It’s been a very busy start to 2011 in the JB and G camp, as we continue to design and code our beautiful web sites for our clients! We wouldn’t have it any other way. read more…

Here at JB and G Design, we don’t normally hand our trade secrets, however we have decided to let you in on a few top tips to help your website success and continue to do so! Remember, if you need to ask any questions about your new website project or current website then please don’t hesitate in contacting us today.

Keep your site fresh and up to date!

The saying “A web site is never truly finished.” Are wise words to live by. You must continually add to your site, reread it, and make it better. Repeat visitors are generated by a changing website. Try adding a page or updating content of existing pages once a week. This not only helps keep your website looking fresh to returning clients, but search engines love a website which is updated with fresh copy.

Website Copy

You will have to weigh up the balance between the benefits (a benefit of your product is associated with the emotion that it will conjure up in your potential customer) and the features (a feature of your product is what your product does).

A lot of marketing experts say that you should stress the benefits of your product. By stressing the benefits you are playing on the emotions of your potential buyer. You are trying to hook them – to get them to buy – because your product satisfies their most basic needs. For instance, they need your product because it’s going to make them look and feel better about themselves.

However, also realise that the internet is not like any other sales medium that you’ve dealt with in the past. On the internet, people have time to peruse your site. They have time to not only be “hooked” by the benefits, but they really want to know about the features.

So – on your home page – play a little with their emotions – but then – get on to the meat of the subject and barrage them with the features of your product! If you don’t do this – they are going to move on to another site which more fully explains their products.

Another factor to consider when it comes to website copy is general writing strategies.

Visitors to your website must have the ability to scan a page on your website and find the information they want quickly. You can aid this by keeping paragraphs short (around 2-4 sentences), through the appropriate use of headings to make our sections is also important also the use of lists to display certain information.

When writing copy it is also important to think about the effects of search engines. Include key phrases about your products and your location (if you want to be found for a specific area) throughout your site, as long as they are relevant and not over used then this will all help towards your search engine rank.

Pictures

We’ve all heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” and this is true! The correct use of imagery on a website can really make a difference not to the overall look and feel of a site, but also to its success. If you are selling products then show off what you are selling with stunning photos, people want to see what it is they’ll be buying, especially if you don’t have a physical shop whereby a client can go, pick up and touch your products, then they are relying solely on the use of photography and your description of an item.

Navigation

Navigation is critical to the usability of your website. If you do not have clear and concise navigation techniques in place then the chances of your website failing are high. If you cannot find your way around a website then the chances are you will leave that site and not return to it.

Keep your navigation easy to see and use and keep it consistent. If you have a navigation bar at the top of your website then keep it there for the rest of your pages. If you begin moving your navigation around then a user will struggle to find it and could result in them leaving your website.

Credibility

The credibility of a website is crucial, especially if you are selling products online and expecting people to pay with a credit card on your website.

A few ways of achieving this include:

• SSL Certificate for online purchasing
• Client Testimonials
• Your Own Domain Name
• Complete Contact Information
• A Privacy Statement

Research

Web Technology changes at a very fast rate, and unless you keep up with the latest technology then you will find yourself falling behind very fast. As a result you could be missing out on new and exciting ways to promote your website and draw in more visitors.

The best ways to keep up to date with what’s going on in the technology word, other than to visit our blog includes:

• Subscribing to Newsletters
• Visit Web Technology News websites
• Visit sites which give out advice on web design and promotion, such as ourselves!

In Summary

When it comes to websites it really is a case of “you get out of it what you put in to it” and for the most part it isn’t very time consuming or expensive.

If you want to find out how JB and G Design can offer you extensive advice on any of these points, or any other questions you may have then please don’t hesitate in contacting us today.