Websites: Buyer Beware

Selling Your Website

Anyone can build a Wix, Shopify, or some other DIY site, but will it sell your product or service?

A website is the cornerstone of your marketing plan, but it has to first be seen! That can be a huge challenge, especially if you’re new to the whole field of Internet sales and you haven’t encountered the veritable ocean of content out there competing for attention – and being seen is only the first step!

[ctt template=”5″ link=”1sk63″ via=”yes” ]If you cut corners you just keep going in circles![/ctt]

 

Which means selling your product or service isn’t necessarily a guarantee. To paraphrase (or butcher) Field of Dreams: just because you built it, doesn’t mean they will come! A website has to be built properly, guiding your visitors and potential customers to an end goal, and to do this, it’s important to have a pro behind the wheel.

Why Professional Web Design Is Important

 

The rise of do-it-yourself and freelance web services has led to the idea that a website is a disposable tool, just one part of a multi-faceted marketing program that may or may not work. The drag-and-drop design, the widgets, and the ease of use make a website something many people take for granted. A website, though, isn’t just a repository of information or something you need to establish a web presence. It’s an incredibly valuable way of converting visitors into sales – if it’s formatted correctly.

 

This is what DIY web design programs don’t teach you. They can’t tell you how to write, or what kind of images to use, and the vast majority of users don’t know anything about working the back-end. These things, and so much more, are keys to Internet success.

 

A Quick Checklist:

 

To ensure your site is an effective tool, it has to have the right layout, features, and tools. Does your DIY or freelance website have the following?

 

• SEO optimized pages
• Optimum page loading times
• Clear, crisp, royalty-free images
• Error-free content
• Easy-to-navigate site layout
• Correctly performing, effective call to action and contact forms
• Proper meta data
• A blog section with relevant content, SEO optimized in order to drive website traffic
• Effective landing pages for PPC (Pay Per Click Ads)
• Site map submitted to search engines
• Responsive design for different screen sizes
• E-commerce, a properly functioning store with SEO compliant product descriptions and professional photos, ease of use shipping, and payment platforms

 

A reputable web design company will include all of the above with even the most basic site. These services can’t be given through a DIY web service, even if they have 24/7 customer support. They can only tell you how to use certain programs, not why you should use certain programs and make certain choices.

 

If you’re looking to revamp your online presence, move over from a DIY website, or to take that first step into the Internet, call us today!