The way I see it is, actually once you’ve identified the need for a website for your business, then you will invest in one way or another. Deciding to create a website yourself, means you’ll invest a lot more time, whilst hiring the job out, will of course require you to invest money. The decision between these two might depend on where you are at with your business; the very beginning stages, a few years in or fully established and up and running. It might also depend on how much time you actually have, or don’t have to invest in creating a website and keeping it up to date.
DIY or invest in an expert?
Creating your own website and doing it well is no mean feat. There is so much involved in creating a website and then even more ins and outs to creating a website that actually works to keep traffic on your site, convert your website visitors into customers and helps to grow your business. My question to anyone running their own business and thinking of setting up their own website is this: Do you know how to design an effective website that actually works for your business?
Unless you have a lot of time to invest in learning this skill, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to create a website that has the impact it really needs to have. Website design is an incredibly complex field that consists of so many moving parts and important skills and components. Plus, I’d question whether your time is better spent focused on your own skill and bringing customers to your business. Perhaps consider leaving it to an expert.
First Impressions Matter
Your website is often the first point of contact a potential customer has with your brand. Did you know that when a visitor lands on your website it takes just 2.6 seconds to form an impression on them as to whether they will stay and take further action or leave because there was nothing to keep them there. A well-designed website can make a positive first impression visually and also strategically by ensuring your visitors are kept engaged and taken on a journey through your site guiding them towards your goals. If you don’t very quickly tell your website visitors exactly what you do and who you do it for and how to find the thing they are looking for then they will get distracted and leave. This takes us on to our next point…
User Experience
A well-designed website makes it easy for visitors to navigate and find what they are looking for. It’s important to map out possible visitors’ journeys to your site and think about all the reasons why they might visit your site. It’s so important to make it really obvious how to do these things, because again, if it isn’t, they’ll quickly leave. Designing a website strategically and with user experience in mind can make all the difference and can increase engagement, reduce bounce rates, and ultimately lead to more conversions.
Branding
Your website should reflect your brand and its values. A professionally designed website can help you establish a strong brand identity and increase brand awareness. This goes well beyond just the visuals of your brand. And while the look and feel of your site should reflect your brand and be consistent with everywhere else you show up, the way you communicate with your website visitors is also important in reflecting your brand. The words you use on your website are just as important as the design itself. In fact, a website simply doesn’t work without website copy. In website design it’s a fine balance as design dictates website copy, but also website copy dictates the design so I go through a process to evolve the two of these together. Website copy is so often overlooked by so many business owners, but it’s a fundamental part of creating a website that’s successful in communicating your brand values and converting website visitors into paying customers.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
A well-designed website can improve your search engine rankings, making it easier for potential customers to find you online. Websites should be designed with SEO in mind. That means considering what keywords and search terms the website should be found for and also the functionality of the site. Things like load speed, amount of copy, back links to trusted sites and many other factors all feed into how a website is ranked on Google. It’s important to consider SEO in the planning stages of your site rather than just after it’s been launched.
Competitive Advantage
The internet is overflowing with websites. And of course, anyone can build a website with so many amazing and sophisticated tools out there. The issue with using a templated website builder though is that it hasn’t been designed for your business and its needs. In a crowded online marketplace, a well-designed website can help you stand out from the competition and attract more customers. Creative additions to your website can help keep your website visitors engaged and could be the difference between the picking you or your competition. Make sure your website is customised in some way and make it memorable so it sticks in the minds of your website visitors rather than fading into the background in the sea of other websites out there.
Investing in website design is a smart move for your business if you consider the difference between having a good website or a great website that works hard for your business. If your website isn’t doing at least some of the work as a marketing machine for your business, then it;s worth considering what it’s lacking. Getting the right website designer involved can make all the difference and can pay dividends in terms of increased traffic, engagement, and conversions.
If your website is sitting gathering dust and doesn’t appear to be doing its job, it might be time for a website review. Find out more about how I can help you get on top of the reasons your website isn’t performing as well as it should be.
