If you’re starting a business from home, it’s very likely that you’re going to be doing most of your work through the online world. As a start, you’ve probably created all of your online contact details, decided on your marketing approach and opened your social media accounts. But it’s not enough to give it a token effort, especially where the web page is concerned. Don't try to DIY it without the right skills, a site that doesn't sell you, your services and your products in the best way will let you down massively. Hiring a good website designer will ensure that the following mistakes (which are common with amateur sites) are avoided. And from there, an experienced marketing agency like iTonic can promote your site ensuring it performs well in search engines.
It’s Not Focused on the User
The website might be your home, but it’s the user who matters most. A lot of people starting a business forget that. They front-load a page with a lot of unnecessary information about themselves and every detail of the business. The site should be stripped down, the navigation made simple and the focus all put on delivering value to the visitor. One way to make sure you do that is through conversion rate optimisation. Look at the data to see the pages and even the individual parts of pages that gauge most interest. Are they doing something right that could be replicated throughout the site? Or do they provide an opportunity to add a call-to-action that can close a deal and convert them into customers?
It's Not Built For Purpose
You have to make sure that the website can meet all the demands of the business, as well. For instance, every website needs to fit on mobile devices now. There’s no excuse to not push the boat out a little for responsive design. But the specific kind of business you’re running matters, as well. If you’re running an ecommerce business, then you need an online platform like a Magento agency to create a site that is purpose built for selling online. If you’re running a service based business, then a blog should probably be front-and-centre so you’re constantly displaying the expertise people need to see.
It’s Old News
You can’t just leave the site alone once it’s done and dusted, either. Not only should you keep optimising it but you should keep adding new content to it, as well. For one, the right content for your site makes your site gain visibility by adding solutions to questions that people will search for look for. But perhaps even more important it shows that the site is alive. It shows that someone is there operating the business. Without keeping the site updated and upgrading the branding from time to time, the site looks like a ghost town. To really make it look more active, you might want to consider adding a social media widget that displays all the latest posts from and to your online accounts as well. People are a lot more likely to be interested a business that is showing plenty of social proof of their success.
If you’re starting an online business, then website development needs to be a constant thing. Not just to keep content updated, but to keep the business up-to-date with the trends and the data on user experiences on the site. Keep optimising the site and you keep optimising the results.
