Companies that are run solely online–and companies that operate in the real world–benefit from high-quality websites. A good website and online strategy are exactly what a business needs to thrive in today’s virtual-driven world. Consider your company’s web development an investment. If you take the time and effort to do things right, your business will grow and succeed.
You Need a High-Quality Website
Anyone can create a free website online using blogging services, such as WordPress and Wix. If designed well, maintained, and updated regularly these websites can thrive. The best websites, however, use paid hosting, and luckily this option is affordable to most business. Purchase a domain name, so users can find you at a .com, .edu, or other top level domain.
Make sure your website provides the following information:
· What does your company do?
· What services do you offer?
· How do Internet users benefit from your website?
Create a website that is easy to navigate, and make sure all your important links are highly visible. It’s essential that your contact information is accessible, so that your users can contact you with questions and concerns.
It may be necessary to hire someone to maintain your website, so that your users are responded to promptly. Your webmaster should be someone who is knowledgeable, and capable to deal with users in a kind and understanding way. A good website reaches out in a caring manner to customers, such as a real world company would.
Make Your Website Device Friendly (Go Mobile)
Lots of people browse the web from their cell phones and tablets. Make your website device friendly, so these users are able to easily navigate your content. If you’re unsure how to create a mobile friendly site, it may be beneficial to look into a reputable software development company, who is also capable of creating web apps and other software for your business.
On April 15th, Google began favoring mobile friendly websites in their search engine results pages. This means, if your website isn’t optimized for use on small screens it’s going to be ranked lower in search engine results.
Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to determine if your website has a mobile friendly design.
Add Keywords and Optimize Your Site for Search Engines
SEO, or search engine optimization, will help your website score for specific terms. If you’re running a personal injury law firm in Atlanta, you’ll want to optimize your page for local legal searches. For example, “Atlanta personal injury,” “GA personal injury attorney,” and “Atlanta lawyer” are all great search terms to get optimized for.
Long tail keywords should also be used on your website. Long tails have less competition, and they’re more specific, which indicates that the searcher is closer to buying. Wordtracker.com explains long tail keywords:
“It’s likely that someone searching for ‘exterior paint for aluminum shutters’ is closer to a buying decision on a specific product than someone who is searching for a more general term like ‘paint.’ The person searching for ‘paint’ is probably at the start of their research.”
Unique keywords, and long tail keywords, are less common than single word keywords, which is why they can get you listed higher in search results. The goal is to be the first person listed for all of your chosen keywords.
Paid Advertising is Worth It
When you pay to have your website posted on other people’s sites you’re creating outreach. This creates links back to your website, and makes you more visible to online users. Consider purchasing sponsored blog posts, web banners, popup ads, and classified ads. Consider paid advertising an investment, must like paid web hosting. You will get your money back in the profits you make.
If these tasks seem daunting to you, outsource them to someone else. You can hire an in-hour webmaster, a freelancer, or a website development company. No matter what, your website is going to help you outrank your competition, and it’s wholly necessary in today’s world.
