Every business needs a stand out website. It's no longer enough to simply provide a list of services and an “About Us" section on your site. Your customers must be able to place orders, ask questions and make purchases through a seamless and delightful online experience.
At one time, this functionality would have required the services of a high-priced web developer, who would then have to help every time your site needed an update. Technology has now made things much easier, thanks to drag & drop tools that let you set up an online store or complex website without help from a developer. But just because you go it alone or use templates, doesn't mean your website can't be unique. Here are a few extras you can add to your site to make it stand out from the rest.
1. Full Mobile Functionality
By now, everyone has probably dealt with a website that doesn't function well on a mobile device. When customers consider buying, they are more likely than ever to move from a mobile device to a desktop computer while making a decision. Those customers expect a website to make the transition with them. This is especially true of eCommerce sites, which should make the checkout process as easy as possible on a small screen.
Notice how eCommerce sites like xobruno have an easy-to-find shopping cart on every page to let customers checkout at any point during the shopping process. Responsive design is more than simply making sure your website looks good on smaller screens. The entire experience should be as user friendly as possible.
2. Customize Your Template
No matter what type of website you need, there are likely multiple templates that can serve your needs. However, many other businesses are choosing from the same templates. To avoid a “who wore it best" moment with your top competitor, customize your template as much as possible, changing colors and moving page elements around to truly make it your own. With drag & drop editors, you can easily change buttons and fonts to match the look and feel of the rest of your site.
3. Implement SEO Best Practices
The best way to make your website stand out is to make sure it comes up first when customers search. This means every page needs to be search engine optimized, including product descriptions, images and page titles. Website creation tools can help you with part of it, but you'll also need to know basic SEO principles to ensure your pages appeal to search algorithms.
4. Use Integrations
If your business already uses specialized software, you should take advantage of built-in integrations that will pass your information between applications. This includes your CRM, accounting tools, inventory management software and any other back-end tool you use to run your business. You could set up your website to automatically feed signups into your lead generation database. If your website includes an online store, it should feed into your inventory system to ensure an item is removed as soon as it's purchased. If you don't already have this set up, you'll have the luxury of specifically choosing tools that work with your website. You'll save time on duplicate entry and potentially avoid having to hire additional staff as your business grows.
Every business needs a top-quality website to thrive in today's competitive marketplace. With the right approach, you can create an engaging and effective website without hiring a developer. The end result will be a website that helps you attract and retain customers for years to come.
1. Full Mobile Functionality
By now, everyone has probably dealt with a website that doesn't function well on a mobile device. When customers consider buying, they are more likely than ever to move from a mobile device to a desktop computer while making a decision. Those customers expect a website to make the transition with them. This is especially true of eCommerce sites, which should make the checkout process as easy as possible on a small screen.
Notice how eCommerce sites like xobruno have an easy-to-find shopping cart on every page to let customers checkout at any point during the shopping process. Responsive design is more than simply making sure your website looks good on smaller screens. The entire experience should be as user friendly as possible.
2. Customize Your Template
No matter what type of website you need, there are likely multiple templates that can serve your needs. However, many other businesses are choosing from the same templates. To avoid a “who wore it best" moment with your top competitor, customize your template as much as possible, changing colors and moving page elements around to truly make it your own. With drag & drop editors, you can easily change buttons and fonts to match the look and feel of the rest of your site.
3. Implement SEO Best Practices
The best way to make your website stand out is to make sure it comes up first when customers search. This means every page needs to be search engine optimized, including product descriptions, images and page titles. Website creation tools can help you with part of it, but you'll also need to know basic SEO principles to ensure your pages appeal to search algorithms.
4. Use Integrations
If your business already uses specialized software, you should take advantage of built-in integrations that will pass your information between applications. This includes your CRM, accounting tools, inventory management software and any other back-end tool you use to run your business. You could set up your website to automatically feed signups into your lead generation database. If your website includes an online store, it should feed into your inventory system to ensure an item is removed as soon as it's purchased. If you don't already have this set up, you'll have the luxury of specifically choosing tools that work with your website. You'll save time on duplicate entry and potentially avoid having to hire additional staff as your business grows.
Every business needs a top-quality website to thrive in today's competitive marketplace. With the right approach, you can create an engaging and effective website without hiring a developer. The end result will be a website that helps you attract and retain customers for years to come.
Drew Hendricks Drew is a tech, social media, and environmental addict. He's written for many major publications, such as Forbes and Entrepreneur.