*This is a collaborative post*
Whether a fresh start or a full re brand, getting the full benefit of online presence relies on many factors to consider.
To help get the most out of this endeavour, business owners turn to digital agencies to provide a full service in successfully navigating the internet. However if you choose to build your own using the many free platforms available online, there are things to consider which would usually be included with an agency.
Understandable Content
You will no doubt be one of the most knowledgeable experts on your sector of business. However, your clients and customers will not be.
This is why it is important to adopt a language and terminology that they can understand. It is not necessarily easy to reduce your knowledge and expertise to communicate in layman’s terms to a client, so you may find yourself writing the content for the website a few times over and getting feedback from numerous sources before you publish to the web.
You may also find yourself having to edit after publishing which can be a headache, so it’s worth understanding that your intended customers can understand easily why you are an essential business for their needs.
Search and Research
Without expert guidance you are going to have a lot of trial and error in finding the right components to make your website run safe and successfully.
Securing your domain is just a fraction of establishing your identity online (and registering multiple domains such as .co.uk and .net is recommended to avoid brand confusion) as well as finding your own web host providing service.
It is important not to go for the cheapest option and to really research the benefits of each provider so as you get the best security, speed and response to problems with your website.
It can be a game of swap and change if you are not happy and be a costly endeavour over time in changing providers, so it is worth paying for a reputable web host that can act fast to any problems you will be presented with.
Being Content With Your Content
The internet is littered with websites that ‘Will Do’, so it’s important that you spend a little extra time ensuring that it looks, runs and feels like something that perfectly represents your core values and business practice.
Avoid using stock photos which is always apparent to a customer searching online. If you have nothing to hide, then take some fresh pictures of your business and staff to showcase your business identity and give a more trusted vibe for your intended client base.
It is always worth getting second opinions on your website and its content before publishing so that it is clear, concise and worthy of your reputation as a serious business owner. Don’t let all that work come unstuck by wrong formatting or the dreaded published spelling error.
Going to Market
Promoting and advertising your website can be like a full time job in itself as the world online is just as important as the physical world.
You need to promote a website to bring the required amount of traffic and that means marketing both online and off. Your URL needs to be present on all marketing materials be it business cards, flyers, banners and especially on business pages for social media such as Facebook and LinkedIn.
A digital agency can handle all of these areas as well as Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) to help you bring traffic to your website by heightening presence on online search engines.
Stockport web design companies have been experts in helping business owners in not just responsive web design but also supplying an all in one service from conception to delivery to maintaining your website.
For the time and money you save from not taking missteps on your path to trading online, it is worth paying for the security a web development firm gives, but whatever path you take it requires guidance and security in your development.