What is certain is that we all want to have more customers and, ultimately, better incomes. When we live in one part of the world, we are limited by geography and local sales. But if we have a website, our business can become international in the fabric of the World Wide Web. Note that I said it can be, not is.
Just because our business has a website is not a reason for our presence. According to the latest Google statics, fifty-five per cent of small businesses do not have websites, and only 12 % of remaining have actual online activity. In total, we can say that about eight per cent of the world's registered businesses have an active, and successful online presence.
If we want to have a successful and active business, we must do and implement the following items carefully and keep them up to date:
- A website without a real address and physical location and a responsive phone number will not bring credit to your business, so make sure you have a physical location along with a good website. Even if, it is your residential address.
- The website should be beautifully and professionally designed to attract the audience. Your Website’s visitors are coming from your target audience and buyer persona, So, you know better than anyone, which template or creative design is a match to your audiences.
- The performance of the website should be easy and smooth, and the visitor should feel comfortable in it and have easy access to all its parts, and this means a good user interface. Don’t forget that UI/UX both have a deep root in human’s psychology and HCI (Human-Centered-Interaction), and they are two highest in-demand jobs in the digital design industry.
- Website’s coding is the backbone and structure of your interface which is controlling the functionality of your website. So, spend enough time and research in Wireframing, Prototyping before launch.
- The website should be designed based on the basic principles of graphic design such as Contrast, Alignment, Repetition and Proximity, and the harmony of colours based on your targeted generations. If you are targeting the latest generations like millennials or Z, you must have great videos on your website.
- Your website is your international store which is the most important place that the customer enters, Focus on great Vitrine. So, all posts, photos, videos and other items should be designed based on respect to the customer.
- IMC or Integrated Marketing Communications is one of the most important goals of having a website for a business, so the website should support all marketing channels, otherwise, we will not be able to introduce our website to people anywhere in the world. There should always be a strong connection between the website and social media. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram should always be active, and the business blog should keep customers informed of new products or services at least every week.
- Three parts of the website are very important to attract more audiences and keeping Brand Consistency properly. Logo at the top of the page, Footer at the bottom of the page, and menus that leading User’s orientation.
Personally, I recommend learning the website process for two reasons if you own a business. The first reason is, you may be interested in this exciting journey yourself, it is an interesting combination of art - technology and psychology and you as a business owner are the only ones who can understand every part and nature of the business. The second reason is, if you hire a person or company to do this for you, you can have a better technical language and conversation with them.
We are living in the Online World, Let’s be online.
Thank You
Farid.G.Asad