If you are getting into, or are already involved with, the internet marketing game then you should, at least, have some sort of clue as to how your website should be setup, how it should be displayed to your audience, and the blueprint behind successfully turning those website users into money.
If you do not know anything about website layouts nor have you done any research as to successful websites and THEIR layouts, you need to go back before going forward with this. Do your due diligence and put in the time to make this what it should be – a well-rounded, well oiled machine.
You Can’t Just Hit Publish
Sites are not successful just by slapping text, images, and videos on to a webpage and hitting publish. Thousands of man hours have been poured into why people click what they click, where they look when a page first loads, how long they stay on a page, where they want to go to find what they need… it’s all a science and it is very real.
For instance, go to a website right now. Anything – go to CNN, ESPN, or Toys R Us websites. What is the first thing you do, whether you realize it or not? You look at the top left corner of the screen. Now, do you think it may be vital for you to put something uber important into that position? If you are a brick and mortar business, get your phone number right there instead of your logo. They do not need to be pleased by the way your company logo looks as much as they need your phone number to just call you with their question (as opposed to searching through your website for it).
A majority of web users just want a couple items from your website. They want to know your prices and how to contact you in some form. That is, honestly, about it. Unless you are a special niche related site like user uploaded videos or some kind of specialty, that is why they are on your webpage.
Take Your Time And Do It Right
This particular post is not to give away my personal web design secrets and tips but moreso a way to get you to realize that you can not just jump into this and slap stuff together hoping it works. You are the cog wheel that turns this engine and it is done when you do your proper research, ask the questions that need asked, and by just plain out doing the work.
The luxury of internet marketing is that you work for yourself. The downside to internet marketing is that you work for yourself. Stop making excuses, stop drifting along, and stop coasting on the success of others. Get out there, do the damn work, and make yourself successful.
With that said, your website needs to be a few things. It NEEDS, ABSOLUTELY NEEDS, to work on any device from laptop to cell phone or tablet. This is called a 100% responsive website. You may not be a coder or developer, which is fine, there are plenty of free and paid templates you can use to gain this objective. However, without it, you will sink. You site definitely needs a way for people to contact you from a phone number or a web form. How can you talk to your potential clients without it?
All very simple stuff but it must be done in order to achieve greatness.