What to Consider When Investing in a Website?
Each business needs a responsive website and this is why investing in products and services to optimize yours is necessary. For many, this is also necessary because of the fact that only a very small percentage of population has the necessary skill to develop a platform, no matter its destination. Investing in products such as the Joomla templates, or SEO services has become mandatory in order to make the website relevant for the consumer and increase its rankings when it comes to search engines. Many consider that the costs associated with these services and products are high, but given the advantages emerging from these, they are a worthy investment. These days, people do all their research and shopping online and meeting their expectations in terms of website quality and functionality is mandatory. Below is a list of aspects every business owner should pay attention to when investing in a new website for their company.
Consider the profile of your company
When designing a website, it is important to make conscious decisions that align perfectly with who you are and what your goals are. Keep in mind that your website will reflect the most your company and whether you like it or not, visitors will associate it with the company itself, the quality of the products and services offered. Thus, be mindful when it comes to its design and the information that you provide. Mention in the “About Us” page what your company’s values are, and what motivates you to continue your activity. Moreover, you should start by choosing a template for your website that reflects who you are and the quality of your products. Regardless of the type of the services provided, you should opt for a clean design. A great advice would be to search online template providers and select from their packages. Many have dedicated packages depending on the type of business that one might have. For instance, you will find templates appropriate for creative agencies, for hotels and restaurants for manufacturing businesses and so on. Surf the possibilities and decide which one of those fits better the image and profile of your company.
What do you want to accomplish through your website?
A website must always be developed with the consumer in mind. However, depending on what you wish to accomplish with it, you must adapt your approach. For instance, you will need different designs and layouts if you want to create an informational website, or if you aim to promote a new product developed by your company. Mindfulness in your design decisions must be a rule once again. Never make a rushed decision, and preferably discuss with a professional web developer before making any steps on your own.
Choose your domain wisely
You may have the most optimized, user-friendly website in the world, but if your domain is a total gibberish, nobody will ever remember its name or the relevance of it. When choosing a domain name, make sure to choose one that reflects perfectly your company and that is relevant in the industry. You want to keep the same name throughout the years. Otherwise, you will lose an important number of visitors with each domain name change. Also, when choosing the domain name, make sure to go for a short, snappy, easy-to-remember name that is easy to type and search. A bonus point if you maintain the same domain for a long period is that you’ll get SEO bonus points! Pre-existent traffic, backlinks, old rankings, they all help when it comes to SEO. Thus, the older the domain, the more SEO advantages you’ll have.
Make it mobile-friendly
Yes, the nowadays consumer is always on the go and always with a smartphone in their hand. So, be flexible and meet this small yet incredibly important demand from them. A mobile-friendly platform will allow you to increase the traffic flow on your website on a daily basis. This is why this small aspect has become so important lately. Only think about it. The average consumer is always on the go and has permanent access to a mobile outlet. Why not make it possible for them to access your platform wherever they want? And in case you were unaware of this fact, since 2015, Google introduced a smart algorithm that prioritizes mobile-friendly websites. Extra SEO bonus points!
Consider introducing a NAP Signature
NAP Signature stands for Name Address and Phone, and means that contact details should be available from all pages of your website, without surfing through the “Contact” page. Make sure that your NAP Signature is clear and concise and is the same for all your other accounts, including social media accounts. This will make it easier for you to pop up at the top of the search results when these are location-targeted.
“Above the Fold” is crucial
Many have no idea what this term refers to. But, in short, it refers to the information that is accessible to the user without scrolling. This means that you must consider this coordinate when you arrange your platform. This way, the most important pieces of information will be accessible in the easiest way possible for each visitor. Keep in mind this imaginary line, since your visitors will make a strong first impression on what information is available from the start. Don’t compromise your potential with a poor above the fold segment. Make sure that the platform’s header explains pretty concise what your services and products are, save your visitor’s time.
Get rid of unnecessary elements or content
Videos in excess, flash elements and other unnecessary media pieces should be removed when developing or optimizing a platform. Keep it clean and professional, and your visitors will certainly thank you. Generally, visitors want to find relevant information, and don’t like to let themselves distracted by flash media. Bright colors should also be avoided since they make content harder to read and also have a highly unprofessional aspect.
These are some smart tips every business owner that thinks to develop a website for their business should keep in mind before and throughout the entire process.
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