Polaris Design

At Polaris Design, we thought it might be useful to provide our visitors with what we think are the top 10 tips for a great website. Unfortunately, there is no magic recipe to create the perfect website, but to encourage people to visit again and again, some of these suggestions might help.

We’re always keen to hear your views so please feel free to leave your helpful comments for other visitors to our site.

1. Have a common theme and design running through your website. Keep all the pages the same. Navigation is the tool that visitors rely on most when visiting your site. Keep it in the same place on every page, that way no one gets “lost” and frustrated and presses the dreaded red X.
2. This tip relates somewhat to the first in that a good structure for your website is essential. Search engines and visitors like your website content to be well organised and easy to read. Use headings that are clear and point potential customers in the direction that you want them to go!
3. Customer exposure to the internet is huge. With huge numbers comes variation. It is important to take into account the needs and abilities of potential visitors to your site. Can your site be accessed by people with a visual impairment? Do the images on your site appeal to people of many cultures and background? Is it possible that your content may prove offensive? How easy would a sufferer of dyslexia find your site to read? Have you avoided the use of clashing colours which may affect people who are colour blind? Is the content of your site pitched at a level that can be read by the masses?
4. Make your website look professional. In days gone by, it was a novelty for a business to have a website and many amateurs tried their hand at creating their own. A website is now an integral part of any business and like other aspects of your business, it is something that you should invest in. Unless you are able to create your own professional looking site, it is imperative that you source a company who can build you an attractive, functional site. It may be tempting to spend as little as possible on a website, indeed, I’ve seen people who are only willing to spend as little as £150 on a small business website. Ultimately, you get what you pay for. If you generally retail your online goods at £50, you wouldn’t suddenly start selling them for £25. Website development is exactly the same. Although a website is not something that you can touch and feel, it is a tangible part of your business. For a well constructed website, you should be looking to invest a minimum of £300-£400 for a basic site and upwards of £1200 for a simple E-Commerce site. Check out on-line portfolios and ask for references.
5. A simple tactic to increase your online sales is to offer related items to what your customer has already purchased. For example, if you sell dog collars and a customer buys one, you might recommend that they buy a leash or a water bowl. Simple but effective.
6. Include testimonials on your website. Some consumers are still somewhat suspicious of purchasing on-line. Give your customers confidence by showing them that other people have visited your site, purchased items and are satisfied with them. Don’t try to pull a fast one and include fake reviews. Treat your customers as you would like to be treated – fairly and honestly!
7. Communication is key to building good customer relationships. Make a promise to your customers that you will respond to their enquiries within 24/48 hours and stick to it. Show yourself to be reliable and trustworthy, it will do wonders for your online reputation. Instilling confidence in your potential customers is a key factor in turning visitors into paying customers.
8. Incorporate social media into your website. Social media is a massive phenomenon which has great power in getting people to your site. Give your visitors the opportunity to share your site with their friends, work colleagues and family by ensuring you have social media functionality. Encourage people to bookmark your site and Digg your site. Have highly visible social media icons on your website, particularly when you have special offers or sales.
9. Consider registering your business/website with your local Chambers of Commerce. Being associated with a credible, well known association can build confidence in your business. You may also find that after joining your local Chamber of Commerce, there may be several ventures that might benefit your business, for example, the opportunity to speak at a C.O.C event, the opportunity to provide sponsorship. Membership to local Chambers of Commerce can cost as little as £180 per year.
10. Update your website content regularly. An easy way to do this is to create a blog. Let visitors to your site know what you’re doing, how you’re progressing and your general thoughts on your specific topic. A website that remains static for a long time becomes uninspiring and boring! Give your customers something to think about or comment on. Encourage your customers to interact on your website and be part of your website community. The more people you have participating in your website, i.e. leaving comments, positive feedback, you’ll tend to find, the more you get!

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this short article and that it’s proved useful in some small way! We’re in the process of implementing many of these points and look forward to launching our new website in the very near future. Keep visiting and if you require any help or advice, feel free to get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.

As always, we appreciate your comments and feel free to leave your website URL (great for creating inbound links!!!)