Web Design “Wish List”

Good design is good business

Here we are in the middle of yet another holiday season, and we love it! But with the New Year around the corner, have you done everything you can to position your business for success in 2014? Don’t worry, no one has it all figured out, and even the experts need to take a few minutes to reflect. One thing is clear, consumers are turning to the web more than ever and if your online presence is stellar, you could be losing out. Now is the perfect time to start brainstorming on how to making your website work for you, instead of the other way around. Take a few minutes to create a web design “wish list” and lay out exactly what you need to make 2014 your best and most profitable year yet.

Consistent Content Marketing              

It used to be that a few great clients and word of mouth advertising were all you needed to build a customer base. The truth is, today’s consumer doesn’t have time to talk because they’re too busy trying to educate themselves online about your products and services. Do you have fresh, relevant and engaging information available for them? If you don’t, your competition will. Consumers are savvy and they need consistent, reliable and informative content, period. Develop a content marketing strategy and start redefining yourself as an expert in your field.

Mobile-Friendly Layout

The landscape is changing rapidly and mobile devices- iPhones, laptops, notebooks and iPads are quickly outpacing desktop computers as the preferred method for online browsing and buying. There’s no doubt, we’re in a mobile world and if you don’t keep pace, you’ll be left behind. Your website needs to be fully functioning not only from the office, but across all mobile platforms. That means images are clear and appropriately sized, content can be read easily and products can be found in a snap. If you opt not to go mobile-friendly, potential customers who do seek you out will most likely get tired of re-sizing, scrolling and having to squint to read about your business.

Functionality

Do you ever check to see how fast your site loads when you pull it up on Google? If it takes more than 3 seconds, you could be losing valuable traffic. How about your opt-in forms and contact boxes? Are they working properly? This “under the hood” stuff is important for reducing bounce rate and ensuring user experience is up to speed. Again, today’s consumer doesn’t have time to wait for slow websites or contact forms that don’t work, they’ll simply go somewhere else.

Optimized Social Media Engagement

Building relationships and drumming up conversation with influencers is an important part of building “buzz” for your brand. But unless your site optimizes these opportunities for social media engagement with the right access, you’ll have a hard time reaching anyone. Sounds simple, but maybe it’s time to revisit how easy it is to engage from your site. Do you have a comment section clearly visible at the end of your blog posts? Are you providing links to your Twitter account and Facebook page?

The New Year brings all kinds of new ideas and opportunities for business growth. But before moving ahead without a plan, take a few minutes to create a website wish list that can guide your efforts and maximize return on your investment in 2014.