Up until a few years ago, there were still some more traditional industries where a high quality website was not a high priority. The main ingredients for successful sales were a knowledgeable salesperson, a reputable company (as determined by the industry), quality products / services and the right price.

While these core ingredients are still key, the absence of a quality website is now holding some of these companies back. Potential customers are judging the quality of your products and services by the quality of your website. And further, they expect you to ‘look and feel’ like the major players in your industry.

Maurice Kindermann from Kintek, Brisbane’s leading website development company, has the following top tips for creating a successful and reputable online presence:

1. Design – without a modern design, your website can be perceived as out of date and your site can impact negatively on your brand
2. Critical information – think about the type of people who will visit your site. What are their needs and what do they need to know? Phone number, hours of operation, payment options, parking information etc? Present this information clearly and logically
3. Blog / news – if your website has information that is outdated, your visitors may think your business has stagnated. Have fresh information on your site (blog, news or twitter feed) to show your are active and interested in communicating with your customers
4. Social media links – people are increasingly turning to social media to see what their network thinks of your brand. If you don’t have a social media presence, customers may think you aren’t interested in engaging with them. You can use social media tools to gain rich market research information as well
5. Search engine optimisation – use the right content on your site to improve your Google ranking and help your customers find you (Kintek specialises in SEO)
6. Get mobile – roughly 12.7 million mobile handsets will be sold in Australia this year and Australia currently has the highest smart phone penetration level per capita in the world. It’s becoming increasing important to have a phone friendly version of your website. Think of the iTunes Store and the Android Marketplace as other great places for your brand to be found
7. Ecommerce – are you taking payments online? Payment can be for selling products or services or paying bills. More and more people expect their commerce transactions to occur online – are there payment processes you could automate online to make life easier for your customers and increase their brand loyalty?
8. Video – nothing improves the tangibility of your business online more than video. Videos of your products, client testimonials or business overviews are a great way to stand out among your competition and communicate quickly with your customers

Marketing websites – fast facts:

• We are now seeing the majority of marketing budgets being directed towards website development, email marketing and social media
• We will also start to see a greater complement between online and physical stores
• Eight-five percent of shoppers with an internet connection do extensive due diligence online before entering a store and making a purchase (BRW, September 15-21 2011 page 8)

For more information on creating an effective website or developing attractive website content, please contact me on 07 3899 8335 or info@marketsavvy.com.au.

Kind regards
Megan Walker