You need a website and you need it to be great!
As a premier provider of services related to website design throughout Brisbane, we get a lot of questions about websites.
- Why is new website design so ‘expensive’? (Trust us, it’s not!)
- Why do I need a ‘fancy’ website? (You need a high-performing website, but no it doesn’t need to be fancy.)
- What’s so good about your website design services? (More on this in a bit.)
A great website makes you competitive in the market
If you’re a small to medium business operating in the 21st century, not only do you need to have a strong online presence, but you need a website that is easy to navigate, and looks and functions optimally. Otherwise, you’re going to see more and more potential customers and clients move away from your business and find a competitor with better or more accessible information online.
So what makes a great website? Here are the 6 essential factors that make for a website that’ll really stand out in the market.
1. Web design
There’s nothing revolutionary about it. A well designed website that is not just visually appealing but also clear and eye-catching will help retain visitors and increase website traffic. Your website, like all forms of branding, is an expression of your brand. You need to put your best foot forward, and that’s why it’s worth using professional web designers.
There are additional reasons to consider as well that go beyond just superficial design. Did you know that 3 in 4 website visitors judge a company’s credibility by the design of the website? Or that almost 40% of people will simply leave a website that’s not nice to look at? When it comes to online stores, the data is even more terrifying: Around 70% of visitors will abandon an already used online cart!
That’s pretty hard evidence on how important good website design is.
2. Effective copy
Lots of people can write, but only a few people can write well. Investing in expert copywriters with experience writing for websites will help you make the most of the precious space on your website and use it for effective content that will help sell your message, convert your website visitors and make more sales.
It’s not just the level of eloquence and word-smithing that’s necessary. There are tried and proven tips to website copywriting, such as:
- Every page needs a call to action (asking visitors to fill out a form, buy a product, etc). Despite being essential for conversions, the vast majority of small business websites lack this basic feature.
- Every webpage needs a compelling headline. Around 80% of people don’t even read past your headlines, so you really need to pack a powerful punch into as few words as you can.
3. Fast load times
You can probably relate to the frustration of trying to visit a website that just won’t load or lags and glitches. Well, you’re not alone. Not only are approximately 40% of people likely to leave a website if the loading time takes too long, but the rate of sales conversions drops by 20% for every extra second it takes for your website to load!
A great website means fast loading times and smooth operation. Using a website design company that ad hoc website management when something goes wrong as well as comprehensive cloud hosting and domain services is really essential for any wannabe effective website.
4. Good user experience
The user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) are industry jargon terms that’s used for the design of your website as it relates to the ease of navigation and experience of a visitor trying to find the information they need/want.
88% of people who have a single bad experience on a website are unlikely to return, one really needs to consider how intended online visitors are going to find the experience on your webpages. From being able to find contact information to easy-to-use drop-down menus, there’s a lot to consider. That’s why it’s worth leaving it up to the experts.
5. Optimised for mobile devices
When you consider just how widespread smartphones are nowadays and how increasingly dependent everyone — your target market included — is becoming on the device in your pocket, it’s astounding how many businesses don’t invest the time, money and effort into making their website mobile friendly.
Well over 50% of all web traffic in the first three months of 2021 was via a mobile phone. Now bear in mind that with 80% of website visitors closing a webpage that doesn’t show up well on their chosen device and that conversion rates on mobile phones are almost 65% higher than on computers/laptops, and you’ve got yourself a really compelling reason for making sure that your website developer makes your website adapt automatically for any screen orientation or size.
6. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
We know what you’re thinking: Even the most well-designed website in the world is no good if no one can find it. That’s where SEO comes in. Optimising your website means that it’ll rank higher in Google and other search engines for relevant keyword searches by potential customers and clients.
SEO can be a complicated and intricate business, which is why you really need to consider investing in a partnership with an SEO digital marketing company who can help your website traffic grow (and your leads along with it) by optimising your website for maximum online visibility.
The real cost of a not-so-great website
How much does a great website cost? Much like the prosaic answer “how long is a piece of string?”, it depends. Websites come in all shapes and sizes with different features, functions and requirements based on the industry and company. It’s hard to come up with a ballpark figure even but for a really great website, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect somewhere between $10,000 and $25,000.
The real cost however is in not investing in a professionally designed and developed website. How many potential leads are you missing out on by simply not being found online? How many willing customers and clients are leaving your website in frustration due to the slow loading times, confusing content, poor design, or terrible user experience?
Take it from us — we’ve been in the business for more than two decades, after all — if you want to increase your sales, improve your online visibility and really grow your business you need to find a professional company offering expert website design.
Go with our comprehensive website design services
Fortunately for you, when it comes to finding providers of website design in Brisbane you don’t need to engage six different companies to cover all the factors that make the difference between a bad website and a great one.
GO Creative provides comprehensive website design, maintenance and digital marketing solutions to customers across Australia. We know just about everything there is to know about great websites and we’d love to use our knowledge to help you achieve genuine results from your online presence.
Want to find out more? Contact us today for a completely free, no-obligation quote!
