Websites are one of a small business’s best marketing and branding tools. It’s the vehicle that lets you drive traffic to your products and services, interact with customers, and elevate your presence on the internet. A well-designed website can even help narrow the playing field between small businesses and larger operations. The key to a successful site is ensuring it operates in a way that’s tailored to meet your company’s unique requirements. Giraffe Marketing, LLC can help you design the perfect site that will serve your needs today, and into the future.

Plan for Expansion

Having a website professionally designed is a big undertaking, so it’s wise to consider your anticipated growth trajectory when making decisions about function and content. While you can always revise and edit content in the future and add new bells and whistles, there are some features that are easier to build in from the start. A professional web designer can help you access our needs, products, and services, and make recommendations accordingly. If you have a limited budget but some applicable design skills, you may be able to get by creating a serviceable DIY site. Various programs are available that allow you to develop basic wireframes and add content as needed.

What to Include

It’s a fine line between a website that’s attractively designed and easy to navigate and a jumble of information that’s tough to drill through. While every business has different needs, primary content for your site should include, at minimum, an “about us” section, a button for “services,” and “contact” information. According to Forbes, you can also enhance offerings by including a blog, a company directory or staff bios, demo videos, or an interactive chatbot feature, as well as a newsletter or photo gallery. If you sell products or services online, you’ll need a shopping cart system or e-commerce software that allows people to select, purchase, and ship products. In this instance, product photos and descriptions will also be a requirement.

Integration Features

For maximum efficiency, your Customer Relationship Management (SRM) tool should be integrated with your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. This will help optimize your internal processes. The easier you make it for your customers to navigate your site, do business with you, and contact you, the more consumer-friendly the site will become. Remember your social media links as well – this will help people continue to associate with you off-site. You can also use search engine optimization (SEO) words to help rank higher in search engines, and analyze metrics tracking to better understand consumer habits, including page clicks, time spent in various sections of your website, and conversion rates. 

Design Elements

A website should help you gain brand recognition, so ensure all elements of the site follow your established brand standards. This includes using your logo, your font, and your company colors throughout. You could retain an ad agency or graphic designer to create your banner, or save time and money by using an online banner maker that allows you to come up with a design that’s customized for your business. You can then use it on your website, as well as on other mediums, like  Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or your YouTube channel. All you have to do is use a banner generator, find a banner that matches your brand guidelines, and customize it with an appropriate font, color, or even animation. 

Websites are the hallmark of a business and serve as a visual and interactive representation of your company. Use your site to tell your story, express your appreciation for your customers, and promote the elements of your operations that set you apart from your competitors. Don’t forget to put your website address on everything you print or display – according to SCORE, the cross-promotion will help generate even more traffic and help your business grow.

Giraffe Marketing, LLC offers comprehensive web design services, social media strategies, and email marketing solutions. Reach out by email for a consultation!