Dec
12
Written by:
Administrator Account
12/12/2011 11:02 AM
Most business owners would agree that a web site is an essential marketing tool for their business. Yes, most people will assume that all businesses will have a web site, but beyond basic information, what makes a good and useful web site for a small business?
Like a business card, your web site represents your first impression (at least for your online visitors). So the design needs to be professional and pleasing to your audience. I highly recommend using a professional when designing a web site. Like business cards, there are templates you can use but in a lot of cases, you have the same issue – it looks like a template web site that was done without care and cost. Some templates can be customized affordably and will work well for a lot of businesses. This is where finding a good web design and programming vendor comes into play. Depending on the clients needs, we offer both fully custom sites and customized template sites.
Content is very important. What will your visitors expect to find on your web site. Is it hours of operation? An inquiry form? Direct email addresses to employees? Product and service information? Job or order status? There are a lot of features to consider. My best suggestion for web newbies is to look at your competitors web sites and see what features you like and think would be beneficial to your clients.
Finally, consider how your web site can work for you. Are there any things that eat up valuable time that could be offered online? If taking orders is a pretty straight forward process, can it be done with an online form? If finding your location is difficult and you spend time and money giving directions, maybe a link to Mapquest or offering GPS coordinates would help. Do you mail out information packages that could be developed as web site downloads? Consideration of these things can really help your bottom line and give you a measurable ROI for your web site.
If you are unhappy (or even indifferent) with how your web site performs for your business, consider consulting with a web expert. The available options for web sites are almost limitless these days and you could be missing a great opportunity to save or even make money. Budget Business Marketing can offer web services from consulting to customized web template sites, to custom sites and web apps.
Copyright ©2011 CD Meyer, Inc.