What type of Website Does My Business Need?
Unfortunately the answer is it depends. It depends not just on the business requirements but also your commitment to maintain and update the site. Websites can be either static (you set it and forget it) or they can be dynamic (they are regularly updated and encourage interaction). But let’s not get into that right now. What are the basic types.
Well the simplest of all sites is a one page website which is just what it says. There are not many instances when this type of site is suited to a small business, but if you just want a basic web presence this may suit.
A much better solution is a brochure site. These are usually 4-5 pages long and contain basic details about the business e.g. what it does, opening hours, location, address, contact info etc. If professionally designed they will create a good impression with potential and existing customers/clients.
An information site builds on the concept of a brochure site adding informative content related to your area of expertise. You may offer guides, how tos, faqs etc. The purpose of such a site is to demonstrate your expertise and to share some of your knowledge for free. In so doing you build trust and open the door to potential business from new and existing customers by linking such information to your product and/or services.
An e-commerce site enables you to sell products online. Customers find what they are looking for, place and order and pay for the item in one seamless process. You then process the order and ship the goods to the customer. In the right market and e-commerce site can be very lucrative when combined with an appropriate marketing campaign.
Modern websites should all be built with a Content Management System (CMS) at their foundation. A CMS enables you to easily update the site (without the need for additional web design fees). They also enable the site to be expanded easily from a single page site to a thousand page fully blown e-commerce site. So as the needs of your business grow your site can easily be scaled to grow with it avoiding the need to start all over again.
Another advantage of CMS based sites is that if you want to give your website a different look or feel this can easily be achieved with a change of design template at a very low cost. All our websites are based on the Wordpress CMS which is very powerful and freely available. Worpdress is probably the most popular CMS in the world today and not just because it is free but more of that in a later article.
We are pleased to offer brochure sites starting from just £149.oo. This price includes email and a years free hosting. To find out more call us today on 01258 858466 or email your enquiry via our contact form.
