How to Build a Fantastic Website?
At the bottom, your website is a marketing tool. For many businesses, it is the only source of business. If you do it right, your website can be the best marketing tool you have.
We are continually surprised by how many people call our design company with very firm ideas about what they want on their business website and yet, they haven't thought through some of the most basic questions first. For this reason, our first question: Why do you need a site?
not What do you want on it?
Here's our quick-hit list of the 9 things to do before you get started:
1. Set smart goals
And make sure they're measurable. Here are a few great ones a Web designer wants to hear: increase conversion rates, increase sales, generate more leads, reduce overhead, and improve brand awareness.
2. Plan on becoming a SEO wizard
Sure, you're going to want help from the pros and eventually you might even need your own in-house SEO expert, but search engine optimization is something you need to know about too. It has one of the highest ROIs in marketing. Plus, do it right and SEO can literally put your marketing on autopilot, allowing you to focus on improving the quality of your business, instead of figuring out how to bring in customers to your site. Stay up to date with SEO changes by reading sites like search engine land.
3. Use open source tools
Do yourself a favour and go with an open-source system that any developer can access.
4. Think about your mobile strategy simultaneously
Considering the percentage of visitors that are likely to use mobile devices to access your site, you may want to consider an app too.
5. Steal from your competitors
Before you build your site, check out your competitors and write down the things they do well. If you like the look and feel of another site, there's no reason not to start with something you like and then make it your own.
6. Develop your content
The biggest slow-down in the web design process is content. If you're going to sell products on your site, get product photos and product descriptions ready. If you sell services, you'll need a description of each service. Get as much of your content together before you start building your site — it will save you weeks.
7. Write with calls to action in mind
Good calls to action allow visitors to quickly decide what they want to do next. Having a big sale? Don't just write a banner that says "50% off all products." Write one that says
"50% off all products, CLICK HERE to view them."
8. Always answer the question Why?
Have you ever walked up to someone you've never met, handed them a business card, and walked away without saying a word? Likely not. If you want people to do something on your website, such as sign up for your newsletter, don't just put up a box that says "enter email" or even "sign up for newsletter" — you'll get a very weak conversion rate. Tell them why they should do it: "Sign up for our newsletter to receive weekly specials." Same thing goes for Twitter and Facebook logos. Just putting them up isn't smart. Tell people why they should follow you on Twitter or friend you on Facebook. What will they get out of it?
9. Trust your web designer
We tend to see the worst end results with customers who come in with a I know what I want, just do what I tell you
attitude. You hired an expert because they know more than you, right? Let them do what they do best and they're more likely to meet and often exceed your goals.
