A great tool for small business owners and entrepreneurs alike, is a website. Given the last crazy 2 years we've have, a website has been a non-negotiable for many businesses in order to survive. But a website is more than just throwing something online with your logo on it.
A website done wrong is almost as bad as not having one at all. If it’s difficult for a customer to view your product or services, they simply are going to bounce right off of your website. Your site should be doing half of the work for you, giving your customer or client an idea of exactly what your business is and what they should expect from you.
But how do you make a good website?
How do you make your website work for you?
Website Planning and Building
The first thing that should be considered when looking at your website is how you want it to function. Consider your field. Consider what your customer is going to be doing on your website. As much as your website is for you and your business, it's also just as much for your customer. The goal with building your site is to make it as easy to navigate and as functional as you can. Put yourself in your customer's shoes... how you would navigate the website?
If you have a low budget, or want to take on the daunting challenge of a website DIY, use resources such as WIX, SquareSpace or Shopify to start your web presence. You'll still have to give effort to make your website perfect for you and your brand, but these sites allow you to build websites fast and with little to no knowledge of coding.
Have a budget or ready to make an investment? Hiring a Web Designer or a Marketing Consultant to help out is highly recommended. Not only would this allow stress off your back, but you'd be able to rest assured knowing that you're about to have a kick a** website!
Web Optimization
One of the more technical sides of your website is website optimization, otherwise known as SEO (Search Engine Optimization).. This is how your site will show up in top search engines like Google or Yahoo.
For starters, make sure every page has a title and description that is focused on keywords that your business and brand represent. Then, every time you add a photo to your site, make sure you add ALT tags, titles and descriptions for each. This will allow search engines to find your website even faster!
PRO TIP: Make sure your website is secure with an SSL certificate (https rather than http). This ensures that your audience won't receive an error or warning prior to visiting your page!
PRO TIP: If you choose to tackle SEO yourself, we recommend a lot of research, and a strooong cup of coffee!
Starting a Website
Figuring out your website can be incredibly difficult for small business owners, and often feels like just another thing to add to their already full plate. But it doesn’t have to be. Take things slow, think it through, and plan with your customer in mind.
If it's still feeling daunting and a little bit too much, don’t worry. This is a totally normal reaction and you are not alone! Send us a message to schedule a free 30-minute website discovery session to get all the As to your Qs!