“I need a website.”
This is usually the very first thing a web design client says when they make contact with us regarding the design and development of their new website.
Fantastic!
At SEOcycle, we **** creating visually appealing, original, unique, SEO-optimised websites for clients of all sizes and across all industries. But, before we can get the ball rolling, we – and you – need to understand what purpose your website is going to serve.
The Importance of Understanding Your Website’s Purpose
It may come as a surprise to some people, especially if you have not delved into online marketing or had your website before, but there are different reasons for businesses and brands to have websites. The purpose and objective of your site will influence and even dictate several aspects of it – from the size of your site (how many pages it should be) to the type of content it will contain and, for more complex sites, certain complex functionalities that will need to be built into it.
Getting to the core of what purpose your site must serve is crucial from the outset, as designing and creating a website takes a significant investment in terms of both time and money.
Website Objectives
Your website will serve one (or more) of the following objectives:
- Visibility – the success of any modern business requires being able to be found – and more than ever, consumers look for the solutions they need online. A well-executed website that is SEO-optimised (and even better, supported by an active professional SEO campaign) is a virtual shopfront for your business and presents infinite opportunities for you to be seen by local to global audiences. Your website makes you available and visible to those potential customers who are ready to find you.
- Online Presence – options for consumers are endless thanks to the internet, and if your business is not online, it may as well not exist. Having a great website gives you authenticity and may mean the difference between being patronised and not. Having an online presence gives you authority in your niche, supports your social media presence (and vice versa), and helps you generate new leads.
- Presentation – displays, showcases, or presents the information or content you wish to share online. Examples include sites that act as resumes or portfolios and/or direct audiences to offline material or resources.
- Information – some websites are visually spectacular, with stunning images, but no written content. This may seem like a good idea – but for most audiences, it is not enough – and it’s certainly not enough for search engines to identify and rank your site.As a business, whether you are a local sole trader or a huge, renowned brand, your audience will wish to be informed – and your website is the ideal place through which to provide the information they seek. From showcasing who you are to what you offer, how to get in touch, and other details, build everything you want your online audience to know onto your website. Make it easy for them to find out more – via contact *** links to social links and blog and newsletter subscriptions.
- Engagement/Entertainment – gone are the days when brands just broadcast to their audiences with hard-sell advertising. While this still has a role, modern consumers seek genuine connections with their preferred brands and businesses. Your website can help you deliver this – from the content on your landing pages to your onsite blog. (A high-quality, relevant blog informs, entertains, and encourages connection and conversations. It is also shareable).
- Sell/Generate Revenue – this type of website is also called an eCommerce site. Its main purpose is to funnel users through the conversion funnel and sell products or services to an online audience. These sites need to provide clear communications regarding the value proposition of the brand, as well as user-friendly, secure shopping carts, checkout, and payment process facilities.
- Service – some websites need to deliver a service but not actually sell. Examples of this type of site include government agencies, charities or non-profits, etc.
Contact SEOcycle for Affordable Websites
SEOcycle is an expert in this niche and we offer affordable, high-quality web design and development services. Knowing the ultimate goals of your website from the outset will enable us to:
- Understand your vision (or effectively work with you to create it)
- Quote the job accurately
- Complete the job as promptly as possible
- Avoid costly and time-consuming changes
Need a website? Whether you are starting from scratch with a website for the first time or you simply wish to refresh your existing site to improve your online presence and visibility, we can help!
From simple, single-page websites to give your business a basic online presence, to sites to help improve your search engine ranks, to larger eCommerce websites, have a chat with us to discover what’s involved and how SEOcycle is different from other web development agencies – in a good way!
Contact us now via our website to explore how we can work with you to realise your digital potential through a beautiful, highly functional website.
