As discussed in the last number of blogs, digital marketing techniques can prove to be cost effective, powerful tools in dealing with the digital consumers. However, these methods predominantly focus on using paid or earned media. The third and final element, the owned media of a business cannot be ignored. In a digital context, the most critical owned media element for an SME is the company website.
I cannot emphasize enough how important the company website is. It is a digital extension of the company so to speak. The design, form, functionality etc. of the website reflects the company brand, goals, desires. A poor website is inexcusable, even for small businesses as there are simply guidelines to follow to ensure the website works effectively. Furthermore, there is a plethora of excellent, free-to-use online website builders available.
I cannot emphasize enough how important the company website is. It is a digital extension of the company so to speak. The design, form, functionality etc. of the website reflects the company brand, goals, desires. A poor website is inexcusable, even for small businesses as there are simply guidelines to follow to ensure the website works effectively. Furthermore, there is a plethora of excellent, free-to-use online website builders available.
Key Elements of a Good Website
Before we begin with some guidelines to follow when building a website; any of you who are reading this blog with an existing website should consider if you are guilty of the following common mistakes, or simple lack of investment in website design.
These guidelines are not all simply direct opposite to the faults listed above. The key to a good website is investing in the extra touch of flourish that truly brings it up to a professional level. However, this investment is not necessarily money. It can be time and other resources.
If you already have a strong website in place, CIO.com has an excellent guide containing 13 tips that you can use to improve your website @ http://www.cio.com/article/734408/13_Simple_Tips_for_Improving_Your_Web_Design (CIO.com, 2013)
Webs.com, 2012. 6 Key Elements to a Good Website. [Online]
Available at: http://www.webs.com/blog/2012/02/28/6-key-elements-to-a-good-website/
[Accessed 14 January 2014].
- Out of Date content – Data on the landing page is clearly out of date and/or hasn’t been changed/updated recently.
- No imagery – A simply, yet surprisingly common faux pas.
- Boring, bland, colourless – Simply have paragraphs of text online for consumers to peruse won’t cut it if generating sales or simply marketing the company positively is the goal of the website. Crucially, going overboard with garish colour schemes is ill-advised.
- Cluttered, busy pages – A case where too much content is present. This overwhelms and confuses any visitors to the site. A can think of a particular airline guilty of such treason.
These guidelines are not all simply direct opposite to the faults listed above. The key to a good website is investing in the extra touch of flourish that truly brings it up to a professional level. However, this investment is not necessarily money. It can be time and other resources.
- Clear, professional layout and design – Significant thought should go into this element of the website build. This concerns colour schemes, page layout, effective implementation of company branding etc.
- Navigation – Realistically, how the website is to be navigated by the visitor should be considered in tandem with the overall layout as these two elements of the website should complement each other perfectly.
- Content – It MUST be relevant and updated regularly.
- Mobile – The website should either have a partner mobile app or at least be mobile optimized so it can be viewed easily on a device such as a smartphone or tablet. Some website building software automatically adjusts the web pages for you.
- Credibilty – This is achieved more effectively and easily if the design, content and navigation and professional. This all adds to the credibility of the site. Appropriate company branding is also a critical element of achieving this.
- Call to Action – The element of the website that urges the visitor to immediately interact with the webpage. Arguably not essential, depending on the business type, but important none-the-less. (Webs.com, 2012)
If you already have a strong website in place, CIO.com has an excellent guide containing 13 tips that you can use to improve your website @ http://www.cio.com/article/734408/13_Simple_Tips_for_Improving_Your_Web_Design (CIO.com, 2013)
Webs.com, 2012. 6 Key Elements to a Good Website. [Online]
Available at: http://www.webs.com/blog/2012/02/28/6-key-elements-to-a-good-website/
[Accessed 14 January 2014].