What Does Your Business Website Need?
A quick guide on the must-haves of your business website
In a tech-driven era like ours, a business website is a necessity, not a choice. Potential clients like to look up any company online before they make their next move, and a well-designed, user-friendly, and up-to-date website will leave a great first impression. That very same impression becomes so important when you know there’s tons of competition out there.
There’s a lot to keep in mind when you’re designing your website- what the overall architecture of the site should be, what the primary demographic likes, which details are essential, what features matter most, etc. This article covers the basics of any business website, and to establish the fact that building a website is a daunting but rewarding task. Here’s a look at our top priorities for any business website-
I. Simplicity
People like well-designed websites, but ‘well-designed’ is not synonymous with ‘complicated’. Your user will always prefer a simple, user-friendly website over a myriad of confusing designs and clashing text fonts. A balance between an aesthetically pleasing site and a highly functional one is key. You should strive to keep the website clean, simple, and as accurate as possible. Make sure there are no hefty chunks of text anywhere and use a good balance of images and text at all times.
A bonus of simplicity is speed. When you’re not busy trying to cram every feature and design element you can into your site, you’re giving speed a priority. Studies have shown that users favour speed greatly, and are less likely to revisit a site that is slow.
II. Getting Personal
People like seeing real faces when they’re researching a business. They enjoy the personal stories, the tastefully placed images of actual employees, and the customer testimonials. It is refreshing to be reminded of the fact that there are real people behind all of the technology. So don’t be afraid to get personal in your about page. If your company has a blog that is dedicated to team stories and pictures of various events, make sure to provide a link for the same and make sure to avoid cheap stock pictures at all costs. You should consider having a photoshoot at the office and use those images instead.
III. Work to Do Before the Pros Get Here
Hiring or employing professional coders and copywriters to get the job done is a smart move. However, no matter how brilliant a professional might be, they will never know your business as well as you do. It is important that you plan the basic structure of your website and write the initial bit of text yourself before handing it over to the pros. This includes defining the order of your web pages, the information within your site, and the basic layout you envision.
You will likely end up revising your layout and content several times, but the final product should be exactly what your customers want and need. They’re the ones that will use the website, so by researching your key demographic, you can understand the kind of information they require, the types of website layouts they prefer, and how best to structure your own to ensure a smooth experience. You may certainly use other sites as a reference, but NEVER copy someone else’s work.
IV. Mobile Site
A large portion of the population uses their mobile phones for everything, from listening to music to controlling the lights in their homes. And we’ve all had that experience where we open a website on our mobile phones but it doesn’t look great or perform nearly as well as it does on a desktop. To reach this audience without compromising the quality of their experience, your website should be responsive across a multitude of devices. Make it easy to navigate and use, and keep it uncluttered. Ensure that your contact details are easy to spot as well. Ideally, you would place all the necessary information inside the header of your website and maintain its visibility across all pages, be it on the mobile or desktop site.
V. Quick Tips
Here are some additional miscellaneous (but essential) tips for your business site:
- Communicate your goals and your services as quickly and concisely as you can. People have short attention spans, so make sure to craft your content accordingly.
- Don’t shy away from using Call-to-Action (CTA) or pop-ups. That being said, use them strategically and judiciously. You don’t want to annoy or spam your users.
- Invest in your own domain name when you have the resources to do so. This will make your site memorable and convey a sense of professionalism to your clients.
- Exploit your SEO potential to the fullest. Make sure to update your keywords frequently and maintain your website on the daily.
- Keep the growth of your company in mind while designing your site. Ensure that the layout and the overall architecture is scalable.
It is crucial to understand that your website is prone to changes and variations. There is a cycle of maintenance and learning all along the business website journey. You might think you’ve come up with the best site you can ever possibly have, but in a year’s time, there will be new things to add and new trends to follow and that’s a good thing. Remaining stagnant is never an option in an ever-evolving world. So, embrace the differences as they come and go forth and build your website!
Thank You for Reading!
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Inheaden is a young IT and software startup based in Darmstadt, Germany. As an “Idea and Tech Factory”, we have set out to be a driving force of innovation, digitization, and automation with a focus on the areas of services, products, and research. Under the Inheaden brand, we work on individual “high performance” software solutions that bring a change. Modern designs, innovative technology approaches, and IT security for our partners and customers are important components of our work profile.
