One of the most common mistakes made by small businesses is to create a poor online presence.
Is having a website regardless of its standard better than no website at all? If you can’t say it well, you’re better remaining silent, but a credible website presence, regardless of the business size or stature, can be a very valuable communication tool.
Content is king. A poor website, which doesn’t clearly communicate the proposition or isn’t synergistic with other important communication and marketing touch points can lead to a negative impact upon the brand and in some cases can stop a potential customer in their tracks.
The content of a website must be useful, informative but simplistic, add value and create a sense of what a brand represents. It is important to provide more than just sales information; for example the use of a blog allows a brand to start to create a level of knowledge and the beginnings of a brand experience.
The design, layout, imagery, use of branding and most importantly content must be designed with the consumer in mind, so ask yourself what information you would like to know when researching a brand or company and make sure you remove any barriers to website visitors in accessing that information.
An attractive, fit-for-purpose and memorable website can be achieved within a range of affordable budgets
To ensure visits are maintained and visitors hang around, the format should be interactive, memorable and attention grabbing. This can be done with moving images, video, interactive activities and discussion forums or by simply setting out a journey for the viewer to engage in so that they encounter your proposition in a positive way.
Traditionally, many small businesses are reluctant to spend what they feel to be high costs on websites but now, an attractive, fit-for-purpose and memorable website can be achieved within a range of affordable budgets, bringing great benefits to a business and providing a platform on which to grow and establish a higher value perception of what makes an individual organisation tick.
By embracing what’s unique about your business and showing that differentiation through your online presence, your business can achieve a higher level of value; whether that’s reflected in new business or a better understanding amount existing customers about what you do and what you’re about.
