Establish your brand: build a good website to make a good impression on your customers

Nobody can ignore the importance of social media and the influence it can have over your audience and potential audiences when you’re running a brand or business. However, the recurrent saying of “the web is dead” when it comes to the significance of having a website is not only shortsighted but potentially detrimental. I like to consider social media to be like the front door to your digital home, your website. Social media is often the first impression, so make it feel open and welcoming. And once people are inside, that’s when you can show off your fantastic hosting skills in your home that is well decorated and reflective of your business and vision.

I could make flowery analogies all day, though, so let’s get to some actual reasons why your brand needs a professional website and URL (no dot wordpresses, please)!

1.) For those actively seeking out your business or ones like it online, a website is likely their first point of entry.

Search is critically important for most businesses. Your website appearing in search results will be of the utmost importance when it comes to clients or customers finding you. Building and launching your site and making sure to consistently update it using keywords and appropriate metadata (I know, this is a lot of SEO speak) will be worthwhile in helping people find you. You can also chip in a few dollars with Google AdWords to help with your search result ranking, too.

2.) And speaking of first impressions, a good website is a prime opportunity to make a great one.

Therefore, make sure you spend the time and resources to be sure that your website accurately reflects your business mission and vision through its design and content, which help your consumers build trust. With content you own, like your website and the stories and imagery that appears on it, you have some control over that first impression. If you have a physical business location, you probably spent some energy and resources on making it look and feel good for you and for your consumers. With the possibility of reaching and influencing infinitely more people online than through your doors, it’s imperative to make your online experience feel good for you and your consumers, too. It may be the one impression they get. Make it a good one (and mobile-friendly!).

3.) Your website is yours: own it!

We’ve talked about the importance of e-mail marketing, mainly because you can “own” the e-mail subscriber list. With social media, everyone is just renting space. In addition to owning email, pointing your subscribers to your website, and offering educational and inspirational content on your website, you control what your audience sees and reads. You can’t quite do that with social media. Our Instagram and Facebook and Pinterest and Twitter feeds are a battle for attention, and as such, increasingly becoming a pay-to-play space.

4.) Websites can always be open for business.

Unlike a physical business, your website is always open. So why not use it to sell 24/7? Whether it’s products or services, your website is sacred sales ground. Make sure your contact information is easily accessible, your inventory is accurate, your sales copy is on-point, and your information is up-to-date. Frequent updates helps with SEO, too.

5.) Get to know your audience: your visitors, consumers, and clients

How often do you check your Google Analytics? Do you have Google Analytics? If not, I can’t stress the importance enough of installing and reviewing your analytics on at least a weekly basis. You can dig into how people are finding your website, what pages they are most visiting, how much time they are spending on your site, where they’re coming from, what other interests appeal to them, and so much more. It’s an inside-look into your audience behaviors and interests that can help drive your social media strategy, content marketing plan, direct-mail strategy, and more. And if you’re selling or intending to sell advertising on your website if you’re a blogger, that data is a must-include for your media kit.

We truly believe and have found in our work and our client's work that building and maintaining a website is so important when marketing and growing your brand or business. We hope this information is helpful! Sign up for our monthly email below to get more tips and ideas delivered straight to your inbox. And as always, please feel free to get in touch if you'd like to discuss how FACTEUR can help you and your business with creating a beautiful, informational, and easily maintainable website. We'd love to work with you.