<\/p>\n

Stop.<\/strong>\u00a0 Step back and take a look at your business, not from your point of view, but from the eyes of the consumer.\u00a0 We all get wrapped up in the day-to-day operations of our business and it’s easy to overlook our appearance from the outside.\u00a0 With a wealth of information at our fingertips, the first impression of a company is most often derived from its website as a person searches for a particular product or service.\u00a0 As we know, first impressions are critical.\u00a0 So take a moment to pull up your website and ask yourself the following questions (keep your customer in mind when doing so):\u00a0 Can you find your website in a Google search for your product or service?\u00a0 Is the site visually appealing?\u00a0 Is the content up to date?\u00a0 Can you find the information you are looking for and is it easy to navigate?\u00a0 Does the overall design and layout look modern?\u00a0 Compared to other sites for competing companies, would your online storefront win the business?<\/p>\n

If your answer to any of the above questions is “no”, then perhaps it’s time to rethink your online strategy and consider a website redesign.\u00a0 An out of date website can give an impression that the core of your business is outdated as well.\u00a0 If you walked into a dental clinic sporting wood panel walls, orange shag carpet and an office manager on a rotary phone, would you feel comfortable asking for a root canal?\u00a0 Ok, so nobody in his or her right mind would ever ask for a root canal!\u00a0 My point is that this could be the best dentist around, but you would never know based on the first impression from walking into the office.\u00a0 Take a moment and ask yourself this:\u00a0 How do you want your business to be perceived and does your website give off this perception?<\/p>\n

Aesthetic appeal is important and pertains to the artistic design and layout of your website.\u00a0 Overall, this will have the most impact on the first impression of your business.\u00a0 Studies have shown that little things such as a color scheme or font choice can have a psychological impact on one’s perception.\u00a0 The layout for graphic elements and information is also important and should flow in a way that coincides with the natural tendencies our eyes have in scanning a page.\u00a0 Believe it or not, there are hot spots where eyes tend to gravitate on websites and this needs to be taken into consideration. More information on eye movement patterns as it relates to web design can be found here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Functionality and user experience of a site is also extremely important.\u00a0 How many times have you searched for information on a particular site, gave up and moved on?\u00a0 Information needs to be logically organized so the average person can easily navigate in its search.\u00a0 Keep it simple and remember that often times, less is more.\u00a0 \u00a0Too many pages, especially if not properly organized, can confuse and frustrate people to the point that they continue their search elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Speaking of searching, if people can’t find your site when searching for your product or service, you’re missing out on potential new business.\u00a0 Designing a site with Search Engine Optimization (SEO)<\/a> in mind and having a strategy in doing so is crucial.\u00a0 Social media integration, blogging and updating your site on a regular basis with current information will improve a site’s SEO, thus making it easier to find during a search.\u00a0 In the SEO world, remember that content is king.\u00a0 Also, being able to measure traffic and results is a must; if Google Analytics hasn\u2019t been integrated, it needs to be.<\/p>\n

Now that you’ve had a chance to think about a few things concerning your company’s website, ask yourself one more question:\u00a0 If someone is searching online for your product or service, who\u2019s going to get the call; you or the competition?\u00a0 If it\u2019s not you, then it\u2019s time for an upgrade.<\/p>\n

Give us a call today and ask about our special for May! \u00a0For more information contact, Rob Ridgeway, at 512-994-4429 or rob@hmgcreative.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Stop.\u00a0 Step back and take a look at your business, not from your point of view, but from the eyes of the consumer.\u00a0 We all get wrapped up in the day-to-day operations of our business and it’s easy to overlook our appearance from the outside.\u00a0 With a wealth of information at our fingertips, the first […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[917,855],"tags":[879,880,924,928],"class_list":["post-2085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-marketing","category-web-design","tag-seo","tag-social-media","tag-web-design","tag-website-redesign"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n