You’ve been working 24/7 on your dream business: developing the perfect service, setting up your process, pricing, all the fun things that go into building a successful business.
With a business plan in place and services to suit, it’s time to develop or improve your website. A good website is the foundation of any successful digital marketing strategy for small businesses. It’s the perfect hub, where you’ll direct people to make purchases, read your latest blog post, or simply learn more about your business.
When left ignored, your website will cost you time and sales.
Now, before you go to one of those “build it yourself” websites, you should think about this: building a well-designed website capable of handling transactions without error is no longer a “nice to have” when embarking upon online selling. It’s a necessity and your best advantage when it comes to competition.
When checking your budget, now is not the time to be cheap. Do you want to cut corners on your most significant asset after all of the work you’ve put in thus far?
The first thing you should do before building your website is to look at the competition. What do their sites look like? What do you like about them? What do you not like about them? Then, go to other websites. Look for features you’ve never seen before that might make your website stand out from the competition. Take notes about functions, aesthetics, and features that draw you in the most.
A Beautifully Designed Website
It’s safe to assume that the design of your website is an essential part of doing business online. A bad experience for your customer could end up costing you a lot of money. Multiply that by your website traffic, and you’re looking at a very costly mistake.
With that said, let’s take a look at the web design factors with which you should be most concerned.
Aesthetics
The look and feel of your website are every bit as important as its performance. Did you know that you have about 10 seconds to make a first impression when a user lands on your website? Do not go overboard with your colors, elements, and images. Stick with simple, clean, sharp images and design that allows for a visually appealing website, as well as well-functioning.
Usability
Design your website for the average user. Make sure your navigation makes sense and your customers know where to find essential aspects of your page like About, Contact us, and of course, how to purchase your services! Your website will cost you valuable customers, if your users are unable to navigate to the content they’re looking for.
Content
Your content is of utmost importance. Even if your web page is functioning and looks excellent, you will not make money if the content is not compelling enough to take action. Consider using a balanced content mix of text, images, and video. Many people prefer video over other mediums, so keep this in mind as you design each page on your website.
Contact Information
It’s important to make your contact info easily accessible or quick to navigate too. Nothing makes a buyer bail faster than not being able to contact a business directly. Add your phone number or email address to your header. If you’re a brick-and-mortar store, keep your location in the footer. And whatever you do, be sure to insert navigation to the contact page as a call to action throughout your website.
Mobile Friendly
So far, in 2021, mobile generates more than 55% of website traffic. With more than half of traffic flowing from mobile devices, it should be at the top of your list when designing your website. If your website does not translate well into a friendly mobile experience, it’s safe to say that all of the work (and money) you’ve invested in your website will be a waste of time.
A Fully Functional Website
Looks only go so far when it comes to your website; it must also function, meeting the standards for both Google and your users.
Speed
Your website speed can make or break your business. If your page doesn’t load within 3-5 seconds, you’ll probably lose the sale. Your page loading speed is the first step in determining your website’s bounce rate, defined as the percentage of visitors that leave a webpage without taking action, such as clicking on a link, filling out a form, or making a purchase. If your visitor can’t even get the page to load, how can they do any of those actions?
Website Maintenance
Maintaining your website is usually the last thing on your list, but it is something to consider for the long-term health of your business. It’s crucial to stay on top of updates and security checks every month. Every page on your website should work 100% of the time. No exceptions! In the event of an issue, you need a support system in place that will have your website up and running so that the problem is addressed ASAP.
Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals are a set of specific factors that Google uses to rank a website’s user experience. Google uses these measurements to score your website’s overall experience. A high score means a higher ranking. A low score means your page is sitting on the bottom of page 4 of Google.
Google offers support on how to fix poor user experiences on your website. If left ignored, your website will cost you a valuable ranking position. We recommend you look at this report monthly to make sure your website is in tip-top shape!
Bringing It All Together
When planning your website, make sure to consider both design and functionality. It matters! Your business can’t afford to pay for a website that doesn’t generate leads for them. If left ignored, your website will cost you time, customers, sales, and possibility your sanity.
At GreenCup Digital, we build attractive, informative websites that effectively represent our clients online and turn their visitors into customers. When it comes to maintenance, we offer various monthly support levels to keep your website up and your stress levels down.
Don’t ignore your website any longer, visit our Website Services!
