We are officially in the 21st century now, and there are very few businesses any more that still don’t have their own web site. There are some left, but not many.
Your company, on the other hand, is not one of them. You’ve recognized the importance of an online presence, and you’ve had somebody whip something together for you. At least you can be found; you will show up (somewhere) in search engine results, and potential clients can get at least basic information about your business, maybe even make some purchases.
Unfortunately, however, the same drawback that I have noted about social media applies to websites: just because “you build it” does not necessarily mean that “they will come.” In fact, you need to be careful; your company’s website has the potential to drive away business.
The most important thing to realize is that your company’s website is part of its branding, just as much as its physical facilities are. The site’s purpose is to represent you and enable customers’ interaction with you; and as such, it will influence the image that you hold in their minds. Are the colors hideous? Visitors won’t want to spend long looking at them. Expertly chosen colors, on the other hand, can subconsciously enhance your visitors’ experience. What about the user interface? Does it stymie their every effort to patronize your business, or is it so well thought-out that it borders on prescience? You see, layout and design – especially for something interactive – are not as simple and straightforward as they may appear; there are a lot of psychological considerations going on behind the scenes. There are even little details, like favicons, that you might not notice at first, but that lend subtly to the overall professionalism of your site. That’s why the assistance of an expert is so important…or, at least, it’s important if you want good results.
Mind you, there is also a lot that can be done without a Design degree, things that are more obvious even to the untrained viewer. For one thing, proofread your website…or at least ask someone else to, if that’s not really in your own skill set. Okay, maybe your business is car repair, or fishing charter, or something else that might make basic grammar and spelling seem unimportant, but it’s good for your potential clients to see that you tend to even the small details. While you’re there, make sure that information is kept up to date on your website. Not only will it be very unhelpful for a customer to receive business hours, phone numbers, or the like in error, but neither will it persuade them that your business is particularly meticulous in its operations. Now, place yourself in the position of the consumer: would you choose a business that might apply similar slackness to its fulfillment of your needs, or would you move on to a business that crosses its t’s and dots its i’s? Would you want to risk being the customer who is allowed to fall through ambiguous gaps in quality?
The most important thing to remember, really, is simply not to write off your website as “not particularly important.” It is your company’s representative in the largest marketplace in existence. Even if you do not conduct business directly on the Internet, that will still be many people’s first encounter with your company as they begin their search…and you know what is said about first impressions. Make sure that your company’s first impression is everything that you’re hoping for! Get our experts working for you to ensure the very best results.