Your Most Important Asset in Business Is?

If you’re like me and run an on-line business, your website is your most important asset. Even if you are not, it is still very important as most people search the internet for information on just about everything. The goal is to drive traffic (visitors) to your site. The main driver of traffic is content. It should create inquiries, which can be clicks on products or direct contact with you. Your website must build your brand, and strengthen relationships with end-users. It can take years to build your reputation, but only minutes to destroy it. Content is one of the most cost effective ways to build your brand. On-line attention span doesn’t last long. People won’t a page full of text. It is important to break it up into blocks (4-6 sentences per block).

Before we get started on what your website should include, let’s look at the basic principles of web design.

1. Content must be clear, concise, and relevant

2. Always stick to one tense

3. Use titles, subtitles, and bullet points to break up text

4. Use lots of white space

5. Use simple sentences and paragraphs

6. Put the most important content at the top of each page

The first thing you need is a web domain. This is what pops-up when someone does a google search using a keyword. Or they could just type in your web address (also known as a URL). For example, I am a freelance writer. If someone types in writer, hopefully I’ll show up on the first page. My web address is www.partnerdavethewriter.com. Try to put what you do in your web address. Notice how I have writer in my web name. It is easy to remember and contains a keyword (writer). More on keywords in just a bit. You can register at places like godaddy and namecheap to name a few.

It’s important to remember that a website is a dynamic, living thing that is constantly evolving. The design is essential. We’ve hear the saying “you can’t judge a book by its cover.” Well, that does not apply to websites. A poorly designed website will send your visitors running, likely never to come back. You only have a few seconds to make a good impression. Make them count.

If you’re like me and aren’t very tech savvy when it comes to stuff like this, don’t “cheap out” and try to do yourself. Pay the few hundred bucks and hire a pro to do it. I paid $300 for my site on Wix. Worth every penny. In addition, I got a discount registering (and hosting) my domain name. There are other perks, like free apps that can do invoicing, a blog, analytics tools, and a 1-800 number.

Do you agree?

Next time I'll discuss how to design your website