Your website can say a lot about your business, studies show you have literally 2 seconds to impress your audience/customer or lose ’em. That sounds insanely quick but just put yourself in the position of a customer on another website, how quickly are you going to stay? For those of you who own brick and mortar stores, your website is sometimes the first point of call for customers. For those of us with online businesses it is even more crucial for business success.
So what does your business say about you?
How current is your website?
People will make a snap judgement of your website within just 2 seconds of arriving, if your website is old fashion, slow and not user friendly you have instantly lost your customer. People these days are looking for modern, quick and user friendly websites that look clean and are easy to navigate. For websites that were built when the dinosaurs were around are no longer going to survive in our ever developing web world.Of course you could have the most incredible products, service and business but it is what your website reflects is what customers are going to judge you on. Ever heard the expression “You have to look like money to make money”? this applies to this situation ten fold, if you invest in a good website then your results are going to be dramatically different. You have to earn people’s respect, trust and loyalty and with a website they cannot navigate is not going to help.
Does your website reflect your taste or your customers?
We all have what we like and what we don’t like but how far can we use this when designing a website? Put yourself in a customer’s and target audience’s shoes for a second, do they love hot pink in every direction? Most likely not (though I cannot speak for everyone). We recommend when working with a website designer is to ask your customers, they are the user and at the end of the day if they love the website they are going to love you.We recommend when choosing a design, think clean, easy to use and attractive.
Your website is not mobile friendly!?
STOP RIGHT HERE, how many times a day do you pick up your phone, search the web? Most of us do this on a daily basis, in this day an age a website that is not responsive to mobiles is going to struggle to survive. Mobile internet surfing made up 51% of global internet usage in 2015, followed by 42% on a desktop/laptop and 7% on other devices. So what does your website say about you? If your site is not mobile friendly you will loose customers if they cannot use it with ease.
Using new technology and applications
How easily can your customers book your service or shop online? If your website does not have these options (especially booking online) you are now going to fall behind. New and developing technology is allowing businesses to allow customers to book a service online, imagine if you really wanted that hair appointment but it is 11pm at night and the salon is obviously closed.. what if you could visit their website and could book your appointment, choose your hairdresser and pay all then and there? This sort of new technology is allowing businesses stand out in the crowded web world.
In conclusion, put yourself in your customer’s shoes and have a good hard look at your website.. be harsh, your customers will be!
Jesse Evenblij is a freelance website and graphic designer, and one of our talented villagers. Check out his profile here.
