Since thousands of new start-up businesses are popping up every day, owning a professional website is no longer an option—it’s a must! Customers are becoming increasingly fussy because they have countless options as to where they shop and who they deal with. A business that presents itself unprofessionally online will not be taken seriously.
Ordering a professional website is not difficult. You can find a web design company offering quality websites that are very affordable online. Search for terms such as ‘Low-Cost Web Design,’ and you will be well on your way.
Whilst it can be easy for businesses to invest a small amount into a professionally set-up website, some make the mistake of attempting to build their own. I have yet to come across any business that I know that has built its own website (other than people already equipped with high levels of design and coding skills) and has managed to build a successful website for its own company.
Ordering a website is no different from hiring an electrician. You wouldn’t hire an electrician who isn’t certified, and you shouldn’t attempt web design unless you have the skills to do it properly.
Many ask how to market their businesses effectively online since this is essential for online success. The answer to this question is that there is no hard and fast answer. There are many components that businesses need to try and test to find the perfect blend of online marketing.
Key areas include your website design, content, how often you update your website, search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, re-target marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, online PR, blogging, video marketing, and much more. As you can see, there are many elements required for an effective online marketing strategy. This is why most businesses turn to Internet marketing agencies to manage their online marketing campaigns.
Keep It Simple Stupid (KISS)
Keeping your website design simple lets you present your business professionally online without incurring astronomical fees.
Uncomplicated website designs are much easier for web designers to produce, making it cheaper and easier for you to gain an online presence. Simple websites are easier for people and users to use and for search engines to understand. A bonus of KISS is that more simple website designs work well on modern devices such as mobile phones and tablets.
Most business owners make the mistake of trying to cram their website full of their services, images, information about the business, catchy phrases, testimonials, contact information, and everything else they can stuff in. As a first-time website owner, there is no doubt that you’re probably excited about the idea of getting a website, and you should be; however, always speak with your web designer for advice, as they should be able to point you in the right direction and explain that it would be far more professional to have dedicated pages for each section of your business.
It’s important to retain consistency throughout your website and focus on producing clean, quality pages. A two-column layout is typically the most popular layout. This is where the content takes up most of the page, and a sidebar is located on the right or left-hand side. A single-column layout can also look very smart.
Once your website’s structure is nicely laid out, you can decide whether to be contemporary or vibrant with your color palette. Using a simple design, you can use bright colors without jeopardizing the site’s quality. Too much color is often an issue for websites overloaded with information.
If you struggle to decide on a color scheme, you can always look at other successful websites. It’s also worth looking at your competitors since you will want to stand out from them while keeping within the boundaries prohibited by your industry associates.
If you can’t afford a web designer from day one, it may be worthwhile either bringing them in as a business partner or agreeing to a structured payment plan of 6-12 months’ spread payments.
Future Proof Design
All your outgoings must be spent wisely, especially in the early days. This is why you shouldn’t hesitate to invest that little bit extra for a quality website rather than scrimping on £100 in the early days only to find that you need to invest a further £ 1,000 on a new website later.
If you stick to producing a contemporary website design, you should weather all fashionable changes. Other factors that you could consider before you order a website are making it ‘responsive,’ so it works effectively on both mobile and tablet devices.
Summary
In the end, solid web design for a start-up is about three things: focus, talent, and planning. If you know what you want to focus on, have someone there who can make it look good, and then plan for the future, it is fairly straightforward to craft a solid, professional design that will be both memorable and lasting.
As you can see from the above points, to compete with all other competitors online, you do not need a super fancy and extremely expensive website with features that people have never seen. This is far from today’s conclusion.
What you should take out of today’s article is that all businesses have the opportunity to compete professionally online. You need to focus on what’s important about your website and what it’s supposed to do. Remember that your website is designed to entice customers and give them useful information that they can easily access; your website is also considered to build trust and confidence with your customers since businesses without a website must be doing something wrong; they are either not making enough money, or they are just a one-person band not looking for new business.
The most challenging aspect for small start-up businesses is providing the investment to get started. Businesses must find a way to finance their websites since they will be on the back foot without one.
