Calgary Web Design Network Forum

Most people today are regular online users and believe they can tell the difference between a good or bad website within seconds of looking at it. Although in certain cases this can be true there are many factors to consider when evaluating the components of a successful site. A good website will possess many, if not all, of the following traits…

Search Engine Friendly: The main purpose of a website is to bring visitors to your site, preferably those with an interest in your product or service. Without visibility in search engines your website may look great but do little else to help promote your business. It is critical customers are able to find you in sites like Google or Yahoo using keywords or phrases relating to your business. If you are unfamiliar with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) find a company who can help, the investment can be well worth it.

Quick Load Times & Minimal Distractions: There is nothing more frustrating than going to a website and waiting long periods of time to access its content. Whether it’s due to slow loading images or annoying popup ads these kind of annoyances can drive customers away in a hurry. Making sure visitors can use your website quickly and easily should always be a top priority. Avoid things such as excessive flash animations, large video clips, or music tracks without an off switch.

Clear Message or Purpose: What does your website do? Why is it actually there? If you sell vacuum cleaners how you present your site should make this fact clear instantly. This is done not only by your choice of text or wording but also your logo, images, slogan, and even colour scheme. It is possible for a website to look great visually but not properly convey the message you are trying to send to consumers. People’s attention span’s are short and not getting to the point quickly is an incentive for your users to look elsewhere.

Strong Call To Action: Once people have found your website and want to do business with you tell them what their next step should be with a strong “call to action”. Should they give you a call to schedule a meeting or appointment? Can they purchase your products or services online….how so? Don’t ever assume your customer knows what to do next, tell them how you want them to react to your website to prompt a quicker more impulsive response.

Easy To Use & Navigate: Making your website easy to use is crucial in visitors staying at your website once they find it. Key or important information should be easy to access within a couple of clicks and arranged in a way that is simple and logical to your user. Your customer shouldn’t have to “figure out” how to use your website, it is your job to make navigation easy. Also be sure to develop your website in a manner that keeps all demographics in mind, whether it be seniors, children or even those with disabilities.

Professional Design & Quality First Impression: The professionalism of your website is a key factor in establishing your company’s credibility and heavily influences a person’s decision to do business with your over a competitor . Although it may be tempting to cut costs by having a friend make your website or using a template you will get out or your website what you put into it. Your website is often your first point of contact with potential customers and must introduce your company in a way that inspires trust and confidence. A poor looking website may generate a lot of traffic but fail you in terms of creating business leads or increased sales.

Strong & Relevant Content: It’s often said in the web design industry that “content is king”. Although it is great to have all the other bells and whistles that come with a quality website what you actually say is as important as anything. Remember websites are primarily a READING tool so make sure your text is informative and has depth. If you were to try and make a book out of the written portion of your website alone how well would it hold up based on its own merits?

The Return Factor: Once you get someone to visit your website, what is their incentive to return in the future or come back regularly? Websites that garner a lot of traffic do so not only by reaching a large amount of new users but maintaining a healthy number or existing ones. Common examples to include could be a latest news and headlines section, free articles or resources, a community blog or anything keeps web surfers coming back.

Goal Orientated: In order to judge or measure the success of your website it is important to set goals or benchmarks. Everyone wants their website to bring in more business….but how often or how much? A large part of your website success is determined before it is ever designed or put together. Make sure you decide in advance what you want your website to accomplish in terms of results to understand if your site is performing up to the expectations you want or need.

Building a website can often be an expensive task for many small business owners, especially when you factor in costs for advertising and promotion. Fortunately there are several simple and inexpensive ways to get your website noticed without breaking the bank in the process. These methods require a time investment only and can make a big difference in the number of hits your website receives. In no particular order they are…

Link Exchanges: Link exchanges are a very important part of website promotion as they boost traffic to your site and play a major factor in your search engine ranking. Try to approach as many companies as possible about featuring your link on their web page in exchange for the same favor. Remember websites with similar or complimentary content to your type of business carry much more weight in search engines than simply random links.

Include Your Website URL on Everything: By everything we mean EVERYTHING. Make sure your website address is always included on every e-mail you send, any advertising you send out or even on your vehicle. Be a walking billboard and get into the habit of letting as many people know you exist as possible. This may sound excessive but you’ll be surprised by how many customers learn of your business this way who would have no idea otherwise.

Submit to Online Business Directories: Did you know there are countless online business directories who will let you list your website for free and provide a backlink to your website? Places like the online Yellow Pages or Yahoo Classifieds allow you to submit your website and general business profile upon registration. Better or more prominent listings in directories need to be purchased but this is a good way to test the waters and see which one might be a good fit later.

Post on Blogs or Forums: Blogs or message boards generate loads of traffic as they are used daily by hundreds, or even thousands, of regular members. Join a forum or two that relates to your particular type of business or subject matter and participate in some of the discussions that interest you. This is not only a great way to learn but also to demonstrate your knowledge with others who in turn may visit your website and inquire more about your services.

Network With People: Quite simply meet as many new people as possible and let them know what you do. Word of mouth is one of the most avoided but most critical ways to advertise your website. Go to parties, social events, or even volunteer your time to a worthy cause or function. There are even many small business meetup groups in your area looking for new members to join and discuss business ideas and strategy. Get yourself out there and meet the public.

E-Mail Campaign: The great things about e-mails is that they cost nothing and you can send as many as you like. Though some are weary of e-mail advertising due to the high volume of spam and junk mail nowadays if done right it can be just as effective as a mailout or newspaper ad. Make sure any e-mails you send are written professionally and also consider hiring a designer for help with the design or template.

Write Articles: Writing articles for online publications, e-zines, or forums is a great way to get free publicity for your business and also establish credibility as an “expert in your field”. There are also countless websites online designed exclusively for the purpose of publishing articles as a means of sharing information on a variety of topics. If you are blessed with decent writing abilities be sure to make the most of them in regards to your website.

Add a Bookmark Function: Encourage people to remember your site once they find it by adding a bookmark function. It is relatively easy to incorporate a button or link on your website that allows visitors to add you to their favorites list. You want people to keep you in mind both short term and long term so being added permanently to their address book will accomplish exactly that. Talk you your web master or developer about adding this feature if you believe it might be helpful.

Exceptional Customer Service: There is NO substitute for this. The best way to promote your business online or elsewhere is to provide customers with a memorable experience when they do business with you. Good service and a quality product will sell itself and is still one of the best ways to get referrals and get people talking. Always remember advertising itself is useless without a quality product and good people to sell it.