Let’s Talk Websites

Years ago, the world was a really big place. It took weeks to travel from one state to another. But gradually, with the industrial revolution; planes, trains and automobiles became the norm. By the beginning of the 1900’s, there was less trepidation in traveling whenever we wanted – whether for business, necessity, or fun. The world didn’t seem so big anymore.

In the late 1900’s the world got even smaller when the internet was born. This brought people together from miles apart in a way that the telegraph and telephone never could. But you still had to sit down at home to look at it. Gradually, the internet became more and more portable. Just like the telephones that we detached from the wall – laptops allowed us to take the internet on the go. And it wasn’t long before the technology became small enough to fit in our hands. The original mobile phone couldn’t do much. But gradually, internet and phone technology began to merge to give us the smart phones we know today. 

In February 2021, 85% of US Adults owned a smartphone. More than half of all internet shopping is now done from a mobile device. Customers expect most businesses to have a website. Those businesses who don’t have a website might just be overlooked.

Consider this: If a family is looking for a place to eat; they’re probably using Google. If your restaurant’s hours aren’t listed, the family may choose a different restaurant. If your hours are listed, but your menu is not – that same family may opt for your competition because they can view the menu before arriving. 

80% of shoppers used a mobile phone inside of a physical store to either look up product reviews, compare prices or find alternative store locations.

Whether your business needs a website or not just isn’t a question anymore. You do.

This month, on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn, I shared a lot of my tips, tricks and philosophy regarding websites.

1. It should look amazing. Your website should have a personality. It should be easy and fast for your audience to navigate and should look like a million bucks. 

2. It shouldn’t cost a million bucks. Unless you are a Fortune 500 company, there’s just no need to spend thousands on a website. (And even then, I’m skeptical.) A great web designer should be able to build a simple to midgrade site relatively easily. If the labor isn’t what’s costing a lot – then what is?

3. It should be easy for YOU to use. When I build a website; I want to give you the keys and let you drive when I’m done. If you don’t want to do that, or don’t have time to create your own content and do your own updating, I’m happy to take that on. But you shouldn’t be dependent on me because it’s too hard.

4. You should use some cool plugins – especially if they’re free! There are a lot of really cool plugins for WordPress. I want your website to be fun for you and your customers. Want something to bounce across the page? Let’s find a way to do it! 

5. You should be using your domain email. Nothing screams “unprofessional” like someone using gmail, or another provider instead of their own domain. mycompany@gmail.com doesn’t have the same ring as myname@mycompany.com – and they’re often FREE!

6. You might only need the basics. Don’t overthink your site. You might only need a home page. You might only need a home page, an about page and a contact page. If you’re just starting out – your website can be built small and ready to grow. 

7. Plan Ahead. It might be time to break up with your ready-made website service. You may have some needs that the service just doesn’t allow for. You may have noticed that it’s starting to nickel & dime you a bit. If it’s time to rebuild – or to expand – I can help.

Not sure where to start? Book a free consultation with me here. If I don’t see any reason for you to change anything – I’ll tell you!