Have you wanted to get a custom website for your business but thought it is too expensive?
While this is an understandable concern it should not stop you from getting the website that your business deserves. In this day and age having a website for your business is a necessity and could lead to literally thousands of potential customers to help grow your business. So, if you have a budget that you wish to stay within, here are a few must-haves that will help make the most of your website:
Have a Captivating Home Page
First impressions are everything! Once a visitor lands on your page for the first time they are taking in non-verbal cues from your layout, such as appearance and branding. If they are not drawn in within a few seconds they can, and often will, move on to another website. Studies have actually shown that visual appeal can be assessed within 50 msec! Now that is a very short amount of time for someone to decide if they like your site or not. So, make sure that you clearly convey your brand, look, and feel of your business on your home page.
Have a User-Freindly Design
Your website should be easy to navigate and neatly organized. I’m sure you have visited websites in the past searching for something just to find that it was hard to navigate and difficult to find items. Trust me, you don’t want that situation to happen while visitors are on your website. So, make sure you have a simple navigation menu with easy-to-understand menu items. These menu items are key in what draws visitors deeper into your website to learn more about what your business does. Also, make it easy for visitors to find a way to contact you for more information.
Fill Up the About Page
Many websites under estimate the importance of the “About Us” page and tell visitors little, or somtimes nothing, about what the business is all about. Your “About” page is your place to brag about and really sell your business to potential customers. Make sure to explain your products and services in a captivating manner but keep it concise. You should also explain who you are, showcase your credentials, and have people trust you.
Include a Call to Action
Do you want people to visit your website and do absolutely nothing? I’m guessing probably not! So, an easy fix is to consider a call to action for whatever it is that you want visitors to do. For example, if you want them to buy your products, have a clear call to action prompting them to “Buy Now.” If you want them to contact you, have a clear call to action on how they should contact you. This is a simple technique to bring your website success without going over budget.
Make it Easy for Customers to Contact You
Don’t make just one, tiny, “Contact Us” link on one page of your website. Finding it would be like looking for a needle in a haystack and your visitors would leave your site before contacting you. You should make it readily accessible from every page in your website, as well as a full contact page. Think of your website as the digital version of your actual business. If a customer walks into your business there is someone right there ready to help at any moment. So, your website needs to have the same “customer service” where it is always in front of your visitors face, ready to help!
Bottom Line
There are many ways to get into the high cost of getting a custom website made for your business and it’s easy to get carried away. If your funds are limited, just think about your priorities and decide what you website really needs instead of all that you want. You can always go back to your web designer as funds become available and add-on more cosmetic features and other capabilities. Just don’t let cost stand in the way of you and potential customers.
