A Website IS Advertising

Plain and simple, when you have a website, you are putting to use one of the most cost effective forms of advertising ever known to modern society. When someone visits your website, more than likely they are looking for something you offer. Keep in mind, that your goal is to get people find your website. That is where Search Engine Optimization and Social Networking comes into play but that is only part of the equation!

A Website IS a First Impression

Just like with television, you have a short amount of time to "captivate" your audience. Within the first minute of a user finding your home page, your visitor is going to determine if they either 1. found what they are looking for or 2. Hit the back button on your page to move on to your competitor. What if your web page does not look good? What if you have excellent information but your users find your site is "too difficult" to Navigate? What if your site has broken links that do not work or the links lead your user(s) to a dead end? If your visitor experiences any of these, he or she will not be impressed and you may lose a potential new client to your competitors.

A Website IS Your Business

website is businessYour website may be the first impression you are going to make with new clients and new visitors. Do you want your business to be looked upon as professional or unprofessional? The success of your website depends on 3 major elements to good web design.

1. Internet Marketing - requires using many different methods to channel users surfing the World Wide Web to your website. It involves a combination of Search Engine Optimization, Social Networking, and Search Engine Marketing to make the biggest impact. However, you have to be careful in today's market since most design companies claim to perform this service because of it's value - but many fail to deliver.

2. Quality Design - Getting people to your website is of the utmost importantance but having a good looking site design is equally as important. A good clean layout with effective graphics is your first impression to your visitors and clients. You will either "WOW" them with graphics that relate to your business or you will bore them or even worse, make an impression that you do not care about your business. It is human nature to be judgemental. If your site looks "low budget," people will probably not take you seriously. You may get a client or two from a poorly designed site but you will always notice your competition getting all the glory.

3. Simplistic Design - A clean looking website that is easy to navigate is also VERY important. Your user has to understand how to use your website the very first time he or she uses it. If the user or visitor has to dig through your website to find what they are looking for, more than likely they will be searching another website to get the information they desire. In reference to Quality Design, too much graphics will make a site appear cluttered and confusing. Just remember, "Simplicity Sells." If you look at the Apple iPhone- it's simplistic design and ease of use were what made the phone such a success while phones with confusing menus within menus fell off the face of the earth.

A Website IS Important

internet is importantThe generation gap is closing in where more people are depending on the Internet to find what they are looking for and studies show that people are spending just as much time on the computer as they are watching television. Think about this - what was the last thing you used recently, the Internet or a Phone Book? If you are reading this article - more than likely you would have to say the Internet. Effective websites always pay for themselves when they deliver new clients, promote your business, and help you sell your products.