As a small independent business, you will be interested in growth, and the only way you can achieve growth is by taking your business online. If you take a look at some of the big companies around the world, they all have one thing in common: a great website. Combine a website with a social media presence, and you can guarantee that by the end of next year, you will have the exact growth you are looking for. So, you know why it is beneficial to take your business online, but how exactly do you do it, and what do you need on a website? This guide will take you through everything you need to do for a successful setup.
Designing your website
Your website needs to be both functional and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. This can be a challenging aspect to grasp if you don’t have any prior knowledge of web design. However, there are plenty of resources out there that enable even those that are not skilled in coding to create a good website. You first need to decide whether you want to use a CMS, such as WordPress, or a free website builder, such as Squarespace.
If you find yourself feeling like you are in over your head, you might benefit from outsourcing to a professional who will be able to help you create your site. They will be able to rein you in from using too many fonts and color schemes and ensure that you are using the correct plugins.
Hosting
Having a website involves choosing the right host. If you are a small-medium sized business, then you would be better off having sharing hosting. However, as you are planning on growing into a much larger company, you will be better off choosing a VPS hosting as this allows for flexibility and growth.
There are several aspects you will need to consider before choosing a web host:
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How much traffic are you likely to get?
You want a host that will be able to manage large volumes of traffic and still allows the website to work as it should. You should compare the bandwidth speeds and customer service before making a decision.
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What is the purpose of your site?
What exactly will be on your site? If it is to advertise your handyman services as opposed to selling products, then the host will need to reflect this. Therefore, you need to fully understand the purpose of your site.
This then begs the question, what do you put on your site?
Completing your website
It is important to know that you are putting the right content on your website that will see to benefit you. This includes:
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Show that you’re insured
Your website is about more than just showing what services you offer; it is also about showing that you are a trusted business that people should use. Detailing that you have handyman liability insurance with a 24/7 live certificate will increase people’s trust in you, because it shows that you put care into all aspects of your business. They will know that even if you find yourself with unexpected troubles, you will still be there to provide the service for them, due to having the insurance in place. It also assures them that if they were to be involved in an accident while you are completing your services, they are protected too.
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Reviews
Reviews are a fundamental part of running a business. You need positive reviews to spread the good word about your business and recommend your business to customer’s friends and family. So, never discount the benefits of word of mouth. However, to reach more people, it would help if these reviews were included on your website. You can pull in live feeds from Google or Yelp.
Yes, there is a chance you will get some negative reviews. If you reply to negative reviews in a professional manner, you will show your other customers that you are keen to address those more negative aspects and want to provide an excellent service.
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Blog
A blog enables you to show off your expert knowledge. You can discuss a wide range of topics (as long as it’s still relevant to your business) and engage with your readers. Showing your expert knowledge will increase the trust levels and should, in turn, bring about more customers and sales. Then you can use that content on your social media, but that is for another blog post.
If you want help with your new website please reach out, we would be happy to help.