How to sell and grow your business with a website?
We are already accustomed to the notion of “online presence” of a business, given that most of the activities, products and services are present in the digital space today.
Being a dynamic domain, constantly changing and evolving, web development is increasingly “attacked” by many companies or persons providing services in this field, and with so many variants available, how do we realize that we are making the right decision ?
Here are some of the factors that differentiate a website that will sell, attract customers and establish links with people important to the business, compared to a website that is not only invisible in Google searches, but probably does nothing more than representing, in a mediocre way, a company in the web space.
1. The visual aspect of the website
Although some people would say “you don’t buy something just because it’s beautiful” that is not entirely true. A beautiful, well managed appearance contributes greatly to the first impression of a customer. It’s just like when we enter a company’s office to sign a contract. It is obvious that if the office is cluttered, there are objects thrown on the floor, sheets mixed, a dark air and possibly a low light, the chances of us signing that contract drop considerably, right? Exactly the same is the case with websites, only that it is even more so, because our client is not a partner, but a simple person whose demands must be satisfied by the business you run.
The term UX (user experience) refers to the experience by which a user discovers the services or products offered by a company and there are many factors that contribute to the efficient management of information within a website. A user should not be required to look for your products or services, but must find them fast enough so that he does not change his desire to buy them. The truth is that people’s patience is getting shorter as the pace of life accelerates, and every second counts. The faster someone finds the thing they are looking for, the higher your chances of selling. (See more about What influence does the management of information and the speed a website have)
2. Functionality and efficiency
Although “stylistic freedom of expression” in the web space has reached maximum levels, there are many cases where a website looks good but you cannot say the same thing about its functionality.
By the efficiency of the processes in a website we understand the sum of those elements that make up the entire cycle through which a customer goes from discovering a website until leaving it.
A functional menu, internal links, contact and communication forms as well as online chat items implemented directly on the website are just a few of the elements that ensure a good user navigation on a website and without which the chances of selling products or services they are quite low
Take as an example a customer who is firmly convinced that he wants to buy your product, after being satisfied with the clean presentation of your website. Trying to find a way to purchase the product, they are looking for a link page (see more about establishing the connection between customer and service provider).
In the menu there is a link to a contact page but it does not work, on the page assigned to the information about the company the contact details are missing and there is no other visible and intuitive means of getting in touch with the service provider. And all this in the most favorable case where the customer REALLY wants to buy a product through YOUR website, which is a very rare case. We need to be aware that the options are very numerous today and the sales strategy must be extremely well developed and take advantage of every detail to make it easier to purchase or link between us and our customer.
3. The loading speed
Just like I said above, people are out of patience, and a website that loads in more than 10 seconds will be dropped by 90% of potential customers. There are many variants when it comes to the speed of a website, this being determined by several factors such as website optimization, server speed, efficient hosting, information display algorhytm (see more about how important a website’s loading speed is?)
4. S.E.O.
The concept of S.E.O. refers to “search engine optimization” and directly reflects the position of a website in the digital space. When we google “apartments for sale in ‘city'”, the browser will display a long list of results. The order of the websites displayed is determined by how well the website is search engine optimized and the interest is, of course, to be the first, because not only will you have complete credibility, but you will be easier to find by your customers.
When creating a website it is absolutely necessary to propel it into digital space, otherwise it will be exactly as if we built a ship investing lots of resources and keeping it stuck on the ground. There are many elements that contribute to S.E.O. and the process can be long depending on the field of activity, but it is one of the most important factors when it comes to expressing a business online. (See our S.E.O. services or find out more here)
5. Synergy between the website and the brand
In many cases, the brand’s membership in a company is treated with disinterest and it is very true when we refer to mediocre businesses or companies without the ambition to reach as high as possible into the industry. On the other hand, if we focus on the full success and the first places in the field, we must take into account the fact that the mere aspect of a brand will “educate” the business’s customers and will keep them loyal in the long term. Associating the image of a business with its products or services is essential in developing and maintaining the high quality of an enterprise. (See our branding and website development packages)
In conclusion, a website is not just a virtual representation of a business, but it can be the most efficient tool by which the company operates.
