Whether you call it expansion, refreshing, or redesign, the fact remains that it’s super important that your website is capable of growing along with your business.
Any company owner who is in the beginning stages of kicking off his/her business or who is trying to reinvigorate his/her business is excited about getting a new (or better) website up and running. They just know that putting up the “perfect” website will attract customers/clients and, before long, their company will have “made it”. They’ll be making money hand-over-fist, as the saying goes, and they’ll have carved a name for themselves in their particular niche.
Unfortunately, however, it usually doesn’t happen that way. Just as a business is a work in progress, a website is a work in progress as well and usually isn’t an instant road to success.
However, the good news is that you don’t have to have everything figured out BEFORE you decide to create or re-create a website for your business. What we’ve learned over time is that you can’t account for every nuance and change until your new site has landed in the real world, where customers can use it, peruse it, and offer feedback. You’ll likely find, for example, that you’re missing a few things, something else will need to be tweaked, and some pages don’t need to be there at all.
So, understanding that your website will need to morph and develop over time, along with the rest of your business, here are 3 things to consider when contemplating your new site:
Content updates
It’s essential that you build a site that is easily accessible for future editing and expansion either by you, by an employee, or by the professionals who built your website and will be maintaining it.
At Watershed9, our years of experience have led us to continue using WordPress, a free and open-source content management system that we’ve deemed to be ideal for our clients, regardless of what kind of service they’re offering or product they’re selling. WordPress has been around since 2003 and has proven itself to be ultra-user-friendly for both our clients and their customers.
In addition, we choose a well-supported theme for every site we build and are confident that we achieve a look that matches the vibe of our client.
The ability to make updates and corrections to content in a timely manner – as can be done with WordPress – means that you’re always providing accurate information for your clients. These content updates, paired with the use of social media like Facebook, offer you the best opportunity to connect with potential customers.
However, though online website builders are improving rapidly, depending on the business you’re in, and the future functionality or your current site, you may require…
Design Updates
Website trends are always evolving and the last thing you want is for your website to look tired or outdated. That means an occasional design update might be in the picture. That doesn’t mean, however, that you’ll need to have the entire website redone every 6 months to a year. It means that experts like those at Watershed9, who keep up with the latest design trends, can recommend tweaks that can help your site become more appealing to those who view it.
Face it. When a website looks attractive and is easy to read, browsers tend to stay longer. That’s our goal when we accomplish design updates for our clients. We want their traffic to hang around for a while, sign up for a newsletter, buy a thing or two…taking the steps needed to help the business grow.
Technical updates
Many of our clients are pretty technically savvy. So, being responsible for the WordPress updates might sound like an easy task to those individuals. But, for many people, tech becomes a black hole that results in a website that’s gradually faltering and will eventually lose its ability to attract traffic.
Technical updates are usually made for the purpose of increasing functionality. Tools like E-commerce, intake forms, membership, password protected portals, payment gateways, and more become integral to a well-functioning site that accomplishes what it’s set out to do, and it often takes a professional to correctly add these updates.
In addition, most business owners recognize that they have better and more productive things to do with their time than tend to their website, so turning it over to the experts is ideal. Time is money, as they say.
Looking ahead
Whether you’re a new business owner or one that’s taking new steps towards a more productive future, take a long look down the road and consider what your website could and should accomplish. Can you actually make it happen? What will it take? Then take a step back and recognize that this is a long process. But by knocking off one feature at a time, you can arrive at your destination… if you plan well, use the right tools, and seek the help of those who can help you the most.
Need some assistance with website design and marketing? Let our WordPress experts at Watershed9 get you off on the right track. For more information, contact us via our website or call us at 604-337-1449.