If you are looking at getting a new website, or upgrading your current one, you are going to be bombarded with features and benefits. It can be hard to process all of these, to know exactly what you are getting. So let’s consider first what is the point of having a business website in the first place.
Now the first thing that a business website needs to be able to do is to get leads for your business. That’s what helps you to make money, and that’s what keeps you in business, and that’s why you’re paying somebody to build you a website. So beyond looking clean and smart, it doesn’t matter how fancy it looks, or what feature list it has. If its getting you plenty of leads it’s a good website. And if it’s not, then you need to fix it.
So to get leads, your website needs to first be able to get found by people online. This may be via Google maps, or regular search results, or by paid online ads of some sort. Next, your site needs to look professional, to instil confidence in your customers. It also needs to make clear that they have found what they are looking for.
Websites must also load fast. Otherwise, people will leave real quick. Think about yourself, if you click on a website and you get a blank screen for a few seconds. Do you wait around to see what happens; or do you click the back button, go back to Google, and try something else? I myself rarely wait.
Now, once they start reading, they have to quickly see how you can help them. You need to show that you’re someone they can trust. And they need to learn enough about your product or service to want to learn more. That needs good info, and testimonials. Once a reader is ready to talk to you, they will want to move forward. They might call or mail you, fill in a contact form, or sign up to a mailing list.
If they do none of the above, then once they leave, most will never return. If they can’t see clearly what their next steps are, they will go elsewhere. That’s why you need to make very sure you have very clear contact details. A contact page with simple methods for getting in touch. Not heaps of fields in a contact form.
You also need a call-to-action on every page. Calls-to-action are areas on a page with a bold contrast. This makes the whole section standout from the rest of the page. There will be some text here asking you to take some action, such as getting in touch or signing up to a mailing list. They are the online equivalent of asking for the sale. A website without calls to action, is like a salesperson in casual clothes. Customers may be ready to take the next step. But they don’t know who to tell.
So there are two main considerations with a website. Number one, how much you paying for it. And number two, how many leads it will get you. If it gets you few or even no leads, then your money is wasted.
So, again, there are two main components to a business website. One: a good website, that lets you easily get content in, and lets customers easily find and view or read that content; and Two: the actual content to fill the website, that will educate or entertain your customers, while building trust and moving them towards a sale.
To make sure you get a website that helps you to do all this, there are a number of things you should ask any prospective web designer.
- Will it be easy to use?
- Will it have calls to action?
- What sort of hosting will my website be on?
- Will the SEO system be easy to use?
- Will it be easy to log in?
- Will it be backed up?
- Will I have any instructions for my website?
- How do you provide support?
If you want to hear the details of these questions, and what the answers should be, please subscribe to our blog. Or subscribe to us on Youtube, then click the bell so you will see my next video in your feed.
I will be going into detail on each one, so you will know what to ask anyone who is pitching you a new website build.
