There used to be a time when a website was just a pretty add-on to a business plan. But with more than 2 billion people worldwide online, a brand website is now a key component of a marketing campaign.
Why does your brand need a website?
In today’s digital age, it’s practically a given that brands and companies need websites. A website has gone from nice-to-have to an absolute must-have, and for good reasons.
Think of your website as a full-time online marketing manager. From contact information to product catalogues to queries, a great website has everything your brand is about. And if you showcase your information properly, you can take advantage of a massive online audience.
However, having a website does not automatically guarantee success. If you do it wrong, it might actually work against you.
How do you make your website really work for you? Here are some tips to keep in mind when building your website:
Prioritize your business goals.
In building a website, it’s so easy to get lost in designs, plugins and scripts. Let your business goals be the center of your website design. A successful website should help your brand attract site traffic and visits, convert potential customers into valuable leads and measure results.
Carefully consider your approach.
Building a website just for the sake of having one can be a waste of resources. Ensure that your website has the necessary components for online marketing, then consider how you will approach each component.
Some questions to guide you:
- How do you effectively present your unique selling proposition to potential customers online?
- How will you create and manage your content?
- How do you optimize your content using SEO?
- What will you use to provide customer interaction and support community building?
Be a continuous source of information.
Launching a website and forgetting about it is definitely not the way to go. To make a website keep working for your business, you need to keep working on it too. Content is considered the heart and soul of websites. It’s what people look for—what they read, watch, share and keep coming back for online.
Make regular content publishing part of your strategy. Also, consider how your online audience interacts with content. What search engines do they use? Which social media platforms are they on? What other ways can they subscribe to your content?
Adapt to change.
Even as you read this article, breakthroughs and developments are being made. When you’re developing a website, don’t limit yourself to technology that can’t or won’t change. Search for and choose solutions that continuously improve the technical fundamentals of your website. This way, your website can enjoy a longer life and you’ll avoid costly and tedious transitions.
Address your customer’s needs and preferences.
An online brochure will not always win you customers. Think of what your customers need and develop your website to address those needs. For example, aside from a product catalogue, a media center with instructional videos on how to use it can provide added value to your customers. You also need to consider your audience’s online behaviour.
A great website isn’t just about being present, nor is it just about aesthetics and technology. A highly-functional and well-designed website backed with marketing goals and customer insight is a very powerful tool that can ensure the success of your business online.
If you would like to explore having your own website or making your present one more effective, we might be able to help you. Send us a message!