From small businesses to megacorporations, everybody needs a website. And whether you’re a mom-and-pop store, or a multinational, your website gets held to the same exacting standards.
But never fear! Even though revamping – or in some cases, launching – your new website can be a daunting enterprise, it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Here are some tips to get you started.
Know What You Want
What are your goals? Having a website “because everyone else has one” isn’t a good answer. Are you trying to attract visitors to a physical location? Keep track of your leads? Make purchases from an online storefront?
Make goals, stick to them, and pursue them. In any large project, something’s bound to get cut, so keep your goals in mind, and make sure you stay honed in on them.
Have Good Content Ready to Go
When someone comes to your website, don’t let them see “under construction” signs – they’re here now, make sure you’ve got something for them. Sales get started before customers ever interact with your staff, so make sure you’re ready to engage. Quality content can connect people to your products or services in ways that are difficult to do otherwise. Keep the tone light and conversational – this isn’t the time to pressure someone into a sale – let them discover why you’re great at their own pace.
Don’t Skimp on Hosting
Revamping your website is an opportunity to build something from the ground up – so don’t neglect the foundation. Is your hosting going to meet your needs? Will it grow with you? What constitutes “the best” hosting will always be subjective, but it’s hard to go wrong with popular choices among similar websites. If it meets your competitor’s needs, chances are it’ll meet yours too.
Focus on User Experience
You use websites all the time. Think about your experiences; what works for you? What’s frustrating? Can you find what you’re looking for? And when you get stuck, do you keep looking, or go somewhere else? Figure out your standards, and set them high.
Now take those standards, and apply them to your own website.
This is not the time to mince words or spare feelings; be brutal. From the perspective of a reader, client, or potential customer, do you meet their needs? Or is your website getting in the way?
It’s also a good idea to get a second set of eyes on this; even best-selling authors need good editors. The human mind has a tendency to miss details in our own creations; you’re not immune to this.
Ask a family member or friend to go through your website. Make it a scavenger hunt; can they find your contact information? Your hours of operation, directions, or useful information of other sorts? If they’re having trouble finding these things – more than one or two clicks per item – than you website’s probably not user-friendly; that’s going to need addressing.
Embrace Change
Revamping your website doesn’t need to be scary. With the right approach, you can craft a website that enriches your customer’s experience, and lifts your business to new heights.
About the Author
Morris Edwards is a content writer at CompanyRegistrationinSingapore.com.sg, he writes different topics like How to use your website to convert consulting leads into clients and Why is SEO Important? and all topics related to Singapore, Company Incorporation and Business registration in Singapore.
