When you start any business today it is essential that you consider an online presence so that you can be found. With 85% of searches for contact details being carried out on mobiles it is no wonder some businesses are just going to get left behind if they don’t keep up. But before we talk Desktop vs Mobile or Apps, where is best to start?
The first step is to think about what purpose your website will have. A good place to start is with how your clients or customers buy from you and how do you win new business . If you are selling an exclusive niche service or product that requires more paperwork or one to one sales meeting then you may just need a presence online that offers details of what you do and how to find you, but if you have a product or service that can be bought online then you will need to think about what kind of shop you build. There are many free tools and software available to help you create your profile and the good news is that it need not cost a small mortgage. But remember that like a property your website will need updates and maintaining so it it always good to squirrel away budget each year purely for your digital profile.
Today there are many open framework platforms like WordPress that allow you to get creative and build your own. But if you are looking for the next big thing or offer a service that needs customising then i would suggest seeking out one of the many professional freelancers or agencies in Nottingham. For me at NG10 I would humbly say that this blog is all I need right now, to share my wisdom and thoughts. Although I am still yet to publish the latter thankfully!
However if you are going to brave the challenge and get your IT skills to work then perhaps i can give you some things to consider before you start.
Begin planning what you want to include in your site and don’t be afraid to tell people who you are and why your business exists. Trust is one of the most important factors when building a site and you want your visitors to feel safe using the site for any reason.
Step 1 – Planning is key. Map out your content with the user in mind. Include text, images, video that tell your story and answers the questions they have. In some cases this is your silent sales person ( unless you add a live chat feed!), and you don’t want to bore them into bouncing out of your site. Don’t forget to consider the content like imagery. While you may not have a David Bailey eye for photography there are some great libraries where stock imagery is free or can be purchased. Always check the rights before you use an image. Take a look at other sites as well as your competitors and see how you can make your better for the target customer.
Step 2 – Functionality is so important when designing and building your website, especially if you are looking to brief a developer. Be clear about what you want the User to be able to do and what you want to have control of. Most free software comes with a CMS ( Content Management System) which allows you to edit your own content and add pages etc. Remember that bespoke builds while might give you the unique customer journey may hinder you later should things change. Another reason to have that website fund each year.
Step 3 – Management. So who is responsible for the updates and making sure the site works. As I mentioned earlier it is important to think about the website as another sales person in the business except their voice is now yours. Keeping the content up to date and relevant should be part of the business like cake every Friday. Your website plays an important role and is integral to your lead generation strategy as well as driving your brand awareness online. Updates can be sporadic or frequent it all comes down to what you have to say and who is listening.
Step 4 – Promotion. So you have built the site and populated it with all kinds of interesting and engaging details, but unfortunately there are another few steps you need to think about. First don’t forget to index your site on Google and other search engines. This is essential if you are to be found organically. Secondly think about both on and off line promotion of the site. Add the domain to your social media channels, to your signage on the front door and to all the free listings you can find!
Want to see one that I prepared earlier?
Check out this new site for PJS Consulting Engineers in Mansfield. The brief was to produce a corporate site that promoted their core services, showcased project work and would allow a news feature to keep their audience up to date with their progress. I helped to co-ordinate and deliver the project which involved working collaboratively with other freelancers in Nottingham. The design is One Studio, it was developed by Bexon Interactive and all managed by NG10 👏🤓
So, if you are looking to design and build a website but need some additional help mapping out the content, deciding what to use or even just want someone to simply manage the project for you then give me a call and lets talk digital!
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