Even business websites need strong foundation

Building a business website is much like a construction project: the better the foundation, the better the results.

For an existing or future website the business owner should consider how a website furthers the overall marketing strategy and how much of a web presence is needed to accomplish the company’s goals.

A web platform allows a business to introduce itself and its products and services to a world of potential customers, but some small businesses try to do too much.

Delivering multiple web-based services — a blog, a chat helpline or an online store — requires a substantial commitment of human and financial resources. Customers will know and assume the business is as unreliable as its website if that commitment isn’t there.

It’s best to create a web strategy that flows from the business plan of the company. Potential clients don’t just visit a company website to get hours and offerings. They check to see if the business has its act together.

A basic website can be created at little to no-cost by anyone who can follow directions at do-it-yourself web-building sites.

A more sophisticated site usually requires hiring a professional website designer.

The business owner should become familiar with the language of web marketing and electronic commerce before interviewing candidates to maximize the collaboration with a web designer. They should research competitors’ websites and note the features that are appealing or not.

The owner will also need to know who actually owns the website, who is responsible for registering the domain name, and what the particulars are regarding the host.

Armed with a marketing plan, the owner can approach website designers and discuss what’s to be created, how long it will take, and who’s responsible for managing content.

It is important to have an idea of how the website is laid out and how the user will navigate the menu. Every website in today’s world should accommodate social media and mobile devices. A custom application may be in order for certain businesses.

Another key item is the type of analytics that can be used to measure traffic, results, and how it’s monitored. Owning the domain name, fully controlling the website, and understanding the relationship to the host is like adding steel reinforcement to prevent future problems.

By building on a solid foundation, the business owner will end up with a website that adds to the bottom line and not to the workload.

Gordon Smith recently retired as a business specialist at the Small Business Development Center at Clovis Community College. Call the center at 769-4136 or visit http://www.nmsbdc.org/clovis