The Wide World of Websites
In the early days of the internet, websites did not have the same purpose as they do today. Back then, you may have invested in a website to provide customers with basic information. Websites were seen as value adds, but they were far from being one of the most important parts of a business.
Today, the case is basically the opposite. Consumers expect a user-friendly site experience (including while mobile!) and they look for business information on websites more than ever before. Websites can house content, provide location information, act as a landing page for online marketing efforts, among many other functions. Your website is the technological bridge between you and your customers.
But, does that mean you have to spend multiple thousands of dollars on a brand new website? Not necessarily! There are times when a landing page will suffice, or perhaps just a small website. This will save costs and may actually be more effective! I’m here to help break down what type of website is the most suitable for your particular situation. Here we go!
WHY A WEBSITE IS ESSENTIAL TO YOUR BUSINESS
It is important to recognize that a website is your personalized online voice. When properly thought out, a website needs to be consistent with the voice and tone that you direct towards your target audience.
As I mentioned before, the public expects to be able to navigate websites with relative ease. They also form their judgements of your business based on the design itself. According to SWEOR, it takes about 50 milliseconds (that’s 0.05 seconds) for users to form an opinion about your website that determines whether they like your site or not and whether they’ll stay or leave. Websites are subject to snap judgements.
Some other stats from the same source:
- 57% of internet users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed website on mobile
- 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive.
- 88% of online consumers are less likely to return to a site after a bad experience.
After reading such statistics, it becomes easier to fathom why marketing and advertising efforts are best accomplished when they’re integrated with a user-friendly web presence. Marketing materials, whether on Google, Facebook, or any other platform, are best used when they direct consumers to a specific web page in order to provide your service. With that being said, what kind of website will YOU need in order to maximize your marketing efforts?
Below are the three main types of websites that are required for effective marketing.
LANDING PAGES
What is it?
A landing page is a single web page that either forms part of a larger website, or stands alone online as a destination page.
Who is it best for?
Landing pages are best suited to businesses that do not need to have users interact with its site. Instead, the focus is on a single marketing objective or a small collection of objectives. Landing pages are focused, purpose-driven, and very effective when they’re designed properly.
What are its main features?
Landing pages generally contain a form of some kind and is the place where all your advertising campaigns would land when users engage with those advertisements via some type of “Call To Action”. The page can generally be integrated into various other online tools such as Google Analytics, and can contain other basic marketing tools, such as a lead magnet.
Here are two great examples of landing pages that we’ve designed and developed:
SMALL WEBSITES
What is it?
A small website, by our standards, is a collection of web pages with a common domain that is generally 3-7 pages in size. It is an extension of your standard landing page.
Who is it best for?
The main purpose of a small website is to expand on the functionality of a standard landing page. This generally becomes necessary when there is too much content to fit into a landing page, necessitating additional pages. This keeps content organized and straightforward, instead of trying to crowd a single page with varying content.
What are its main features?
Small websites are ideal places to expand on your business’s history, and giving them a deeper understanding of who you are. They’re a great way to share projects and services, attract investors, or for general marketing. A small website breaks your content into smaller sections that keeps your content organized and easy to navigate.
Here are two great examples of small websites that we’ve designed and developed:
CUSTOM WEBSITES
What is it?
A custom website is for those businesses that are too complex and multifaceted for a small website. This complexity can range from the amount of product offerings, to the type of product offering. Structured planning is required to properly execute a functional and user-friendly custom website. They are also more time-consuming to build and maintain.
Who is it best for?
A custom website is best for businesses that require an online store, or one that has a multitude of services that cannot adequately be explained with the use of a small website. There is a story to tell, and this requires a structured website with various navigation options, pages, and features. This is especially true when products are constantly updated (ie. a car company that sells new models of vehicles every single year).
What are its main features?
Custom websites are defined by a multitude of advanced web tools and they’re higher-level in their ability to integrate with your digital marketing efforts. They allow for more written content in order to tell your business’ story and they’re designed to keep visitors on the website as long as reasonably possible. With a custom website, you have more control over functionality as it is a more complex solution to specific needs.
Here are two great examples of custom websites that we’ve designed and developed:
CONCLUSION
As we’ve detailed, the answer to your website needs is not always a multiple thousand dollar endeavour. The most important place to start is by determining what your unique needs are that require the presence of a website, and then delve deeper into the various web options available to you.
Websites are the bridge between you and your customers, so make sure your bridge is carefully planned, purpose-built and ready to serve!
At Sproing Creative, we have a dedicated website team to help plan, design and build purpose-driven websites that consumers love to interact with. We’ve recently launched some great website packages, too! Take a look here.
