Website Essentials for Your Business

As a business owner, having a website is the cornerstone of your online presence.  It is equivalent to meeting a client in person for the first time and making that lasting impression in the digital world.  Prospective clients or future employees will utilize online searches to learn more about you and your business.  What they see will either convince them to hire you or to move on to the next person.

It is essential to have a webpage that reflects your business and brand. You don’t want your website to look like it came from the 90s and is still being hosted by GeoCities (remember them?). You want a website that is sleek, stylish, modern, and stands out from others in your industry, a website that makes the casual browser take the time to explore and learn more about you.

Focusing on these five elements is crucial when creating your website: domain name, branding and content, homepage and navigation, visual design, and user interaction. 

Domain Name

Your domain name must be clear, simple, and reflective of your business.  Your domain name is usually your business name, but there will be cases where the domain has already been taken. You must be creative and maybe use the company’s tagline. But often, it will be your company name. One quick tip: if you have a long and complicated company name, consider shortening it for your domain name using acronyms. Make sure you invest in a domain name. Don’t just use companyname.wordpress.com or companyA.godaddy.com.  

Homepage and Navigation

“Information at a glance” must be your homepage’s motto.  Who you are, what you do, and your business needs to be captured on that page. Visitors to your website should not be digging around for information.  The same goes for navigation. Your website’s menu must be labeled clearly and direct the user to the necessary information.  Ease of use and accessibility are the key terms in building your homepage.

Branding and content

Everything about your website needs to tie into your business and brand—from the colors to the logo and content. If your company sells wine, you don’t want content about beers and breweries on your webpage unless it compares wine with beers. Like any aspect of your business, your website must stay on brand. When producing content for your website, know your audience. Who are you trying to reach? Tailor your content to inform as well as attract. 

Visual Design

When creating a website, looks are everything. You need to plan it out. You want your website to look current and polished, not dated, and require an update. The design ties together the elements of content, navigation, and branding. The way your website is designed will draw your audience in and encourage them to stay and explore.

User Interaction

Think of your website as your business representative in the digital world.  Just as you want a client or a customer to have a great experience with your business in person, you want to ensure they have the same experience on your website.  For example, if you’re selling a product, their website shopping experience should be as satisfying as being in your shop.  User interaction also includes how your website translates on different devices.  

Though building your website will add to your arsenal of skill sets and perhaps be the more cost-effective option, you might consider hiring a professional to do the job. Investing in having a professionally made website is one more thing you don’t have to worry about as a business owner.  At Cowe Communications, our team can assist with website design and development that will make your brand stand out.  Visit us at cowe.com to see how we can help you!