There’s a great amount of interest among the Internet entrepreneurs about how to promote their business on the Web. There’s always a quest for new and innovative ways of promotion that promise greater results at lower cost and in shorter time. Yet with all the efforts spent on promotion it’s just amazing how many people totally ignore one basic question- is their website is worth of promoting it? With new computer technologies and high speed connections the new age on the Internet has arrived- the age that redefined the criteria of a successful web site, which satisfies demands of its visitors.
Content is king.
That was the mantra of all web masters for a long time. Just show your visitors some interesting stuff, give them a better deal – and your success is guaranteed. The truth is – it doesn’t work that way. The content alone cannot win you the hearts and minds of your potential customers. It’s just a part - thought a very important one- of building your image on the Internet. You can say whatever you want about yourself on your web site: that your company provides the best services, the best expertise, the best…. whatever. But people won’t buy it until you LOOK right to them. That is you look trustworthy and professional enough to believe you. And that’s the point where we come to the importance of keeping your web site up to your customers’ expectations.
Numbers don’t lie
Your web site might not have changed for several years. But the Internet has been changing. The latest surveys show that people's online expectations have skyrocketed over the last few years and they're quick to reject any web site that doesn't keep up. Besides easy navigation and use, people want and expect a site to load quickly and to be visually appealing. If a web site doesn't meet their expectations, two-thirds of respondents say they don't return — now or ever. They'll visit you and leave and you'll never know.
What it means? Having a bad web site means loosing customers- plain and simple. When people see your web site in bad shape they assume that you ever don’t care about your image or don’t have money and resources to maintain it.
What is a good web site?
A good web site should provide your visitors and potential clients with a unique experience and leave them with a lasting impression. In many ways people react to that the same way as meeting a person. Sometimes the first impression makes all the difference. Ask yourself- would you place an order via a web site that looks like its owners went out of business years ago? I guess you’ll think twice before doing that…
It takes a lot of things to make a web site effective but here are some basics:
First a good design. Nice clean layout, good graphics work, color coordination. Everything is supposed to be in place and, no less important, in balance. An excessive use of graphic elements, for example, can ruin your web site’s look, besides making it difficult to download and view.
Your web site should also be informative. But don’t think that more information is better. The word “informative” in that sense implies more “educational” than “descriptive”. Educate your website’s visitors about your company and its services. Make your content easy to read and understandable. Don’t overload your visitors with technical details or self advertising stuff or they won’t read it at all.
Another important thing is navigation. Make it easy to understand. Some people get too fancy with that, which makes even experienced web surfers wonder how to get around their web site. Keep it simple and the web site structure logical- so the visitors can easily go from A to B and access information they need.
There are a lot of other issues that you have to keep in mind, like personalization, browser compatibility, and of course search engine optimization – but we won’t cover them right now.
What you can do to make your web site better.
1. Give your website a critical eye. Encourage your visitors to send you their comments and suggestions (at least you’ll show that you care) Ask your friends and relatives if they like your web site. Compare it to the web sites of your competitors.
2. Analyze the results. See what most people do and don’t like about your web site. Think about how to enhance your strong points and to eliminate your deficiencies.
3. Find the solution. If you can improve your web site yourself- great! But don’t overestimate your abilities. If you want an attractive, well designed site that stands out go to professionals- the people with experience and special knowledge in this field. Let them do that work while you can concentrate on the most important thing –running your business.
4. If you decided to seek professional help, don’t hurry and use your God given gift of common sense. Shop around, but don’t necessary go for the lowest price. Price is a big factor, but not the only one. You don’t want to end up with a cheap web site that you’ll have to change again rather sooner than later. Before striking a deal, do your homework. Do your best to find out more about the web design company (or a designer) that you’ll work with. First of all visit their web site- if you’re not impressed, go away. If they can’t do it right for themselves- how they can do it right for you? Second, ask them to show their portfolio- see what they can do for their clients. Third, don’t be shy to ask for references. See if they work closely with clients and respond well to their requests.
And always remember- your website is the face of your company. Leaving it in bad shape can really damage your image and turn away many of perspective customers.
A web site for your small business. How to make it work?
Many small business owners are still confused about how to establish their presence on the Web. Truth is, unless you’re not directly involved in E-commerce, you should be concentrating less on selling and more on communicating with your potential customers- engaging them and making them interested in your company
Your business name should not be your website’s only keyword.
Why you should not count on your business name as the only keyword for search engines.
Social Media and Small Business. How to get them together.
There was a lot of hype lately about social media with heightened expectations and stories of great success. Naturally, it attracted attention of many small business owners who were quick to jump the bandwagon. However, many of them are feeling disappointed with the results. Is this because social media is just a waste of time or because they misjudged its meaning and potential?
