A website is a powerful tool at your disposal. Now more than ever, customers and prospects are relying on the digital world to discover what you do and how you do it. By creating a great website, you can create great customer experiences – and great business. Here’s how!
To create an enjoyable experience for your user, you must know your user. Consider the different people who will visit your site: who are they, and what are they looking for? Understanding your different customers’ potential journeys through your site will help you decide which information is most relevant to include.
After all, you can only include so much information. Giant blocks of text on a site quickly become overwhelming, driving users away. Removing clutter and leaving room for white space can improve clarity, swiftly guiding visitors to what they want to see.
What do they want to see? For business owners in the door, frame, and hardware industry, you’ll want to clearly display the products and services you offer. Include information about your company’s history, mission statement, and team to develop a sharp image of who you are.
Remember that what you say is just as important as how you say it. Separate all your relevant information in a clear navigation menu, and make sure your most important information is the most eye-catching. This can be accomplished by using larger typography for more important pieces of text.
You should also consider your brand. The fonts, colors, and logos you choose will convey a unique tone to your customers, so you should choose them wisely – and use them consistently to maintain that tone. You can learn more about the benefits of strong branding in this blog post.
Regardless of your unique look and feel, you should make sure your branding feels up to date. Many companies in the construction industry built their websites years ago, so they follow the design trends of years ago.
Updating your website to embrace modern trends will convey greater credibility, as it suggests that your business is eager to embrace new tools, systems, and strategies. It can also help you stand out among competitors. For example, Univerus (Software for Hardware’s parent company) is updating its websites to stay sharp, cohesive, and optimized for current and potential clients.
In the modern age, it’s also important to make your website mobile friendly. A website design could look great on a laptop but then fall apart when you see it on a phone. Clear, bold fonts and simple layouts often look good on phones.
Fit Small Business also recommends using full-size images. Large images can be very engaging, especially if they showcase your services in action. Just be sure the images are compressed enough so they don’t take long to load. Long loading times will make users impatient and drive them away.
Another important factor is accessibility. To make your website usable to people with disabilities, you should add specific features such as a text-to-speech option and alt text on your images. Fit Small Business also recommends checking your website’s accessibility with an Accessibility Checker.
That’s a lot to keep in mind. So how do you start? You’ll have to decide if you’d rather create things with a website builder or website designer. Mailchimp outlines the differences between the two: website builders typically cost less and do not require as much technical skill, while website designers usually charge a monthly fee but offer more creative freedom.
Knowing your budget is important too. Depending on the level of customization and number of pages on your website, the cost will vary. Don’t break the bank, but know that a website is an important long-term investment.
After all, a strong website can build your brand, direct clients to important information, and connect your services to the people that need them. Modernizing your website will make an impactful first impression – especially in the door, frame, and hardware industry.
Anna Litofsky, Marketing Coordinator, Software For Hardware.
