Marketing, Websites

I’ve been speaking to a client recently who I think was daunted by their current website, with the knowledge that they knew they had to update it/upgrade it, yet didn’t have any idea where to start. Does this sound familiar?  It can become a little overwhelming.

Never fear, help is at hand.  When it comes to understanding and knowing what information a basic website requires I have the answer.  It’s like a book, you need a Start, a Middle and an End.   Leave the design to the professionals, just concentrate on the content – which is your business.

So let’s start with Your Story…

Always start with a Home page, which can be, if you like, treated as landing page.  This is where your potential customer normally arrives, so make the most of it.   Think then what you want them to do once they arrive there? Do you want them to Call You?  Email You? Search the rest of your site?  Make it easy for them to get to the information they want.

So, after you’ve thought about the Home page, move on to basic products and services.  What products do you offer and what services do you give?  If initially you’re not looking to sell online, then a good image of your products with brief descriptions should suffice (don’t fall into the trap of writing chapter and verse, this is a real turn off on the web).  Short, punchy information is key. I also recommend professional photographs, on the basis that the potential client would like to see what he is getting – make the quality count!  Forget quantity.

So, now lets have a showcase of your good work with maybe a few testimonials from clients, and if you have a number of good images then maybe have some links to a gallery. You can use this to its  real advantage with great images.

And finally, the client needs to know where you are and how to get hold of you.  A good contact us page with postcodes.

Perfect.  Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.  No so daunting now!  Just a good story.

PS:  Now then, Your Story Part II is having a good map of how to find you (ie in Google), to get to read your story in the first place…