Your website is so much more than just an online business card!  It’s your image, your branding, and your best method to attract new customers and retain the ones you have.  If you have been relying on referrals, know that potential customers will look at your website before contacting you and they expect to see a fully functional, mobile-ready, attractive, and easy to navigate website.

Are you still in business?

Is your website old and outdated? If it is, you are telling your potential customers that you don’t really invest in your business.  Updated websites that get information added regularly rank better in searches and get you in front of the customers you really want.   You want to come off as new and active.

What do your website visitors really see?

Are your content and offering clear? Do you offer direct “calls to action” that tells your potential customers exactly what you want them to do?  Make sure you showcase your core offerings and benefits.  You don’t want to leave customers scratching their heads, wondering what it is that you offer and how to go about getting that and contacting you.

How fast do you capture your site visitor’s attention?

You only have a few seconds to capture your visitor’s attention before they move on to the next website.  Make those seconds count with a visually appealing homepage that briefly shows the benefit you offer to your customers with links to pages that explain it in detail if that is appropriate.  Often, less is more when it comes to websites. Keep your text minimal.  Your customers want a solution. Our attention spans are shortening daily so you need to display your best features first.

Do you stand out from the competition?

What makes your business stand out?  What will make customers choose your business over your competition?  That is what your website needs to focus on.  Things like flexible hours, outstanding support, a wide array of talent, experienced and educated staff, superior products and services, etc.

Is your website visually appealing?

• It needs to look great on all devices. Does the site look equally great on desktop and mobile?
• Is the print large enough to read, even for an aging population?
• Are your images clear and relevant? Are they optimized for the web so that they load quickly?
• Do you have new content (often in the form of blogs or new service pages) added regularly to keep your site relevant and on the search engine radar?
• Are the colors, structure, and type of website in line with your industry?
• Is it easy to get in touch with you from every page? Can your customer click to call or email you?

Your goal is to bring in new business and keep your current clients visiting often and taking action.  You owe it to your business to INVEST in a website you can be proud of.  Remember, this is your intro, your handshake, their first impression about you, with a potential customer.  Turn your website into a lead generator!

A site’s visual appeal should draw customers and drive business your way! 

Should I invest in a professional web designer? 

Well, that depends on whether it is your core talent and if you have the time to spend on learning how to do it.  Most business leaders know the importance of delegating tasks that they are unfamiliar with. Rely on other people’s expertise and then spend more time growing their business, such as and taking calls and engaging with potential customers.

How can I evaluate my own website?

Your company website must tell visitors about the products and services benefits you offer.  Take a step back and look at your website and ask yourself if it offers a solution to your potential customer’s needs.  Is it visually appealing?  Look at websites of your competitors.  What attracts you?  Do you wish you had one that looks like that?

User Experience and User interface: What are they and why are they so important? 

Make sure your website is easy to read and to navigate.  Links should be clear, text large and visually appealing with background contrast.  Images should be engaging and relevant.  People typically read very little but will look at the images so make each one count.  If your website is more than 2-3 years old, you are probably ready to consider an update.  If it is more than 4-5 years old, you may be ready for a new website.  If your website is older than that, you need help now!  Nobody wants to deal with a dinosaur of a website.

Potential customer perception is based on what they see.  You may be a professional who goes to every new conference and knows about all the latest and greatest techniques in your industry but if your website does not reflect that, you will be perceived as a “has been”.

How long a visitor stays on your site matters. 

Can your visitors get the info they need quickly to solve their needs?  If it takes too long or if it is too difficult, your potential customers will move on, and fast!

Remember, Google on average processes over 40,000 search queries every second which translates to over 3.5 billion searches per day and 1.2 trillion searches per year worldwide.  If your site doesn’t cut the mustard, there are millions of sites waiting in the wings.

To compete in today’s global market, a site must deliver!  A web designer can take your ideas and turn them into glorious, appealing reality.  A designer’s goal is to get the customers in the door with your site’s sleek, attractive styling, and keep them there with functional, easy to use tech.  It’s a buyer’s market, and only the strong will survive.

Still not sure what you need?  Contact us and we’ll do a complimentary audit of your site.  You are under no obligation and will gain valuable information and action items you can do whether you decide to hire us for our expertise or not.

Visit us at https://rheacohenwebdesign.com and let’s discuss how we can help you grow your business.