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Expert Answers to Biz Questions
Listen in! Pick up some expert advice to a reader's question that we selected from CyberSchmooz.
Business Website Essentials
There are a plethora of things to focus on as a business owner. It's important to remember that your online presence is important and it has the potential to help you attract and maintain clientele. Having a well-designed website for your business can give you an edge over the competition.
Here are some vital components that every business website should include:
- “About Us” Page:
The “about us” section of a website serves an important function. It shows the people behind the business and the goals and vision they have for their business. A well-written about us section can make clients feel excited about being on the same page. Clients may feel a level of connection and camaraderie, which makes them more likely to choose your business.
- Free Live Chat Support:
One piece of customer service that seems to be lacking on many business websites is live chat support for clients. Business websites need free live support options to help customers. Whether they need help choosing, finding, or returning an item, having a live person to guide them through it makes a significant difference. Depending on the type of business, live chat support could also help clients book services or answer any account maintenance questions. Live chat support can become a vital part of your customer service offerings.
- Get Something In Return
Anytime someone comes to your site it is usually in search of something so don’t let them leave without giving you something in return, most notably their email address. Email has become the new direct mail and the best way to stay in touch with previous, present, or future customers. For example, a CPA may want to send some free tax tidbits out to their local business owners and maybe a supplement company like Purple Tree, wants to send coupons and updates on their new hangover anxiety products. The moral of the story is that no matter who you are, get emails!
- Contact Information:
From a customer perspective, it can be extremely frustrating when you want to contact a business but their website doesn't include contact information or it's buried and hard to find. Your business website should make the address, phone number, email, and social media easy to find for clients. This small step might prevent many clients from taking their business elsewhere in frustration when they can't reach you.
- Good Functionality/Design:
A business website should look professional. It should have a streamlined and coherent design throughout. This gives an air of legitimacy and trustworthiness to the business. The website should also be user-friendly. The client should know how to find whatever they are looking for and it should work when they get to the page. If the website has lots of errors and bugs, no one will want to come back.
- Search Bar:
Giving your website a search function is a good idea. If clients can easily find what they are looking for, they are more likely to want to purchase it. When the client is able to save time and energy, it boosts their overall view of the website and business itself. A search bar for your website may seem small, but it can be an added piece of convenience that transforms your clients' experience positively.
- Blog:
Blogs can be very beneficial and valuable for a business website. They give you and your business a chance to be seen in a creative and non-commercial light. They add another layer of humanity and connection to your site for clients to enjoy. A blog will be able to add valuable information, answer questions, spark ideas, and give your clients a reason to stay on your site longer. Clients will appreciate the added level of interactivity a blog brings.
In today's technology-driven economy, your business's website is a critical piece of your success. Often times, your website will be the first impression potential clients have of your business. Being strategic and having a high-quality business site will benefit you and your clients.
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