When you’re attempting to build up a new business from scratch, there are plenty of things to consider. You need to develop a business plan, arrange initial funding, source premises or equipment, employ staff and navigate your way through the many legal hoops that litter your path. This is all before you consider how to make a website with a good design to attract new customers to your new business.
Why digital marketing matters
You’ll already be certain that you have products or services that people will want to purchase, but now you need to connect with them. Back in the good old pre-digital era you’d have made sure that you had a business listing in the telephone directory and organised advertising space in printed media, such as magazines and newspapers.
Nowadays it’s considered essential to have a web presence, even if you feel that it’s not a route you particularly want to go down. We are living in a digital world where failure to have some sort of web presence can actually alienate prospective customers. Even if you’re just a one-man (or one-woman) band, offering a personalised service such as cleaning, gardening or odd-jobs, people expect to be able to see a web page at the bare minimum, detailing a little bit about yourself and the services that you offer.
There are numerous online resources that allow you to customise templates, all requiring varying levels of skill, but if you’re not particularly tech-savvy you’ll probably find it helpful to get some assistance from a professional. Don’t panic – it doesn’t necessarily follow that you have to throw money at the problem to get a beautiful, useful and fully functional website!
Good design doesn’t have to be expensive
This is where you can use the all-important search engines to your advantage and seek out professional web designers who understand the financial constraints on small businesses and new startups. You can find extremely affordable packages that will provide you with a basic site, including hosting and contact email addresses for a reasonable price. For example try searching Web Design Gloucester and you’ll find companies such as http://digi-tel.co.uk/gloucestershire-website-design/wordpress-web-design/ who understand all the tips and tricks for getting your website up and running and attracting high-quality leads.
If you’re determined to go it alone – or even if you just like to know a little bit about the nuts and bolts of web design – The Guardian’s Small Business Network offers some helpful advice about web design, making it a great starting point in your web design toolkit.
Another particularly good resource is Forbes. Read their article about common web design mistakes to find out some of the pitfalls that you need to avoid. For example, first-time designers tend to create a site that appeals to themselves on a personal level, even though it may not be appropriate for the target audience.
Why a cheap template website can cost more
Startup budgets are stretched, and some costs can sensibly be trimmed. Two-colour litho printing is far cheaper than four-colour, digital print runs can be cheaper still, and if you send few letters you can print stationery yourself as you need it.
A website is a different matter. Drag and drop template builders promise a smart site in a few hours, but prospective customers are unlikely to find it, and free versions are often cluttered with adverts. Paying to remove them pushes the budget up without doing anything for your search rankings.
If SEO, SMO and PPC are unfamiliar terms, professional help is often money well spent. A good digital marketing specialist researches the keywords that will raise your profile, aiming for the right visitors who go on to buy rather than simply high numbers. They also study your market and your competitors’ strategies, and keep up with the rules the search engines set.
Startup website mistakes worth avoiding
It is easy to assume that once a site is built, anyone in the business can fill in the content. But a website full of typing errors, or with only the most basic information, does little to build confidence. Professional content creation is often worth the investment, as the words on the site reflect directly on the business.
Get the priorities in the right order. First make the site accessible, with a domain name that is easy to remember, good visibility in search and reliable uptime. Next, make sure the information is relevant and current. A beautiful site with the wrong contact details is no use to anyone. Usability comes third, and all of these should come before spending money on flashy extras.
Above all, keep the customer in focus. A website exists to attract customers and make it easy for them to find and contact you. Selling directly may matter too, but the priority is giving people the information they need to make a decision.
