By Kevin Krason
September 17, 2009
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. For many businesses today, the opportunity to catch someone’s interest comes via your company’s Web site. Generally, if a prospective client is serious about seeking your services, that person will have “Googled” your company before even speaking to you. So is your Web site up to date?
One of the biggest misconceptions is that updating your Web site costs tens of thousands of dollars. The truth is, unless you are redesigning your site or adding advanced functionality such as e-commerce or community features (i.e., a blog or forum), most sites need just a little TLC and a few hours of work. Utilizing your current functions and content, you can get away with simply performing a little design and content modification.
To determine whether your site simply needs a little maintenance work or a completely new design, research if your Web traffic has decreased dramatically over the last two to three years and why this may be the case. Basically put, what worked three years ago may not be the best solution today, which is why you should have your site reviewed by a professional at least every other year.
When reviewing your content, determine whether it reflects your current product lines, service offerings and brand, respectively. You also will want to evaluate whether it is still meeting your business objectives in terms of generating traffic, sales leads and/or purchases.
For most businesses, the general rule of thumb is that your Web site should be updated every two to three years. However, if generating repeat traffic to your site is your goal, providing fresh, compelling content (i.e., press releases, articles, videos, presentations and/or product or service discounts), which exists both on your Web site and on third party Web sites linking back to your site, is imperative. Updating frequently also can help your site achieve a higher ranking in the search engines.
Contrary to popular belief, you can use a different Web developer than the person who originally created your site. If that person is no longer available, hiring someone new enables you the opportunity to have a fresh set of eyes review your current site and offer counsel on possible changes.
Whether you are seeking to have your Web site simply renovated or completely rebuilt, hire someone who is willing to listen to you and understand your business objectives and how you will measure your site’s success. Prior to meeting that individual, you should be prepared to answer four questions:
1) Who is your target audience?
2) What is your business objective?
3) How are you going to measure your site’s success? Traffic? Sales leads? Purchases?
4) What is your budget?
By answering these questions, your prospective developer will be able to provide you with the best possible solution.
Finally, after narrowing your list of prospective Web developers, check their backgrounds. Review the sites on which they have worked. Reach out to their clients and talk to people with whom you network to provide a reference. You may even wish to contact a local organization such as the Better Business Bureau or the local Chamber for further information.
Maintaining your Web site is certainly a lot of work, but, considering you want to capture a prospective client’s interest, shouldn’t you do it right?
Kevin Krason is president and founder of Biznet Internet Solutions a full-service Web solutions company based in Wixom, Mich.