Your website is an important part of your business presence online. In most cases, it acts like a virtual version of your brick and mortar location, giving clients somewhere to go when they need products or information. Making that information available is extremely important, but it’s also important that you do so in the right way. If you’re in the process of creating a business website, keep this list handy to ensure that you have the right elements available at all times.
An About page
This may seem like just a tradition, but having an about page can be the difference between ensuring that you develop trust with your visitors and having them think twice about using your services. Always include an about page with info about your company, its history, and what you strive to offer over the competition.
Mobile optimization
This isn’t just a recommendation anymore–more people use mobile internet today than ever. This article by Smart Insights outlines just how fast the industry is growing.
What this means for your business is that you must be optimised for mobile web going forward.
Whether you have a small blog or a webshop, you want to ensure that your clients can use the information easily when they visit from a smartphone or mobile device. That means responsive design and the ability to easily drill down to the right page.
Social media integration
If you aren’t on Facebook and Twitter yet, you should be. Both are exceptionally good ways to boost your trustworthiness, and can help you to round out your business presence. This article in the Guardian offers an excellent overview of how and why you should always have a social media presence.
Offering clients an extra way to contact you directly also goes a long way to show that you’re willing to answer or address any questions. Thanks to Facebook’s built-in messaging and Twitter’s direct message capabilities, you can even answer right from your smartphone while on the go.
As an adjunct to this, you should also make sharing via social media quick and easy.
Robust security
Providing your customers with security and privacy is one of the most vital steps you can take towards better credibility. The reasons for this are outlined in this helpful and thorough infographic.
Your security will start when you choose the right host–as the server itself must be configured to prevent intrusion. Most modern hosting providers will provide this for you within your hosting package, but you may need to install some of these services from your cPanel or Plesk panel.
Once you’ve built your website, services like VeriSign, SSL, and SSL certificates can help you to show your clients that you’ve gone out of your way to keep their information safe. Mirror services can help to prevent denial-of-service issues, while complex login passwords can help to prevent incidental access.
Your business website is responsible for providing new clients with a good or bad first impression. By choosing the Best Web Hosting in the UK, you’ll be well on your way to creating a secure and useful environment they can enjoy. Use these tips to get you started on the path to success.
Photograph by Descrier Images