Valuable Tips For Setting Up Your Company's Website

January 19, 2016

At one point in time, having a website was kind of a gimmick. A clever marketing tool which gave a special air of professionalism. In 2016, however, having a strong online presence for your company is almost as essential as having a name! If you’re looking to set up a website for your small business, then there’s a lot of competition to measure up to. You need to make sure your website is beneficial to your company, rather than an obsolete drain on your finance. Here’s a brief guide to setting up your site.
First of all, choose the right hosting software. Yes, it’s possible to publish a decent site without this. but unless you have an all-powerful internet wizard on your team, hosting is probably the best way to go. Take your time considering what you need from your host. What kind of site are you planning to build? What kind of applications and widgets will you need it to be compatible with? How much traffic are you projecting? These are just some of the important questions you need to ask yourself before settling on a web host. To make the process faster and simpler, go looking for a hosting review. Yes, there’s even comparison websites for that. Stopping and starting subscriptions can really set you back, so take your time.
Always make sure the site is well-structured and functions as it should. If you were running a store, you’d want all the aisles labelled and organised properly, wouldn’t you? Make sure all the different sections of your site are set out in clear tabs, ensuring that your customers can navigate it easily. You wouldn’t believe how little time consumers spend on a web page before deciding to stay or leave. Once they find what they’re looking for, the various features of your company site need to run smoothly. Any kind of contact forms, shopping carts, or other little gadgets need to be developed and tested thoroughly. Make sure to include links to all of your social media platforms too.
Once you’ve set up a functional PC website, it’s time to start the process again! I never said this would be easy. In the modern day, you need to make your company’s website mobile compatible to reap in all the business you can. More and more people are using mobile devices as their primary tool for web browsing. This trend isn’t going anywhere, so don’t get left behind! If a potential customer hits a link to your site, and find the experience slow and clunky, your bounce rate will be horrific. Ask your designer about mobile compatibility, or explore your options through different hosting programs.
These three tips are some of the most basic, important tips to setting up a company website. However, if you really want your site to stand out, there are all kinds of other things that can be done. As online business changes, you’ll learn as you go. The most important thing is to constantly put yourself in the shoes of the user.

Mark Asquith

That British podcast guy, Mark is co-founder of Captivate.fm, the world's only growth-oriented podcast host. A Harvard, TEDx, Podcast Movement and Podfest speaker (amongst many more!), he's a wildly approachable Brit and Star Wars/DC Comics geek.

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