Website do’s & dont’s
The majority of businesses have a website nowadays, and we are accustomed to searching online for all sorts of goods and services. It seems that everyone is an expert on the internet, which has caused a number of misconceptions to rear their heads. Here are some of the most common ones:
Anyone Can Build a Website
Thanks to a rise in ‘drag and drop’ website building programs, it’s true that anyone can have a go at building a website. But it’s important to remember that simply building a website is no guarantee that anyone will ever find it, let alone stumble across it accidentally.
Website designers have spent years honing their craft, learning what works, what doesn’t, and what to avoid at all costs. Technology is advancing all the time, and websites are subject to fashions and trends, so a good web designer will be up to speed with the latest developments. You may have the basic ability to put together an online brochure, but do you understand responsive design? Can you future-proof your self-build site? Do you have SEO skills? If the answer to any of these questions is ‘No’ then you need to call in the experts.
Build it and They Will Come
There are thousands of websites covering every type of business, so it’s a challenge to make sure that your site attracts high numbers of visitors. Simply putting a website online is only the first step – someone needs to perform SEO magic to persuade search engines to place your site high up in the rankings. A snappy domain name and relevant keywords are only part of this process. Search engines like to see regularly updated content in the form of blogs, new photos and descriptions, which can all lead to higher placings.
The Web Design Team is Always Available
Creating your new company website is probably one of the biggest things on your ‘to-do’ list, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s the primary focus of your web design team too. Of course they will be working to create the best possible site for you, but they also have other clients to attend to. Some web designers work into the evenings and even at weekends too, but don’t assume that they are sitting at the end of the phone ready to take your call at any time of the day or night.
Content Isn’t Important as Long as the Website Looks Good
A great design can capture the visitor’s imagination, but rest assured that a lack of great content will have them clicking away to a competitor’s site within a few seconds. Great web design and superb images should draw the visitor in, but they need to be backed up with high quality content that answers any questions they might have. In the online world, content is king and can make all the difference between an ‘ok’ website and a great one.