“I’m creative I can build a website”.
Entrepreneurs are great at developing innovative business ideas, being the drivers behind great companies and changing the way we use products and services. Being creative is normally a given with entrepreneurs, however unfortunately there is a lot more going on than being a creative mind when it comes to good web design.
Developing a professional business website involves so much more from developing a site plan for the architecture of the site, considering your users and ensuring the best possible user experience, the experience to know how to design to your target market, knowing how to present a lot of information in an easy and natural work flow and much more. As web design companies, we have been developing and learning for many years and our experiences and skill set are what make the difference when building a website. You might be creative and have an idea of what you like but by using a professional website company you are using their sound skillset and experience of your market and trends to ensure the best possible result.
Not knowing why you are building a website.
It’s not enough to just decide you will build a website just because everyone else has one or people have been telling you you need one to succeed online. You need clear objectives for the site, a site can do many things and your web developers need to understand what those objectives are in order to deliver the best possible result.
Perhaps you are sick of answering the same questions over the phone all the time and need an online format where people can learn about your products or services in a informative format reducing your admin time, perhaps you need your website to act as a lead generation tool or perhaps is purely a brand awareness tool. By knowing the goals you are trying to reach by developing your website you can team up with your web developers to ensure the best outcome.
Drifting too far from conventions.
It’s true, people like tradition, simplicity and to feel comfortable. By trying to change the mould too much with your website design you may find you lose customers who are comfortable with a more traditional form of navigating through a website. Sure, let your web designer get creative but keep within conventions, make sure your visitors aren't trying to figure out how to use your website when they arrive.
Recognise when you are not a writer.
One of the most important factors on your site is the content. Now there are two ways this can go terribly wrong on a site. Firstly, writing one sentence on your home page saying ‘Hi I’m Bob, I’m a builder call me now”. This tells your visitor absolutely nothing. What sort of builder are you? Industrial, Commercial, Residential? What sort of project size are you experienced with. The flip side of that is writing so much content that people jump off your site because it's just too text heavy. Content is your friend, it helps with your online ranking and it can be a powerful selling tool on your website when done correctly. With this in mind getting content right is key but we are not all copywriters so recognise where you strengths are, if they are not in writing enlist the professional services of a copywriter to ensure your messaging is correct and effective.
Whether you are looking to develop a new website or feel your current website is not working for you, get in touch today for a free consultation to find out how we can help
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