It can be easy to build a personal Web page, just get a Web editor, go to a free Web host and start posting your words and photos. But business sites have other needs. In order to be successful, you should make sure that your business site has everything it needs to be successful and make money.
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Business websites may vary in importance, it really depends on the type of company. For instance, the company I currently work at (day job) lives and dies by our sales engine. It’s all about sales people. The web site gets a tiny fraction of the deals the company brings in.
Of course I’m in charge of the web development department so it’s part of my job to increase that, but it’s not easy task for a company like this.
That being said, we’re starting a major redesign project with the focus on increasing conversions.
We’re placing high importance on the following:
1. Nice, clear calls to action — removing clutter and placing easy to find “Request a Consultation” or “Sign Up Now” buttons.
2. Information architecture. We have a lots of content, but it’s hard to navigate. We’re reorganizing it and trying to make it easy for users to scan the website and find what they need.
3. Stickiness. Users rarely buy or signup on their first visit. We’re looking into what we can do to make the site “sticky”. Keep them coming back and eventually signing up.
4. Transparency. It’s important nowadays to make people comfortable by giving them a sense of transparency, so you’re not some big, faceless corporation.
5. All the other stuff: professionalism, live organic feel (instead of static), easy to find contact info, etc.
During the website development process there are a TON of things to consider, but I like to focus on the following underlying themes:
1) Visitors should know what your site/company is about or does within the first 3 seconds of the page fully loading.
2) Visitors should be able to find the information they are looking for within 3 mouse clicks from the main page, whether it’s a particular product, or your contact info.
3) There should be enough original, quality content on a site, that if compiled in to an word processing document, it should take up at least 3 pages (12pt, arial). Which leads in to…
4) Spread the information throughout the site in a way that makes visitors want to view at least 3 pages (helps reduce bounce rate and increase conversions).
I guess you could refer to it as my four rules of 3.
Businesses looking to go online can so easily be swamped by the huge array of choice for tools and systems to establish an internet presence.
I see two kinds of business websites – passive and active.
The idea of using a website is for sales and marketing purposes, and for businesses expanding into the online arena, this will simply be an extension of their offline sales.
Passive websites would be your simple ‘About Us’, ‘Services we Offer’ ‘Contact Us’ site – simply so you can put a URL on a business card and allow for an easy follow up on leads.
Active websites are those which harness the power of the internet to drive NEW leads to their business via search engine marketing, affiliate marketing, blogging etc.
Passive business sites don’t work, and here’s why. If you start up a conversation offline, you have one invaluable asset: presence. Online, your prospect could easily be swamped amongst hundreds of competitors from all around the world, even if you direct them to your website.
A website should never be used as a follow up tool in this manner since you forfeit the presence you have offline. Business websites should, to be most effective, be an active driver of new business.
I agree with you. Its extremely important to have a right web solution for your business.
First of all, every business is unique and needs solution what fits perfectly on their specific needs. There is not just one solution what fits for everyone.
The priority for me is to make a clear design so everyone can navigate trough the website and find the information they are looking for with no fuzz. Just keep it simple rather than try to make up something too complicated.
Business website is also a tool to sell. Don’t ever let that split out of your mind. When you are creating a commercial web design, you should be thinking it as an advertisement.