A beginner’s guide to creating a business website for 2016
Whether you’re just starting a new business venture or planning on going online with your current one, here’s how to get started on the information superhighway.
Define your target audience
Your business model should dictate the type of people you are hoping to attract to your site, so don’t skimp on this stage of your research. According to an article in Time, a site has around 15 seconds in which to grab the visitor’s attention. If your site design is difficult to view, hard to navigate or generally unappealing your visitors simply won’t linger, so make sure your design and layout is attractive to the market you are aiming at
What is the purpose of your website?
Products for sale require some sort of ecommerce solution, with product displays, a shopping cart, delivery information and so on. But many small business websites are simply providing a little background information, perhaps offering a locally available service or promoting a local concern. In this case, Forbes suggests that you think of your website as an online version of a business card, offering visitors a chance to find out more about you and the services you offer.
DIY or professional designer?
DIY website builders online allow you to create your own site through the use of templates and ‘drag and drop’ technology. These offer a cheap solution, but are generally best viewed as a temporary solution, simply because it is so difficult to get them to appear on search engine rankings. They also tend to be littered with adverts which is annoying for visitors, unless you upgrade to a more expensive plan.
Try scouting around for professional web designers who offer a budget service for small businesses. Companies such as Northampton web design http://www.easiserv.com offer a bespoke service within reach of most businesses marketing budgets. Even if you’re not looking for web design in Northampton, a glance through their client sites gives you some idea of the sort of website you should be aiming for.
A good web design service will build you a basic site and can offer the chance to add features and additional pages as your business grows. Search engine optimisation ensures that visitors are attracted to your site helping your business to achieve its targets.
