I was watching Law & Order: SVU last night when, with an air of technical know-how, the character Special Agent George Huang, M.D. whipped out a PDA (personal digital assistant for you young folks – think prehistoric Siri). I immediately mentally backdated the episode 20 years, and then started scrutinizing the hairstyles!
Some things date you, and, unlike “mom jeans”, they don’t ever come back around. None of us want our website to say, “I’m partying like it’s 1999.” Instead, you want it to say, “NASA called me last week for business.”
A modernized website is an irreplaceable asset. It projects your company as a professional, legitimate business and helps you establish credibility. While a poorly designed website can give the impression that you’re not interested or competent in attracting business, a well-designed site gives the impression that you are a professional, capable organization serious about serving your clients.
Here are three important guidelines to ensure your website says all the right things!
1. Appearances count.
You have one shot at making a good first impression. These characteristics show that you’ve put time and attention into your site.
Organize your information. No one likes a wall of text – and no one will read it. Break up information and use intuitive menus and links to help visitors navigate quickly.
Answer common questions before they are asked. If you get the same question repeatedly, provide the answer in an appropriate place on your site. Relevant and complete information makes you look like a professional. A stellar FAQ page will help you and your customers in the long run.
Put your social media icons on the front page. If you have active social media accounts, add them to your website to draw an image of responsiveness and energy (keyword being “active” – if your socials are dormant, skip it; it will work against you).
Incorporate a unique design. Unique aesthetics can reinforce any brand message. Going for a youthful vibe? Use big pictures and bright colors. Want to instill a sense of trust? Try a neat font and a blue color scheme. And for the love of the Backstreet Boys, no clip art or animated icons!
And Did You Know?
If you feel like your website design is out-of-date but you don’t know where to turn, professional design help is invaluable, and we can help you! Our expert web developers can refresh your existing website or work with you to build a unique website from the bottom up.
2. Function first.
A website may be pretty, but no one will use it if it doesn’t give the user what they need. Modern online consumers expect certain basic functions.
Include search functionality. Have you ever been on a company’s website and left out of frustration because you could not find what you were looking for? Don’t let this happen to your web visitors! Adding search functionality makes it easy for visitors to find exactly what they’re looking for quickly.
List your products and services. Let’s say you are a client. You need branded red and white raglan tees for an upcoming company softball game, and you’re looking online at a handful of companies in the area that sell branded tees. A few companies’ websites sell the exact tee you’re looking for. Will you call the other companies to see if they also sell the tee? Not a chance. You’ll save yourself the trouble and go with one of the companies you already know has it. Listing your products will keep potential clients’ attention and allow you to win their business.
Accept online orders. Online shopping is a way of life now. Many people won’t do business any other way. Give your clients the freedom to do business when and where they want and expand your potential sales to anyone on the Web.
3. Responsiveness is in.
It’s 2023, and hopefully, everyone realizes that mobile is not a fad. With more than half of online searches coming from mobile devices, you need a mobile-friendly (also known as “responsive”) website.
If you don’t have a responsive website, it can be difficult for mobile visitors to view and navigate your site without zooming and panning. Responsive web design adapts your website to the screen size it is being viewed on to provide the best experience to all visitors.
A responsive website improves your Google ranking on mobile devices, and you could see a significant increase in visitors to your site.
If the idea of updating your website all on your own keeps you from starting, you can stop worrying now – plenty of SAGE experts are willing to help! Our professional web developers can refresh, redesign, or maintain your website to the highest standards.
Click here for details and examples to see how SAGE can give you the digital makeover you need!
This blog was originally published in 2016 and has been updated for accuracy.