David Bakke is a business owner based in Atlanta and contributing team member of one of the top personal finance resources, Money Crashers.
If you’re just starting out in the world of entrepreneurship, you’ve got your hands full. As your company’s leader, you have to oversee the entire operation and devote yourself to a great many daily tasks, including website maintenance. Unless you’re an IT expert, you should rely on a professional to help you set-up and make the best recommendations on web hosting options, file compression, HTML tags, and any other technical aspects. After setup is complete, however, the ball is in your court. There are plenty of things you can do to improve and manage your site on your own, so read on to learn how.
1. Limit the Use of Videos
A video is a great tool for marketing your business, just be careful when posting multiple videos on your website. They slow down page load times, and you could frustrate potential customers. Consider posting them on YouTube instead, and include a link on your site. When producing your videos, limit them to two minutes each at the most. After this point, most viewers are likely to start tuning out.
2. Focus on Content
A solid web design is important, but your content is just as essential. Provide readers with expert advice based on your experience, and whenever possible, give them information they’re not likely to find elsewhere. Keep your posts brief and to the point, use a list-based format whenever applicable, and always include a call to action at the end that encourages your readers to chime in with their thoughts.
3. Don’t Get Over-Exuberant With Advertising
Once you develop a following online, you’re likely to get inquiries from advertisers who want space on your website. While this is an excellent way to generate revenue, don’t overdo it. Filling your home page with lot of flashy consumer ads can clutter it and make it seem overly promotional. Make sure your website is dominated by your content, and not drowned out by too much advertising.
4. Include an “About Us” Section
Including an “About Us” section can provide your readers with the story behind your business. Make it creative and compelling, and include relevant photos of you, your team, and your offices. Your customers are going to want to know that they are in fact dealing with real people, so projecting an image of warmth and competence can go a long way to converting prospects into customers.
5. Create a Comprehensive FAQ Tab
While your hope is that customers peruse your entire website, most are going to have specific questions they want answered before they dig too deep. For that reason, it’s important to include a comprehensive FAQ section. Include details on how your service or product works, how much it costs, what your return policy is, how quickly orders ship, and how you can be contacted. This is a great way to make your website more functional and improve customer service as well.
Final Thoughts
Your website in most cases is going to be the first point of contact for most potential customers, so it’s important to get it right. Seek help from IT professionals, but also use your own common sense. Make your site easy to read and quick to load and keep all content specific and to the point. That’s the best way to succeed in the beginning as a first-time entrepreneur.
What website tips do you have for first-time entrepreneurs?
