The Top 3 Ways Your Website Is Directly Impacting Your Business

You know you need a website for your business, but have you ever thought of how each component of your website directly impacts your business?

Your website is almost always the first place someone will go to introduce and familiarize themselves with your business and its products or services. When people visit your website, it is as if they are meeting you in person or coming into your store or office. They will make assumptions about your business based on their experience with your website.

This means you need to know how each part of your website influences customers. And you need to approach your website design in the same way you would an introductory meeting with a potentially high value client—you’ve got to look good, communicate well and be very organized.

There are three parts of your website that most directly impact the first impression a visitor has of your business.

1. Visual Look and Feel

The Top 3 Ways Your Website Is Directly Impacting Your Business

If the visual and aesthetic design of your website is cluttered, looks dated, or is unattractive in any way, the visitor will think your business is second rate. Your web design needs to be professional, modern, clean and aesthetically pleasing. The fact is, when something looks good people automatically trust it more. They feel confident and reassured, and they naturally want be a part of what they’re experiencing.

This means that unless you are experienced in web development, you probably should not design your own website. Work with an experienced and talented web designer, and be aware that web design trends change quite quickly—be ready to refresh the look of your website every two years.

2. Content

Your visitors need to know within seconds what you do and if you can help them. If your website content is too vague, long winded, or unhelpful you will not connect with your visitors. Worse, they will think you don’t really understand their needs.

Good web copy is concise and to the point, and it is delivered in easily digestible amounts. For example, a carefully crafted 200-word description of what your business offers is often perfect for your home page—especially when written from the perspective of the client’s needs. All of the information about your business and services needs to valuable content—that is, focused on fulfilling the intrinsic needs of your target market and not solely about promoting your own business. Helpful information will establish you as a credible resource and trusted leader in your industry.

3. User Experience

If your website is difficult to navigate, vital information is hidden, and it loads slowly your visitors will assume dealing with your business is going to be frustrating and difficult.

Your website navigation needs to be clear, logical and intuitive. Basic information—like your address—needs be easy to find. A good website leads the visitor to the information they need before they even know they need it. And your site needs to load quickly. A user isn’t going to wait 30 seconds for all of your images to show. Finally, with such a huge, and growing, number of Internet users on mobile devices your website absolutely must be mobile friendly.

The impact your website design has on your business is much more significant than the majority of business owners realize. You need to know what the most essential elements of a website are, or work with an experienced website designer that does.

If you get the basics right, your website will be the best salesperson you could hire. It becomes an effective, efficient and influential communication tool that can elevate you above your competition and project your business as an industry leader.

This article was contributed by Magicdust, a web design company who provide small businesses with quality web development, ecommerce solutions and online marketing services.