Do-It-Yourself doesn’t always mean time consuming or complicated when it comes to building and maintaining a website for your small business. Here are tips and tricks on getting the most out of your time, money and website.
Small business owners sometimes put off building a website because they think they don’t have time to create or maintain one. But thanks to DIY platforms, it’s easier than ever set up and maintain a website today.
“In a digital age, a small business should have a Web presence that represents its brand essence,” said Doug Graham, co-president of Bigbuzz Marketing Group. The bare minimum for an effective site includes “about the company, products and/or services, press queries, social media, and contact pages. This essential website information can be contained even on a single scrolling homepage”, Graham said, “but ensure that the website works well and looks good on social media.”
These pages should focus on how your product or service is different your competitors. “You must say to yourself as a business owner, the website is the first impression many people will have of your business,” Graham said. “So, ask yourself, does it hold up?”
While plug-and-play template-based platforms like Wix, Weebly, and Squarepace are great options to create a first website on, Graham doesn’t recommend relying upon them long-term. “These sites are good placeholders or for someone starting out in their career, but a custom site will always look and feel more branded, high-end, and professional.”
In the long-term, small business owners should consider hiring an agency partner to help with building a customized site, as well as maintaining a site more regularly to keep content fresh and to monitor and measure site metrics to inform site improvement decisions. Additionally, help might be useful when it comes to developing and implementing an effective SEM (search engine marketing) strategy.
But as a minimum starting point, using a template-based platform to get your business online (if you haven’t already) is a great option. Then, review it a few times a year to ensure the information is up-to-date.
“Considering how crucial one’s business website is in 2018, this is one the most important investments one can make,” Graham said. And a basic site with infrequent updates required is manageable for anyone.
This article was originally posted on Manta