What Does Your Website Really Say About Your Business?

A Tale of Two Salesmen…

Picture this — you walk into an appliance store planning to purchase a new refrigerator. You’re not quite sold on a specific make or model, but you have an idea of the features and the price you want to pay. You seek the help of an associate to find the right one.

Two idle salesmen immediately catch your eye, but for vastly different reasons.

One is smiling, his hair is combed, and his clothes are clean.

The other looks lost and disheveled, his clothes haven’t been in style (or washed) in years.

Who are you going to ask for help?

Most of us, naturally, would choose the first salesman — because he made a superior impression before he even said a word.

The appearance of your website can have the same effect, whether it’s good or bad.

First Impressions in a Digital Age

Something all Mid-Michigan business owners should realize is that their website is their most important salesperson.

It’s the face of the company.

Whether customers can buy directly from the site or not, the look and feel is selling you to the customer.

It’s a critical first impression to make on potential customers, and we’re not just talking about a few people either.

In a survey conducted by PR Newswire, a whopping 76% of respondents said they look for a company’s website before deciding if they’ll visit. A separate study published on Linkedin puts that number closer to 97%!

But if you were looking for a business to follow up with a visit, which would you pick? A business with a site that looks clean, modern and functions well? Or a business with a site that’s akin to a MySpace page?

Perception Is Reality.

Michigan customers form opinions in seconds. A glance at your website can tell them if you’re modern, approachable, serious, tech-savvy, local, expensive, cheap, and a whole lot more.

Your website is your chance to shape those opinions out of the gate. The photos you select, the layout of your pages, the wording you post all shape perceptions of your business and can bolster or cool customer confidence.

Walk the Walk, Too.

Beauty truly is only skin… or in this case… screen deep.

A gorgeous looking site with terrible navigation, slow load times, or broken links is still a major problem.

Having a good web layout tells your customers you handle your business with professionalism and care. That you value their time and want to make their lives easier.

Creating a stronger site doesn’t have to mean taking on more burden either — If you haven’t already, check out our guide to smart online smart tools that can automate tasks and make your site easier to manage.

Don’t Let Your Site Stagnate.

If your business is growing or changing, your site should too.

A site redesign isn’t purely cosmetic. You want your online presence to mirror your company’s capabilities, goals, and clientele.

If you expand your services or move into new markets, let your customers know!

Your site should have a page dedicated to each service you provide or area you operate in. This not only helps customers know what you do and where you do it, but it helps boost your search ranking on Google, too.

Common Red Flags and What To Do.

Does your website have any of the following?

• An old copyright date
• Cramped or dysfunctional mobile layout
• “Under construction” pages or broken links
• Stock photos with no personality
• Confusing menus
• Inconsistent branding
• No clear call to action (what are customers supposed to do next?)

If one or more of the items on this list described the current state of your website, it might be time to consider a refresh.

You don’t need to hire a full-time tech team to re-build your site, you just need a local partner you can trust to do the job with your best interests in mind.

Ready to Update?

Queue Development is a Mid-Michigan-based web developer that can help you re-think how your website looks as much as how well it functions, and of course, how people find it.

If you’re ready to improve your online presence and start increasing sales, start the chat today. Email them at [email protected].