More often than not, in this digital day and age, when looking to find a product or a service, almost everyone will take to the internet. Gone are the days of looking in a telephone directory or in the newspaper to find local companies, now typing a few words into a search engine will bring up thousands of results in just a few seconds.
That’s why, if you’re running a business, you almost need to have an online presence. Whilst you may use social media channels, which are incredibly beneficial and should be a part of your marketing strategy, if you don’t have a website then you will be hindering yourself and the success of your business.
But some businesses shy away from creating a website simply because they’re unsure where to start. Thankfully, there are many experienced web developers and companies who can assist you. Most of the time, you can rely on them to handle every aspect of web design for you.
However, for it to be really beneficial to your business, your website has to make a good impression. How do you know if it’s working? Here are a few important questions to answer before you start creating a website.
1. What should my website say about my company?
Whenever you’re designing a website, make sure you’re thinking very carefully about what you want your website to say about your company. Remember, this new website will be the first interaction that a large part of your audience has with your business, so you want to get the tone exactly right.
In other words, you have to know what you want your website to tell its visitors about you and how you want your business to come across. Your website needs to represent your business in the best possible light. It may be beneficial to think back to things like your mission statement and your core values at this time.
2. Which URL will be best for my business website?
The URL is the address of a web page and is a popular way for someone to navigate to your website – www.mybusiness.com, for example. But what makes a good URL?
You want something short, relevant and memorable. Something that’s easy to pronounce and spell. Make sure to think about something that really fits your business, but many times the most obvious option tends to be the best, so don’t overthink this too much.
When you’re figuring out the URL, you’ll also have to choose the domain name extension – are you a .com, a .co.uk, a .biz, a .co, and so on. While other extensions are gaining in popularity or may be linked to a particular country, .com is the most popular option around the world because it’s originally an abbreviation for commercial, as in commercial website: the most common category for websites in the early days of the internet.
3. How will customers contact me via my new website?
Ideally, all business websites should have ‘Calls to Action’ or CTAs. These are buttons, functions, or information that allows and encourages customers to interact with your business through website in some way. Once common CTAs is a button inviting visitors to sign up for a newsletter.
Arguably, one of the most important CTAs to have is a ‘contact us’, ‘call our team’ or ‘email us’ button. These are all ways that your visitors can easily contact your business – hopefully, you can convert these contacts from leads into customers.
Take a moment to think about how you’d like people to contact your business, as well as the most convenient method for you and your potential customers. A new business email is often one of the things that goes along with a new website for exactly this reason.
4. How much should I spend on getting a website designed?
The cost of getting a website designed is always something that will be on any business owner’s mind and you should think realistically about how much you’re able to spend on getting your website made. Having a budget in mind will help you to narrow down the design agencies that you have to choose from. Remember that whilst design costs vary dramatically, the most expensive isn’t always the best and there are many affordable options like ours available.
5. Which agency is best to use when designing a website?
Last, but by no means least, you should take some time to think about who you’re going to choose to design your website for you. The company that you choose plays a vital role in the success of your new site – which is going to make an impression on your business too. Definitely take some time to research your options.
It is almost impossible to overstate the importance of having a good design when you’re creating a website.
But the design isn’t just the way the website looks. Of course, it needs to be pleasing to the eye, but it also needs to be easy to use and well functioning, so it’s best to choose an experienced company that knows what they’re doing.
Designing a website for your business
Even if you’re completely new to website design and you have never had your own website before, thinking about the questions above should make it easier when it comes to getting your business online. They’re all important decisions that you should spend some time thinking about before you ever start physically designing your website.
If you’re searching for a team of professionals who can help you build your website and get your online presence off on the right foot, you might want to consider our services.
At UENI, we pride ourselves on helping local business owners get discovered online and we will gladly work with you to create a multi-page, mobile-friendly website that you’re proud of.
If you have any questions or wish to speak to us about designing a website in more detail, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’d love to help you out.
