IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY GOTTEN REAL ABOUT YOUR WEBSITE, IT'S TIME TO GET REAL ABOUT YOUR WEBSITE.

ALLOW ME TO ELEBORATE...

Believe it or not, many folks in this new era of commerce still view managing their website as some kind of an after thought. They're not using their "place of business" on the web in an effective way and, perhaps, for a variety of reasons; laziness, fear of technology, lack of technical skills, not knowing where to start, not knowing which web designer to hire, lack of budget for a website, etc. etc. etc.

Now, I want be clear that I'm not talking about Facebook business pages, I'm not talking about Google, I'm not talking about Yelp reviews, Youtube channels, Twitter, Instagram, none of the above... I'm talking about OWNING YOUR OWN DOMAIN and MANAGING A WEBSITE.

“oh yeah, well, I guess I should put up a website for my business... just cause, well, I have to have a website... right!?”

YEAH, PRETTY MUCH! (Commence Forehead Smacking)

I'M GOING TO BE CANDID, HERE:

IF YOU AREN'T EFFECTIVELY MANAGING, MAINTAINING, AND LEVERAGING USE OF A WEBSITE FOR YOUR BUSINESS, YOU ARE LOSING BUSINESS!!!

And probably lots of business.

WHAT IS A WEBSITE?

I'm breaking it down to the lowest common denominator here simply because I think we could ALL be doing MUCH more to make our websites work for our business. I mean, "what is a website?" seems like kind of a silly question in this day and age until you really stop and think about it. I really want you to think VERY CRITICALLY about these questions for a moment;

Why do I have a website?
Why do I need a website?
How is my website helping my business?

I've come up with a definition of what I think a website is in our modern digital era and that is:

A website is the most important piece of “real estate” you can own, manage, and operate outside of your brick & mortar facility.

THINK OF YOUR WEBSITE AS "DIGITAL REAL ESTATE"

If I were to visit your place of business, store, studio would I find it in shambles? In various stages of disrepair? Messy? Unwelcoming? GOSH, I sure hope not, and I'm going to assume the answer is a resounding "NO" because you take pride in your work and are devoted to giving the best possible experience to your customers and clients.

Think of your website as the DIGITAL version of your PHYSICAL place of business. Is your website in shambles? Is it in disrepair? Is it messy? Unwelcoming? ***GET REALLY REALLY HONEST WITH YOURSELF ABOUT IT.***

Think about your favorite websites. Websites you visit regularly, perhaps... A few archetypal examples to help you out:

http://www.amazon.com
http://www.apple.com
http://www.nike.com

Now ask yourself some questions about your favorite websites:

Why do I like this website?
Is the design beautiful and user friendly?
How does my business website compare to my favorite website?
Is my website consistent with my branding?
Have I done all I can to make my website the digital version of my physical business?

THINK ABOUT PURPOSE

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF YOUR WEBSITE?

Oh, off the top of my head:

To drive Sales
Educate customers, patrons, clients
Enhance and advance business opportunities
Create and build a community
Practical Applications, Web tools, and digital services
Entertainment
Digital Webstore

It's important for you to consider the purpose of your website so you can design a GREAT website that works best for your business. So let's talk ingredients of a great website, shall we?

What are the winning ingredients of a great website?

In an effort to make it simple, I've come up with 3 winning ingredients to a great website. YOU MUST make your website:

1. Simple:

What is the user experience (UX) on your website? Is it pleasant? Frustrating? Confusing?

In today’s competitive market, a website that is difficult or frustrating to navigate equals the loss of sale and loss of interest. Making the user experience a fantastic, positive and memorable experience allows you to retain attention and significantly increases your chances of closing a sale.

2. Functional:

Does your website serve your business (customers, clientele, residents and investors) in a way that promotes the purpose or mission of your business?

A website must be functional and serve it’s purpose to the business. To do this your website must focus on serving the end user (customer, resident, client) first and foremost. Functionality also includes promoting the purpose and mission of your business and gives your business a digital identity. It’s essential that your website enables you to create interest (or BUZZ) for your business, develop a relationship with potential buyers, and most importantly increases your chances of closing a sale.

3. Beautiful:

Is your website aesthetically pleasing or is it an eye-sore? Is it consistent with the branding of your business?

Branding your digital real estate with beauty is an important aspect to creating a pleasurable user experience with your website. The brand is everything, here; your visual identity, the content you create and push, the copy you display, the overall feeling one gets from your business, product or service. Your message and your mission. A beautiful website enhances the user experience and leaves a memorable impression on the user. When you’ve created a beautiful, memorable experience on the web you increase your chances of closing a sale.

MAKE YOUR DIGITAL REAL ESTATE A SIMPLE, FUNCTIONAL, AND BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCE FOR USERS AND YOU WILL INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCESS IN YOUR BUSINESS.

If you have any questions or would like to get deeper about it, I'd love to help. Please get in touch!

-Josh Schroeder

Digital Real Estate