If you are building your first website, there are a few important things you should focus your attention on right from the off. In this brief guide, we’re going to go through them and explain why they are so important. So, whether you have an idea for a site, or just want some online presence for your business, read on. We’ll take you through everything a website beginner needs to know.
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Creating a whole package
If you want the best possible start, it’s best to think about the whole picture. For example, it can be tempting to hire a web developer, or use a free template with WordPress or something similar. But, if you don’t have the whole picture in the front of your mind, it will soon become apparent that you need to make a lot of changes and fixes. This is clearly a waste of your time and money, so plan well beforehand to avoid this common mistake.
Clean coding
Part of the issue with using inexperienced developers and free templates is that they can be messy. Now, you don’t have to understand website coding yourself, but you do need to know about the impact. Think about the difference between a tidy and messy house. If you are looking for something important, it’s going to be harder to find it if you live in an untidy home, right? Well, it’s the same for websites. A computer and network will have to look much harder for their instructions if you have messy code. Also, when it comes to future problems, bad coding can be a nightmare to put right without affecting the whole system. So, get it right and keep it clean right from the off.
Better SEO
For a lot of businesses, SEO is just an afterthought – and SEO firms clean up because of it. To save yourself cash further down the line, make sure that SEO is integral to your website build in the first place. It will save you so much time and money and have you ready for better business results from the start.
Set up to convert
Don’t forget about conversion, either. Your website should be designed in a way that encourages people to make the choices you want them to. And, if you set it up correctly from the very beginning, it will be easier to keep track of things. Web design of any kind should always include ideas of how to maximize your conversions. That goes from the flow of the site itself to the ease of your shopping cart checkout system, and everything in between.
Better copy
Finally, make sure that your site explains what you do, and what problems you solve for your customer. Don’t just think that a list of your product’s features will be enough to make sales. It won’t. Instead, focus on your product’s value and its benefits. Sell the sizzle, not the sausage, as they say. A lot of business owners underestimate what it takes to create powerful, compelling copy. And, it can result in poor results – so don’t make the same mistake.
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