Whether used for internet retailing or as an advertising platform, websites are now an essential part of any business strategy. To nurture such a website and to grow it so that it has real internet presence attracting millions of visitors, is not an easy task.
It is not difficult to create a website and to put it online and working efficiently, however, producing and maintaining a site so that it attracts visitors and ranks in search engine returns for keyword searches is far more difficult to achieve. That is what everyone strives for, as successful websites can reach a global audience creating new markets and spreading product awareness very quickly.
To create a new website a domain name will have to be chosen. This can be a relatively cheap exercise or an expensive one if a particularly desirable name that has already been registered is sought. Then a decision has to be made about who is going to build the site. A professional will make a far better job of this than will an amateur. Professional designers create websites that are more browser friendly and that the search engine robots will find easier to scan.
Whoever designs a website the main criteria are that it should look good, work properly and be simple to navigate (user friendly). All the internal page links should operate and the site should load quickly into a user’s internet browser. The vital design stage should include planning about how best to create a site that will appeal to a target audience. Less is often more with websites – it’s best not to clutter up the pages and overload the reader with too much information. Additionally, the style should be consistent throughout.
Once a website has been created and is live on the internet how to make it more visible (powerful) than the millions of other sites in a particular market or interest is the next question? These days the main search engine, Google, demands high quality authoritative content if it is to rank a website highly in its search results. Such content should also be added to regularly – perhaps even daily via a relevant news feed. To achieve that can be taxing, as the time needed to write such content can be demanding. It is possible to enlist the help of professional copywriters who will be able to produce the content to a high standard. A high degree of competency in written English is essential if non-professional writers are used. Obvious mistakes will quickly put off a site visitor and the website’s credibility will be lost.
Social networking sites now play a vital part in the success or otherwise of a website. Although a domain name identifies your business’ website, pages should be created on social networking sites linking back to the site. This tactic is extremely powerful and can bring more visitors to a website. The importance of Facebook and Twitter in this regard should not be underestimated and website owners ignore them at their peril!
Good websites are initially created by competent designers, however, it is the on-going, often daily work, that can propel a website towards that goal of becoming a powerful internet presence.