Your website works very much like a classy outfit or a beautiful smile. It’s the digital equivalent of a first impression, letting complete strangers know what you have to offer in a mere few seconds. When you flub this simple step? You put your business at risk of falling into obscurity and being passed over for your competitors. This is often the area many entrepreneurs and managers find themselves struggling in. They ask, “How does my site rank for keywords?”, then shrug when asked if they’ve hired SEO help. They go, “Should I learn how to make my website mobile friendly?”, then aren’t sure where to begin with website development.
Give yourself a little grace and ask some help from the professionals. They have you covered on everything from keywords to mobile optimization to a layout that endlessly pleases.
A website that covers the basics in every area stands a much better chance than a website that’s particularly strong in one aspect and fails in every other one. This is because, no matter what you’re selling, you are offering your customers an entire experience. Why would anyone want to settle for a website that can’t even figure out where to put its contact information? As stated before…first impressions go a long way.
Let’s start off with web design. This often stands out the most, initially, despite being one part of a larger package. Is your layout simple, bright and easy-to-navigate? How about placing the buttons side-by-side where they can be easily accessed? Responsive web design should provide the most optimal viewing experience so customers can worry less about getting what they need and instead become excited at what you have to offer. Forgo garish colors and annoying pop-ups and go for simple website development instead.
Now let’s get into mobile optimization. More and more browsing is being done on-the-go, with many customers loving the freedom they have in being able to buy on the fly. Studies have shown over 34 million iPads have been sold across the United States since 2010. Global mobile traffic also accounts for 10% of all Internet traffic. Last, but not least, a Pew Internet study sees nearly 60% of its respondents actively looking for services or products through their tablet or phone. Don’t miss out on a big part of your customer base. Optimize for mobile and watch your figures grow.
Perhaps you’ve heard of the power keywords and search engines can have on your brand. But how, exactly, does all of that work? SEO is short for ‘search engine optimization’ and does the keen work of gearing customers’ search results to businesses that can properly meet their needs. Likewise, businesses can have a much easier time reaching out to their client base by focusing on keywords that better express what they have to offer. Simply put? Everybody wins. Website development isn’t just making a shiny page — it’s about helping people get there.
Before we get into why you should contact a professional for your website development needs, let’s dig even further into the power of SEO. Tablet owners are by far the most active local searchers. As many as 65% say they browse nearby services and products on a weekly basis! Another 60% say they generally find local search results to be either more relevant or more trustworthy. SEO can be geared toward local or nationwide, depending on what you need, keeping your business as flexible as needed.
Your website needs to make customers feel like they just used their time productively. When you have obnoxious animated pop-ups interfering with their browsing experience or hard-to-find contact information, you’re driving away people that very likely won’t return. An SEO service can help you pop up more frequently in search results, a website development team can get you crafting a smart layout and, lastly, your local SEO guide can keep you relevant in your area.
Let your first impression be one that leaves a strong impact this year.