Looking for a New Website? Make Sure Your Web Company Can Provide these 5 Items:
Looking at companies to get your new website built is not an easy task. There's a lot of things to consider, price only being one of them. Once you've established your budget, you need to look at the design and development phase, hosting and maintance, tech support, site responsiveness, SEO, and other add-ons. Do you go with some one local, someone you know or who has been referred to you, or with a large well established web firm, but with a less personal touch? If you are a do it your-selfer, here's a Review of the Top 10 website creating software packages for 2016...
Whichever way you go, be sure your company provides you with at least the following 5 items....
1: Easy to Use Software so Updating is a Breeze
This is really important if you are on a tight budget, you update your website frequently, or you can't wait for someone else to do the updates for you. When you are in the search phase of your new website project, be sure to ask how easy it is to get in the back end of your website and make changes. If you have to do any coding or learning a language like html or php, then need to consider that in your overall experience. Are you okay using word press or similar platforms? If not, look for a user friendly, drag and drop interface when it comes to updating pictures and content on your website. You will be much happier in the long run. Here's a video from MA Webcenters showing just how easy editing a site can be...
2: Responsive Web Design
It is a mobile world out there with all kinds of mobile and wireless devices. More and more people are accessing your website on a mobile device than ever before, so your sight has to look great on all devices. A Responsive web design will detect whatever device is accessing it, desktop or mobile, and fit the page to the screen so the end user can see what you intended them to see. This is huge, so don't over look it. There are still sites being built that aren't responsive, so be sure to ask your developer this question right up front, and tell them you need a Responsive, Mobile Optimized Website! In this old but true post, HubSpot gives you 6 Undeniable Reasons Why You Need a Responsive Site...
3: Website Management
Once your website is created, it needs a place to live, so the rest of the world can visit and check out your great stuff. Website Hosting is an important decision, so be sure to vet your host. Is there redundancy? This means, are there backup servers in case one fails, and your website stays on line. Who will manage your website? Website Management is more than just hosting. It includes monitoring, backup, software updates, technical support, bandwidth, email, e-commerce, and more. There may be monthly management fees, but the online staying power and peace of mind is worth it. Here's a web hosting tutorial you can read to learn more of what you should look for in a web hosting and management service. Here's a list of the top 10 low cost web host services from PC Magazine.
4: Customer Service / Technical Support
Once your website is completed, are you on your own, or will there be help available when you need it? Having a friend do your website is a great favor, but will they be available when there are problems or when you are struggling to add or change content? A great website provider will have customer service and technical support available to you at all times, 24 x 7, including an online blog, frequently asked questions, chat services, and telephone support. Tech support should include the ability to talk to a live person, and online desktop sharing capabilties, where a technician can take over your computer and troubleshoot, or show you how to do a task, like updating content or adding pictures and video. Great customer and technical support means having an even better website experience. Read here why Huffington Post believes your choice in Webhosts is cruical to your business...
5: Additional Services to Drive Traffic
If nobody ever visits your website, is it really there? You've spent some money building and hosting your site, but traffic is low. Why? No one knows your site exists, that's why. You need to drive traffic to your website, with services like Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, Google and Facebook Ads, Social Media Campaigns, and Blogging. SEO uses the proper placement of keywords in your website name, page titles, and content, so that search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing can find you and present your site to web browsers and bring traffic organically to your site. SEO is an ongoing process that needs updating and tweaking, so having a web provider with SEO capabilities is nice perk. Advertising is another way to drive traffic. Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Twitter Ads, and so on are necessary at times, to accelerate traffic, since organic traffic may grow slowly over time. Social Media is another place where you can find your audience hanging out, so Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, and other social media sites are great avenues to present free content and ads to attract an audience to your website and landing pages. Blogging is another great way to share content with your fans and provide them with great customer service. Having all these additional services at your disposal from your website provider is not only convenient, its smart, since they know you and are familiar with your business and your website. Social and Digital marketing is a must have extension to your website service.
I hope this helps you in your quest to build and host a new website. A good looking website is helpful, but there's so many more factors to consider when it comes to building, hosting, maintaining, managing, and marketing with this valuable tool. If you need any assistance, be sure to contact us here at HBSU. We are always ready to help. michael@kcvisualsunlimted.com
If you'd like more information on HBSU Web Solutions, click the Free Web Demo button below and see how we can guide you through the entire process, from great software and hosting services, to effective Social Media Marketing Campaigns.
