It’s a truism that the world of digital business is always changing, and this offers as many opportunities for businesses as it does challenges. Our guide focuses on three of the most important ‘rules’ to focus on when developing your business website.
Make sure your site is mobile optimized
Ecommerce is still showing an upward growth trajectory, but mcommerce is really taking off in a big way. The vast majority of websites are now built with mobile in mind – smartphones and tablets, and modern templates allow responsive design that adjusts to the device and screen that the user is accessing from. Choose a platform and template that automates or facilitates this as far as possible.
Be ready for social selling
The news that social media websites such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram are shortly going to offer variations on ‘buy it now’ buttons for instant commerce caused industry mayhem. After years of attempting to quantify the value of social media sites, the possibility for instant monetisation is huge – and businesses with existing social streams and presences will be well poised to benefit. If you don’t yet invest in social media as a business marketing and communications tool, consider doing so. Not only can you benefit from a free communications channel and targeted marketing currently – but you may benefit from a future direct sales channel, which will likely have a highly competitive pricing model.
Professionalism is key
It makes sense to use the services of an agency to get a professional website that can cope with the rigours of modern e-commerce. It also makes sense to invest in a Branding Agency like the ones at http://www.reallyhelpfulmarketing.co.uk/brand-development/ who will be able to get you an identity, a great design and photography.
Invest in quality analytics
All good websites now invest in detailed customer data that tells them how their users are engaging with the site, what they are doing when they visit, where they go next, and a myriad of other insightful statistics. Google Analytics provides this automatically, and your web developer can create an analytics report and dashboard, customised to your particular needs. Remember, data is key for your digital development, and these platforms facilitate its gathering in a way that print never allowed. Integrate your email marketing systems and you will be able to gather powerful data on your campaign success too – providing real ROI insights and helping you to target your budget and activity more carefully going forward.
Integrate and streamline processes
The ultimate aim for most businesses is to have a website that replaces low value administration tasks and instead empowers their customers to enjoy the benefits of some self service – such as account management, instant messaging, invoice retrieval, online ordering and so forth. By integrating with existing business systems, such as a CRM, the website allows seamless marketing campaign communications, and by use of analytics, continuous improvement measures can be put in place, so that the site is always evolving and delivering value.
These are just five ‘rules’ to help you focus on your next website development. What else is important to your digital strategy?
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