Not too long ago, an audit of over 9,000 Google My Business listings in USA found that 27% of businesses had no website. This number is probably much (much!) higher for businesses in India. Reasons for such poor website adoption rates in the country range from lack of knowledge and resistance to change to over-dependence on word-of-mouth marketing and referrals.

If you own or manage a business without a website, here are the advantages you’re missing out on!

• A website can help you generate more business through digital avenues (which are cheaper than traditional advertising or marketing channels)
• It provides ‘social proof’ of your company’s experience and competence in your industry
• It can be a great way to provide value to customers, which will help you build your brand’s reputation and recall value
• It can set you apart from your competitors and push you to the forefront in a crowded marketplace
• It helps you reach the right target audience, build relationships with them and convert them into customers and loyal brand advocates

And last but not least – customers are becoming more digital-savvy and they expect reliable businesses to have a website. So if you’re still resisting the idea, you’re telling them that you’re not reliable!

Get yourself a business website with these 5 effective tips for inspiration!

Tip 1: Get a good domain name

Your domain name (website’s address) is the entry point to your site and therefore it’s crucial that you choose it well. Try these ideas:

• Keep it short, easy to spell and memorable
• Try to use your company’s name as your domain name
• Use a good domain extension (if possible, use .com)
• Avoid numbers, special characters and hyphens
• Create SEO-friendly and user-friendly URLs

Tip 2: Invest in a good hosting provider

A website hosting provider offers the technology, expertise and services necessary to set up and maintain a website. Don’t skimp on this expense. A good provider will ensure that your site is always up and running with minimal downtime (which can be disastrous for any business).

Do your research, understand your own goals and determine your budget before you decide on a particular provider. Ask about their service plans and discounts (annual plans are typically cheaper than quarterly plans).

Make sure you sign up with a company that can provide phone and/or chat support so you can get help quickly if you have a problem with your website. Ask them about their security policies and maintenance processes.

Tip 3: Implement a good Content Management System (CMS)

A good CMS will help you maintain and update your site’s content even if you don’t have much technical knowledge. Choose a CMS that matches your unique needs and goals, such as user-friendliness, extensibility/scalability and budget.

WordPress is one of the world’s most popular CMS for websites. Other available CMS include Drupal, Wix, Joomla! and Squarespace. Talk to a website developer if you’re not sure what you need.

Tip 4: Create an interesting interface with valuable content

Your business website interface must leave a positive impression on your visitors and drive results for your organisation, whether it’s more leads, more conversions, greater visibility or deeper engagement.

Try these suggestions to make your website both interesting and valuable:

• Research your target audience to see what they want from your site and make it easy for them to get it
• Use easy-to-read fonts, beautiful graphics and soothing backgrounds
• Make sure your graphics are optimised for fast loading
• Maintain your brand’s personality throughout the site
• Publish easily-accessible contact information
• Include Call to Actions wherever appropriate (call us for more information, ask for quote, buy now, etc)
• Include a well-organised site map

Tip 5: Optimise your site with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Creating a website is not enough. To make it useful, search engines must be able to find it!

Implement SEO strategies to ensure that search engines index and rank your website, and then show it to search engine users. Because your site is competing with millions of other sites in a similar niche or providing a similar service; your website’s design and content will make the difference between visibility and obscurity. The better your design and content, the higher your site will show up on search engine result pages. This increases the probability that your site will be seen by your audience.

SEO strategies include:

• Keyword research and implementation (in copy)
• High quality and fresh (regularly-updated) content
• Improving loading speeds
• Optimising website code
• Website security with SSL certificates
• Mobile-friendly design
• High-quality backlinks
• Internal links to keep people on your site for longer
• Include links to your social media pages

Get a website developer and/or SEO specialist if you’re not sure how to do SEO for your site and which strategies are applicable to you.

A final word…

Remember that your business website should not be a static marketing tool that you create and then forget about. Your website should be a ‘living’ artefact that supports your brand’s goals consistently and continuously. Use technology to track your site’s performance and make changes if it falls short of your expectations. And implement a maintenance plan to protect your website and ensure that it continues to rank well in search engines.