It should come as no surprise that the days when having a business website was optional are long over. Now, your site is hands-down your number one tool for marketing, and it plays an integral part in defining your company brand, communicating information, and attracting returning customers. Even customers who are introduced to your business in person or in print are likely to go home and plug your business name into Google, so a great website is tantamount to success. For entrepreneurs and CEOs, it might be a struggle to remain on top of changes in technology, not to mention what's fresh and innovative in the world of Web Design. You might have a sleek, exciting business website now, but how long will it last?
1.What Does Your Site Say About You?
The optimal lifecycle for a website is three years. That doesn't mean it shouldn't be constantly changed and updated in that time. Think of your site as the virtual version of your store - it should reflect who you are as a company and what kind of customers you want to attract. Whether your customers are young or old, men or women, the working class or the social elite, everyone wants to be wowed by Web Design that looks professional and current. If your website looks the same as it did three years ago, it's guaranteed that people will notice. Giving the impression that your business is out-of-date can spell doom. Instead, your Web Development should allow smart graphics, interactive elements, and concise updates to come together in a way that sparks interest in anyone who clicks.
2. Investing in Online Marketing
The good news about marketing your business on the internet is that it's often cheap or even free to create a presence on social media. But strong Facebook and Twitter profiles don't mean much without a great website to link back to. The goal of social media should be to promote your website, not to carry the burden of your online presence. That's why the majority of your investment should be focused on Web Design. If you want it to work for you, you can't just put up your website and forget about it. Visitors to your site want to see it constantly evolve because technology is constantly evolving - sometimes much quicker than anyone can anticipate. The internet has made it easier than ever to get noticed, but it has also created a whole host of competitors, and if you're not staying on top of online trends, someone else will. Your site should be a tool to show customers that you're at the forefront of the changing online world, not somebody who is being left behind
3. Embracing Mobile Technology
So what's the wave of the future? Businesses are increasingly focused on Mobile Web Design, because mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular for accessing the internet. The number of mobile phones is expected to exceed the world population by 2014, and 30 percent of traffic on business websites comes from mobile technology. If your site doesn't offer a version that can be viewed on a phone or ipad, you are increasingly likely to lose return visitors. Remember, Mobile Web Design isn't about creating a second website, just about adapting your current site to a mobile-friendly version. That means elements like Adobe Flash Player, which was once the exciting new web technology but doesn't work on mobile devices, are becoming a thing of the past. When building your brand online, the importance of your company website cannot be overstated. For most of your customers, this will be their introduction to your business, and a good first impression can mean the difference between securing their business or being just another name that pops up in a Google search or Facebook feed. If your site has outlived its lifecycle, you are virtually guaranteed to be losing revenue every day, and you probably need to reassess your marketing priorities. Web Development is potentially the smartest investment you can make if you're serious about your business and its future. The internet has provided business owners with a wealth of marketing opportunities that never existed before. There's no reason not to take full advantage of them.
