5 Tips To Build An Effective Website For Your Business | With more than 3 billion people online, businesses of all kinds know that having a website is a must. But the field of dreams logic of “build it and they will come” doesn’t quite apply. If you want to build a website to knock your competition out of the park, here are 5 things to consider while planning your site map:
1. Game of Phones
It is increasingly important to have a website that is mobile-friendly. Having a mobile-optimized website ensures that your web page will reformat itself based on the device (cell phone, tablet or other handheld methods). An optimized mobile site includes larger navigation buttons and reformatting of the content to fit the screen.
Think of all the times you have surfed the web while waiting at the airport, traveling on a commuter train, scrolling in bed or anywhere! By having a mobile-friendly website, you are increasing your audience tenfold because your website is accessible at all times.
If that’s not enough, In April 2015, Google publicly announced that it will display mobile-friendly sites higher in search rankings over regular websites.
2. Up Close & Personal
What sets your company apart from the competition- your people! Human beings are social creatures by nature. It has been proven time and time again that adding personal bios, showing your personality and letting your team’s character shine through online resonates with your audience much more than an impersonal, content-driven site.
Whatever your industry, tell your story online. Remember, people do business with people. Adding a personal touch lends to a more authentic and genuine experience felt by your audience.
3. Need for Speed
Poor website loading speed can be extremely harmful to businesses. Most consumers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less. That isn’t much time to keep someone’s attention. It is likely the person will close the browser and move on to your competition. Having a slow website also reflects poorly on your business brand. One website creation company found, “that 88 percent of Americans surveyed said they have a negative association with brands that have buggy websites and apps. Further, 28 percent of respondents said they will go to a competitor’s website if the first website they visit takes too long to load”.
To make sure your website runs as quickly and smoothly as possible, ensure to keep your software up to date, optimize videos and images to allow for quicker downloads, and ensure your website host can handle bandwidth demands.
4. Content ‘Tidying Up’
As Marie Kondo would say, ‘does this content spark joy’? Even though this Japanese philosophy applies to tidying up your physical space, we suggest decluttering your online space as well! Remember that people are visiting your site because you can address their need or ‘pain point’. They don’t want to read a novel on your business when looking for specific information. De-clutter your website by keeping the text succinct and engaging. The trick is to find a balance of limiting text but also providing enough information to the reader. Keeping your content fresh and up to date will not only boost your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) rating, but it will keep your customers coming back again and again. In your content, it is important to tell potential customers your solutions vs broadly saying “we can help”.
5. Lights, Camera, Call To Action
It is crucial to add clearly defined “Calls To Actions” throughout your website. A Call to Action (CTA) is a button added to a webpage designed to guide the user to the next step. An example of a CTA could be;
- GET STARTED
- CLICK HERE
- LEARN MORE
- FREE DOWNLOAD
CTAs are a great way to measure the amount of engagement on your website, and can also be used as a tool to grow your email list. For example, “Enter your email for free download of our marketing audit self-checklist”!
As you can see, there are many factors to consider when building a website that will actually convert visitors into clients! These 5 tips are a great starting point for your next website, but if you want MORE, call the TSquared Marketing team to build the website of your dreams.
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