Having a business without a website is like having a shop without a window. A great web development agency can help you to showcase your brand and provide some incredible opportunities for converting leads – provided, of course, that it’s done right. There are some rookie errors that brands make when creating a website and, we’ll come to those in a little while but, first, let’s take a look at some of the golden rules for creating the perfect website for your brand:
Call off the search
Now, this one may sound like stating the bleeding obvious but, one of the first things you need to think about making it easy for your potential customers to find you. Finding the right domain name for your website is kind of like putting a billboard on the motorway and is a vital part of your website planning. The ideal domain name will include keyword(s) which tell people who you are and what you do. Your domain name should also be short and memorable without any hyphens or other punctuation, to make it easy for people to remember.
Phoning it in
Figures published for the first quarter of 2021 show that 54.8% of global website traffic is generated through mobile devices. For brands whose websites aren’t fully optimised for mobile, this means losing out on a sizeable chunk of change when it comes to visitors. In the digital age, internet users have incredibly short attention spans and, if a website has sticky navigation or slow loading for mobile, the user will soon be spinning away to your competitor. A reputable web development agency will be able to help you make sure that your shiny new website is on the hook for mobile optimisation.
A great site – by design
If you were arranging a shop window display, you wouldn’t just shove all of your products in there and hope for the best – and the same goes for your website. When a visitor reaches your home page you have just seconds to grab and keep their attention. This means that your website’s design should be clean and uncluttered and should clearly explain what your brand is all about. Finding the right balance of images and text is key here as your visitors don’t want to have to wade through reams of text when browsing your site.
…………And, Action!
So, you’ve bagged yourself some new website visitors – good for you! That’s not nearly enough though as your ultimate goal is to convert those visitors into customers. In order to do this, you need to make sure that every page of your website features a clear call to action which tells your visitor what you want them to do next. The best position for your CTA will very much depend on what else is going on within the page but, a good rule of thumb is to place this just below the header; with a secondary CTA further down. This secondary CTA should target those visitors who haven’t yet been convinced to make a purchase – for example, ‘Learn More’.
Content Is (Still) King
You may be tired of hearing it but, when it comes to great websites, content is very much here to stay. Specifically, in 2021, we’re talking about high value, long form, thought leadership, all singing and all dancing content. Part of converting your visitor into a customer is in persuading him or her that you know your stuff. Writing and publishing strong content which highlights – and solves – pain points is the most effective way of gaining interest for your brand.
It’s all in the details
Your website might be fully optimized and contain some killer images but, if it’s full of typos and inaccuracies, it’s likely to be seen as unprofessional and, even spammy. Attention to detail is everything when it comes to a professional website – which means checking each and every word (paying close attention to contact details and links) to make sure that your site is ready for its close-up.
The above are key pointers when it comes to creating a website that converts and, as promised, the following are a few common mistakes that brands make – and how to avoid them:
More is sometimes more
We’ve already mentioned the sin of having too much going on with the pages of your website but, the opposite also applies. While the minimalist look may seem trendy, if this kind of design isn’t implemented well, your website will just look unfinished. When it comes to your brand’s website, cryptic is most definitely not king!
Who are you talking to?
We all know that audience targeting and profiling is vital for success, and yet a lot of brands fail to replicate this on their websites. The content and the tone of voice of your website should match that of the customer profile that you worked so hard to create. While you’re at it, it’s really important to make sure that your branding is also consistent throughout your website as well as your overall digital presence, including social media.
Conclusion
Putting together a website is one of the most important tasks that a brand will ever undertake. Much more than just a showcase for your products or services, the website needs to be a reflection of who the brand is – and who it’s for. As such, it’s essential to keep the target customer front and center at every stage of the process in order to ensure consistency and create a platform that delivers the optimum user experience for your audience.
