Get your website right first time

Why You Need a Website

As a web developer in Brighton, I always ask my customers why they want me to build a website for them.

It should be obviously, really. They’ve come to me to develop a major part of their marketing, something that they obviously want and need – but why, exactly?

If you’re not sure of the exact reasons behind the admittedly eminently sensible decision to employ me, you may not succeed in your endeavours. You can’t just “have a website” unless you have clear expectations of what you want it to do for you. And, as the architect of your future website, I need to know what I’m building and why I’m building it for you. Does that make sense?

Here are some pointers to help you think laterally when it comes to your all-important presence on the internet.

Are you looking to legitimise your business and to make a great impression?

Well then, that’s an excellent idea and you should certainly talk to me.

Picture this:

You’ve sallied forth to a networking event, you’re wearing your shiny shoes and you have a smart business card with all your contact details on. You have your website address clearly displayed for lo, I have built you the website of your dreams.

You make an excellent contact, someone with whom you could definitely do some business. They WILL look you up the next day. If your site is easy to navigate, with lots of professional yet friendly-sounding content, plus compelling calls to action PLUS a good photograph or two of you, tremendous things will happen. Your website has most likely consolidated the good, if not exceptional first impression that you made.

The message here is: you are a great business person who literally means, well…business. Job done in terms of a website.

And guess what, a well laid out site will make your prospect want to contact you.

No website? The following will most likely happen: Your name will be put into Google. You may come up somewhere, most likely as a LinkedIn contact. And yes, you will be judged for not having a website. Don’t believe me? Try it yourself when you next meet someone without a website at a business networking event. You feel a little bit disappointed, don’t you?

It’s a bit like turning up to a party without a bottle of wine.

Do you want to generate leads for your business via your website?

This is similar to the above point, but from a different angle. Your website should be the hardest-working tool in your marketing arsenal. Full of information about what you do and how you are solving your customers’ problems (you do know how to write about that, don’t you?), your prospects will be knocking at your proverbial door in no time (Ok, emailing you), seduced by your persuasive words and subtle calls to action.

Your crisp, focused, friendly and professional website has just generated a lead for you. And, this is business that you didn’t have to go out and get yourself, which is entirely gratifying.

Tell me about this when we meet, so that I can design something extremely well fit for purpose.

Being found by your target market

We need to talk about this next bit, too: So…you need an SEO-friendly WordPress website, with lots of perfectly-written, user-friendly content that gets shared. Also, some VERY good, sometimes tricky on-page search engine optimisation on each and every page, each for your key search terms. Oh yes, and that fiddly alt text over images.

Yes, you can learn to do this yourself, but I work with someone who can do this for you. You’re busy for goodness sake, let us take care of this on your behalf.

Taking it to a higher level, if you want consistent leads from your website you will need to exchange links and articles with like-minded businesses, even your competitors.

Do You Want to Generate Sales from Your Website?

If you sell products, a good quality e-commerce site in WP is de rigeur.

You will need a website that, at the risk of stating the obvious, makes it very easy to buy your products on-line. And yes, some websites (not mine, of course) operate a ridiculous Sales Prevention System where would-be customers simply give up in frustration and check out a competitor’s site instead. I’m sure you’ve had this experience yourself.

Excellent e-commerce sites are “clean”, simply laid out, with top-notch images, clear, in-depth product descriptions and VERY obvious “add to basket” functionality.

Again, let’s have a chat about this as I can most definitely help here.

Other Things to Consider

Your website will be open 24 hours a day and will expand the reach of your business on a worldwide scale.

You should refresh the content on a regular basis, adding blogs and new articles as often as you can. Remember, you have a ready-made market place just waiting to hear from you.

Offering an FAQs page, for example, puts you in a strong position as the provider of great information about your business.

So…if you’re thinking about a website, think carefully about why you think you need one and importantly, about what you want it to do for you. Whatever you need, I can help you achieve it so just give me a call and let’s get started.