Business owners are usually thrilled to see new web design layouts. They love watching the various ideas and concepts they’ve given us come to life. Once they see a design that inspires them, it’s easy to imagine their Internet marketing campaigns taking off and bringing sales and revenue to a whole new level.
One thing we are trying to caution clients about, though, is the fact that a website isn’t finished when the initial designs look good. As a matter of fact, there are five finishing touches that can make or break your site – both in terms of the way it looks and the results it will generate in the future. Overlook them, and you’ll find it’s difficult to turn your website into an effective tool for finding customers, regardless of how nice your web layout is.
What are these five finishing touches that have us concerned?
Here they are, in no particular order…
#1 Your Website Content
A website that looks great but has terrible writing will handicap the business that owns it. Without great content, you can’t pull in buyers from Google and the other search engines, show them why your business is different from all the others that can be found online or turn them into real leads. Potential customers are always going to notice your designs first, but don’t trick yourself into thinking the words you fill them with don’t matter.
#2 Website Business Level Hosting Plans
The majority of all small business owners out there don’t give much thought to web hosting packages. However, premium web hosting means your website loads faster and is available at all times of the day, week, and year. Also, good web hosting gives you automatic backups, protection from hackers, and access to SSL security certificates, which can boost your search visibility in 2017 and beyond.
#3 Website Staff Bios
It may surprise you to know that staff bios are amongst the most frequently-visited pages on a small business website. That’s just natural human curiosity at work. We all want to know a little bit more about the people we interact with on a regular basis. If yours can show customers that you and your team have the right skills and background, and aren’t afraid to show off a bit of your personality, your bios can serve as an effective sales tool.
#4 Custom Website Photographs and Images
Although lots of business owners would consider images and graphics to be part of their website layouts, they deserve a bit of special mention. For one thing, it’s important that you use high-quality images that show off your office, team, and products in the best possible light. At the same time, you want to use custom (or customized) images when you can so you don’t have to worry about your competitors using the same visuals as your company.
#5 Your Website Contact Details
It’s always worth one more look to ensure your phone number, email address, and physical location is correct on your new website. It’s even more important to keep your contact information up-to-date. These are small details, but when ignored, they can cause big problems for your Internet marketing efforts.
It’s easy to get excited when you get the first glimpse of your brand-new website. Remember, though, that what you’re seeing is something like an unfinished building. Rush through the process of completing your website, and you’ll cut corners that will come back to haunt you later.
To make the most of your website, pay close attention to the details as you finish your pages. The little things make a bigger difference than you might imagine.
Or Contact WebWize At 713-416-7111
Before making a final decision on a Web Design Company, spend a few minutes on the phone with us.
About Glenn Brooks
Glenn Brooks is the founder of WebWize, Inc. WebWize has provided web design, development, hosting, SEO and email services since 1994. Glenn graduated from SWTSU with a degree in Commercial Art and worked in the advertising, marketing, and printing industries for 18 years before starting WebWize.