No-Code Web Development: Harder than it sounds
Our first website development project brought us closer to CareerContact’s goal of being a low-cost digitalisation solution provider to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) but the journey wasn’t easy.
On the surface, creating a website may not seem like that big a task. We disagree. In this wrap-up article, we highlight some key areas that SME business owners in Singapore may struggle with, and how working with students and interns through CareerContact removes the hassle from this process.
The Challenge
Our client, a small audio electronics retailer, focused mainly on his brick-and-mortar store until recently. He came to see the value in creating a website for a few reasons:
- To display an eye-catching product catalogue to drive footfall to his audio electronics showroom. E-commerce wasn’t applicable in this instance due to the cost of the products.
- To showcase additional services, e.g. equipment repair, to capture a wider audience.
- To increase the legitimacy of their brand. He had just acquired exclusive distributor licenses for two renowned audio electronics lines.
However, he had not developed a website before and considers himself not particularly tech-savvy. CareerContact connected him with digitally-trained students to carry out the web development at a low cost.
No-Code = Problem Solved?
Given that coding is out of the equation, what is the value that CareerContact can bring to SME business owners, like the owner of this audio electronics store? Here’s where it’s useful to think about the numerous hats we wear through the website development process. And for traditional business owners who may not be the most tech-savvy, all these roles might seem overwhelming.
The No-Code Revolution
Bringing the end-user closer to their solutions is one of the main selling points of no-code. Keeping in mind that website development is only the first step and that maintaining the website was the larger challenge, we opted for a no-code website builder — so that we could hand the site over to the business owner after providing him with simple training. We used Wix due to its relatively low price point and its high customizability but there were still problems in store.
Getting Started
The following is a non-exhaustive list of things we took into consideration while redesigning the website and is a helpful starter kit to web development.
Information Architecture and Wireframing
Information Architecture forms the basis of initial wireframes for the design of a new website and starts with a few basic questions. What should the landing page look like? What is the key information that should be conveyed on the landing page itself? How can products be categorised into pages meaningfully? How much detail should go into each product gallery? These questions help us plan the website strategically before we even begin development, in order to create a positive user experience and minimise user friction.
Domains and Hosting
While no-code platforms like Wix may provide extensive domain options, they may not necessarily provide the one you want. So “How do I get a good domain?” is a fairly common question. To get a website that ends with .sg, we had to purchase the domain from another provider (GoDaddy), and then connect the domain to Wix. Outsourcing a project to a web developer minimises the headache that business owners go through. Web developers can also advise on the best choices for your domain name.
Graphic and Photo Assets
Everyone can acknowledge the importance of having a good logo, from the infamous golden arches to the universally recognised tick. Logos play a huge role in brand recognition, and while we may not be expert graphic designers, even simple logo designs can go a long way in communicating what your brand is, and complementing the website’s look and feel.
Copywriting
Similarly, we may not be expert copywriters, but as digital natives, we understand how to craft a story for your target audiences. Snazzy tagline? Check.
Customer Experience
Gone are the days where ‘customer experience’ is limited to greeting every visitor at the door with a smile. With a website, how do you make your customers feel welcome? We can recommend different integrations to make your website visitors’ experience fuss-free. Instead of calling to book an appointment, they could click on a Calendly link to book a slot instantly; fill in a short form to explain what’s wrong with their purchase; or tap on a phone number to automatically open Whatsapp. It’s the job of website developers to make the users’ lives easier.
SEO
Maybe you’ve published your website, got the Congratulations screen, but wait — you can’t find it on Google! That’s because you’re missing Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), which ensures your site is search-friendly. We all know how important SEO can be and relying on a web development expert takes away the hassle (and frustration) of experimenting with different strategies.
Training and Onboarding
Finally, good website developers make sure to teach you how to fish, knowing that you’d be in charge of maintaining the website. For instance, if you have to add new products. A big part of CareerContact’s work also comes from teaching our clients how to use the platforms we tailor-make for them: where to log in, how to access email, where to get the results from the site forms etc.
It’s important not to underestimate the breadth of tasks associated with the deceptively simple job of ‘create a website’. But not to worry — even if you’ve decided to press on and DIY a site, there are plenty of resources on the internet that could help: this article by Webflow is a good starting point.
CareerContact is committed to improving workflows and supporting SMEs at scale. Whether you are an educator or industry professional, feel free to reach out to us at CareerContact.cc or join us at CareerContact.app.
