Website Design that Builds Your "Know, Like & Trust" Factor
Does your website design help your prospects know, like and trust your business? How do you measure the effectiveness of your website? Traffic? Sales? Still, there are other things to watch for when you are your own webmaster. (If you have a webmaster on retainer, quiz him or her on key metrics Much goes into website design and optimization. Yes, much of it involves complex and numbing programming experience, but, there are checks and queries any layperson can pursue.
Purpose and Focus:
Don't waste ether space with a vanity website. Cover all that stuff on existing social media. A small business website design should inform, sell, and serve - in order to encourage your prospects to know, like, and trust you. Determine a focus and stick with it.
Design and Personality:
Once you have your focus, design a website that looks good. You'll want this first impression to be professional. Still, search engines do not recognize photos or animated elements - so they offer no benefit for SEO purposes. However, color, shape, and typeset can relay the business personality: strong, somber, utilitarian, formal, entertaining, etc. Make sure the website design elements match your other business visuals, such as logo, business cards, stationary, brochures, and presentation materials. Seek some input on these design issues.
Content and Function:
Include clear copy about what the business does and what sets it apart from the competition. Include a page describing the management team, business history, and job opportunities - if applicable. Write easy-to-read but comprehensive copy on products and services - a separate page for each product. Show readers how to purchase or order. And, put a live email and snail-mail address and a direct Skype able toll-free phone number on a Contact Us page. Good website design is as much about functionality as it is about form.
Functionality makes the website accessible, quick, and easy to find.
Pick a domain name that captures the business concept: lawnman.com, holidaylites.com, churchsecretary.com.
Test how quickly the site appears on a mobile device, such as a phone or blackberry.
Use Keywords to improve search optimization opportunities, but browsers will reject repeated keywords. First, verify the traffic your keywords generate at sites, such as wordtracker.com or adwords.google.com. Also, select keywords specific to each product.
Build Meta-tags into each page on the website. Seek advice on embedding these tags into the html address for each page. You can also add links to social media to encourage readers to "like" or "share" your info.
Be sure the deal you cut with your web designer includes repeated tests on speed, accessibility, optimization, and code validation. At the price you're paying, you have the right to assurances that your website design is working and effective.
by Steven Schlagel