Developing your business website without any plan will be lost in the deep cloud. More and more businesses are shifting online, whether it be to have an online store or simply a web presence. But when your business is so ingrained in offline activity, it can be difficult to know where to start. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources available to help businesses of all sizes get started online. In this article, we’ll offer some tips for developing a website when you have no clue what you are doing.
Don’t fear though, help is out there, and building a website for your business could be easier than you think, especially for those who really are technophobes. So, without further ado, here are our tips to get you started developing your business website.
Research The Competition
If you have no idea how your business site should look or feel, do your research. No matter how you decide to get your website built, whether it be DIY or using a designer or agency, you’re going to need to know what you want it to be like. Look at your industry’s leading websites and see what they are doing well. Are their graphics eye-catching and easy to navigate? Do their landing pages hook you in and compel you to learn more? All of this information will help you develop a site that stands out from the competition.
Have a look at competitors’ websites and see what they do and how they operate. Start with an online portfolio. Once you have a good idea of what you want your website to look like, it’s time to start building it. One of the best ways to get started is by creating an online portfolio. If you’re not sure who your competitors would be, Google is a key term for your business. So, for example, if you own a shoe shop in Chicago, Google “shoe shop Chicago”. This will bring up the most favored sites on the search engine, and then it’s a case of getting a look and feel for them. A good place to start is by just jotting a few things about them down. This could include:
● Pages they have
● Simplicity of the website
● Key features on product pages
● Tone of voice
● Product categories
And anything else that you believe will be relevant to your brand.
Put Yourself In The Shoes Of The User
You might not know how to build a website, but you’ll certainly know how to use one. So think about what you would be looking for in a website of your niche and allow that to guide you. For example, if you own a clothing store, you’ll want a website that’s easy to navigate and has a user-friendly design. The same goes for any other type of business.
Consider the information you’d expect to read on each page and how you’d typically navigate through a website and feedback your thoughts to your website designer or note them down if you’re doing a DIY job. It’s one of the most important things you can do as, ultimately, they’re going to be using your website. If you can get the user journey right, then you’ve cracked it. Then it’s just making it all look pretty.
If you can get the user journey right, then you’ve cracked it. Then it’s just making it all look pretty.
Use A Website Template/Builder
If you don’t have a skill set when it comes to tech, there are step-by-step ways to help you out. A number of brands offer a website building service that will allow you to select pre-made templates and have you design a website in minutes. There are also website builders that allow you to design your site from scratch. Whichever route you decide to go down, make sure you choose a reputable website builder that has a good reputation and has been in the business for a while. This way, you can be sure that your site will be up and running in no time.
The likes of Duda are perfect for this, offering templates to suit all tastes and all purposes while giving you the ease of drag and drop to design a website exactly how you want it. If you want to take your website design further, there are a number of specialist agencies that offer a range of services, from creating a website from scratch to building a site in a specific format, to designing a logo and branding. If you’re not sure where to start, your best bet is to speak to a web designer or agency that can help you create a website that represents your business and stands out from the crowd.
What’s more, you’ll find many brands will also do the hosting and development of your site, meaning that even if you’re the most computer illiterate person around, you shouldn’t have too much trouble.
Keep Your Site Up-To-Date
It’s no secret that website users are impatient. So if you’re not updating your site on a regular basis, you’re going to lose users and, as a result, potential sales. Make sure you have a content calendar and adhere to it religiously. Content is king, and the more regularly you publish new and relevant content, the more likely your website is to keep users coming back. Plus, if you keep your site looking good and easy to use, users are more likely to stick around.
Make sure you have a clear hierarchy and design for your pages and think about how you can make your site more user-friendly.
SEO-Friendly Website
The website must be SEO-Friendly in order to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), this is especially important for small businesses, as they often have less budget to work with. There are a number of things you can do to make your website more search engine friendly, including creating high-quality content, building a strong brand, and optimizing your website for the keywords that are most relevant to your business.
There are a number of ways to make your website SEO-friendly. One option is to use a search engine optimization (SEO) company to help you with the process. SEO companies will help you optimize your website for the major search engines, such as Google and Yahoo, as well as other search engines that are relevant to your industry. There are many companies to choose from, but you’ll want to make sure you choose a reputable one. Another option is to use SEO plugins for your website. These plugins allow you to easily optimize your website for search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO plugins are available for most popular web browsers, so you can easily optimize your website without having to learn any coding. Regardless of the approach you take, make sure you keep your website updated and designed in a way that is attractive and user-friendly. A well-designed and updated website will help you to attract more visitors and increase your chances of success.
Digital Marketing
In this digital era, if you intended to sustain your business in the market to reach your target market you must have a strong digital marketing strategy in place. A digital marketing strategy is a plan that outlines how you will reach your target market through the use of digital channels, such as online advertising, search engine optimization (SEO), social media, email marketing, and content marketing. Digital marketing is the process of creating, managing, and executing a marketing program that uses digital technologies. Digital marketing has revolutionized the way companies market their products and services.
Digital Marketing is a continuous process that starts with understanding your customer and their needs. After understanding your customer, you must create a plan that will allow you to reach them in the most effective way possible. Your digital marketing plan should include a combination of paid and unpaid channels, along with a solid engagement strategy. Paid channels, such as online advertising, can be effective when targeted and measured correctly. Unpaid channels, such as word-of-mouth marketing, can be more effective when they are used in conjunction with paid channels. Engagement strategies are important because they ensure that your customers are truly receiving the message you are trying to send.
Summary
If you’re starting a business, but don’t know where to start developing your business website, these tips can help. Beginning with researching your industry’s leading websites, and then putting yourself in the user’s shoes, you can create a site that is easy to navigate and looks professional. If you’re not tech-savvy, use a website builder or template to get started quickly. The text discusses the importance of having a digital marketing strategy and how it can help to reach your target market. It goes on to discuss different channels that can be used in this strategy, such as online advertising, SEO, social media, email marketing, and content marketing. The text also discusses the importance of engagement strategies and how they ensure that your customers are actually receiving the message you are trying to send.
I’m a tech enthusiast, entrepreneur, digital marketer and professional blogger equipped with skills in Digital Marketing, SEO, SEM, SMM, and lead generation. My objective is to simplify technology for you through detailed guides and reviews. I discovered WordPress while setting up my first business site and instantly became enamored. When not crafting websites, making content, or helping clients enhance their online ventures, I usually take care of my health and spend time with family, and explore the world. Connect with me on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin or read my complete biography.