what they are looking for or they will leave within seconds. This can’t be stressed enough.
- Don’t use too many colors and distracting or hard to read fonts. Business website colors should be based on the branding/logo color scheme.
- Don’t include too much copy or images on each page. This will overwhelm your visitor and they will leave. Your site should be clean and easy to read with strong calls to action.
- Don’t underestimate the power of strong SEO. This is what will help your site to be found by 80% of your new customers in the search engines.
- Don’t forget to test what your website looks like from mobile devices, tablets and across several Internet browsers.
- Don’t miss out on fresh content. Social media sites and blogs are updated frequently and adding these links will help your site get crawled by search engines more often.
- Don’t exclude past client testimonials from your site – 72% of consumers trust online recommendations as much as personal ones.
For any business looking to get a new website or redesign an existing business website talk to experts. Find out what options you have. What costs are involved and requirements. Business consulting services can help. Otherwise, get started with a business website and hire a professional digital agency with plenty of business website design and development experience. Get yourself a business website designed to produce the desired results.
