You want your business to reach new heights with a website that can really stand out from your competition. The good news is, you don’t have to make it yourself. A professional web developer, like Your Page Today, can customize your site to give you everything you want and even things you never considered before!
Before you meet with a web developer, ask yourself these very important questions first:
- What are my goals for a website?
Knowing your end game is crucial to mapping out your site. Do you want to sell items and receive payments online? You’ll likely need a PayPal option and coding for ordering products that may come in different sizes, colors or other distinguishing factors. Once you know what you really want to do with your website, a savvy web developer can point you in the right direction! When opening an online store; understanding whether or not your website will require and SSL certificate is extremely important.
- Do you want to use your site as an advertising tool only?
If you want to advertise your products and services, your website can serve as more of a calling card or advertisement for your business. So the priority needs to be reaching your ideal target audience. Consider affiliate advertising, or reciprocal links, where you post a link to a similar, or complimentary, business that appeals to the audience you want to find you. For example, if you sell personalized pet products, you might post an ad for a local animal shelter on your site. People who search for the animal shelter will then see an ad for your business, and they will be the potential customers most likely to buy your products.
Getting the word out about your company isn’t always easy with so many businesses on the Internet, all vying for attention. So be sure to choose a web developer, with SEO (Search Engine Optimization) capability. Your web page content, as well as your blogs, can be created to not only inform readers, but to help you rank higher on search engines like Google, increasing your chances of being found.
- Do you want to have more interaction with your customers?
You could set up a forum where your customers can talk about subjects relating to your business. Or you could offer product reviews. For example, if you’re an independent bookstore, you could have discussions about a “book of the month.” You could blog about recent titles, and invite recommendations from customers. It works with all kinds of other businesses as well. Let’s say you have a home remodeling company. You could offer a blog featuring DIY tips, then provide a forum for homeowners to discuss what they’ve tried—what worked and what didn’t. It’s a great way to continue a conversation with customers and create new ones as well!
- Do you want to test your success?
A skilled web developer can give you the tools you need to monitor your website. Want to know how often a particular page is being visited? Want to know how long readers stayed on a page? You can get a clear analysis of what parts of your website are most popular, which is invaluable information. You may want your initial site set up, giving you the capability to go in and view how it’s going. So consider a web developer who can provide different packages depending on your needs.
Your Page Today is a full-service web development company serving central Massachusetts—Worcester MA, Barre, MA; Holden, MA; Auburn, MA; and Oxford, MA. Contact us today to get started.
