We are living in the depths of the digital age, where if you or your business cannot be found online – it is as though you do not exist. Your website can make or break your business or brand, and can be your most effective marketing tool if created optimally. Are you a business owner looking to take your business online, or perhaps someone looking to improve a website you already have?

Read further and gain insight on Simple Strategies for an Effective Website that works for you.

There’s no doubt about it. Planning is essential.

Take a moment to think to yourself, “Why do I need this website, what are my objectives?”

This will set the tone for designing a strategic website which has an aesthetically pleasing user interface which is user friendly, looks great and will help you accomplish your set objectives. Try not to focus on the latest design trends – while it is always great to be on trend, you do not want to compromise achieving your intended function.

Think about your target audience and brand image. The best websites are customer focused. Present your website in an organized, interesting fashion so that your visitors can find the information they seek at ease. For example, a good blog should focus on readability rather than style – since it is not a marketing brochure. A good internet casino should focus on showcasing their games in an exciting manner and use copy (text) which promotes trust. A good children’s website will be bright and colourful to keep their attention. Each business or brand has a different goal and target audience in mind – as well as their own brand image, and you need to cater effectively to that when considering the design and colour scheme.

You may consider creating your website by yourself and we advise that, unless you are a web design professional yourself, rather leave it to the professionals! Web designers know what they are doing and what design style suits your objectives. If you create a sub-par website due to lack of design skill and usability, your target audience will be deterred, as first impressions last.

Make sure your website is easy to navigate. Organize your pages into logically named terms on your menu so that your visitors don’t need to guess where they will find what they are looking for. For all your text, avoid using difficult industry jargon and write in conversational language so that everything is easy to understand. Give your visitors information in a transparent manner and allow them to make their own decisions – do not try and “hype-up” your brand, product or service as this will seem insincere.

Use original, high quality images. Stock images are too generic and do not paint a realistic picture of your specific brand or business. Invest in having professional images taken which share your brand/business personality in a sincere manner. “Stories in text bore, stories told visually engage – and sell” according to 10 Simple Rules of Visual Storytelling.

Make sure that your visitors can contact you with ease. Place your contact information in various places, as well as be sure to have a contact page on your menu. Your contact information should never be more than one click away, or your visitor will simply not bother to contact you.

Lastly, be sure to add clear call to actions on every page, telling your visitors what you would like them to do next. Lead them down the path of contacting you or making sale, and ensure that it will match your visitor’s mindset.

Good luck creating your new website, let us know in the comments if these tips worked for you!