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A new decade encourages us to innovate and push the boundaries further than ever before. As a business, it’s time to consider what trends will be present for the year ahead and attempt to adopt these into your online advertising strategy.

In a world where consumers are paying less attention to advertising than ever before – according to this report by ad experience platform RevJet – it’s more important than ever that you’re creating online advertising that appeals. RevJet discovered that 73% of consumers dislike companies that put out repetitive messaging and 42% feel that the advertisements they see on digital media are irrelevant to their needs.

In this article, we’ve considered the upcoming online advertising trends and the opportunity around these to ensure what you create is well received in the year 2020.

What 2020 online advertising trends will we be considering?

1. Contextual targeting
2. Gen Z targeted advertising
3. Alternatives to cookies in the pipeline
4. IAB’s Gold Standard gaining momentum
5. The return of creativity in display advertising
6. In-house DCO with a CMP

1. Contextual targeting

Ensure you take time to consider contextual targeting and how to incorporate this into your online advertising for 2020. This type of targeting format gets your brand in front of consumers in a natural way, improving engagement and the potential for leads.

What is contextual targeting?

Contextual targeting, quite simply, improves your advertisement’s relevancy. It is a targeting strategy whereby your ad features depending on its suitability to a website or page.

Using contextual targeting your ad will display if it matches keywords, taxonomy topics, location or browsing habits – even sentimentality. Creating a personalised link between what you’re offering and what the consumer is potentially searching for.

It’s actually a very old and simple strategy. It is essentially placing the most appropriate ads within the right context. For example, iGaming betting ads on the sports pages of a news website.

Why should you be considering contextual targeting in 2020?

Contextual targeting offers a personal touch and improves your chances of achieving a conversion. Here are just a few of its benefits:

• Improved relevancy: Your ad will only be displayed on pages considered to be relevant to your product or service. This ensures you’re seen by those who are more likely to consider buying from you. And there is no confusion from those viewing the page regarding context.
• It will overcome Google’s future restriction of keyword targeting: Google plans to remove content identifiers and stop informing advertisers about the type of content their ads could be placed alongside. With contextual targeting, you won’t need to worry about this and still be present where it matters.
• Privacy friendly: Contextual targeting is privacy-friendly as your ad is displayed based on the content and keywords featured on a website – not the consumer. This is also helpful in terms of GDPR changes as it means while you continue to rebuild your all-important customer list, you are still able to get in front of the right people.

2. Gen Z targeted advertising

There’s been one, specific demographic on every marketer’s mind in recent years – millennials. We’ve been creating content and advertising for a long time now that appeals to their needs and sensibilities but a new breed of consumer is moving into the limelight. In 2020, expect to see a trend for advertising that attempts to capture Gen Z’s attention.

Who is Generation Z?

Gen Z is the up and coming demographic, now looking to make decisions when it comes to which brands they want to buy from. They fall between the ages of 7 and 24 years old, which means you’re targeting the latter and individuals who are starting to make more adult decisions and tackle those larger life milestones.

How do I target Gen Z with my online advertising?

There are few things to keep in mind when adopting a Gen Z focused approach:

• Mobile-first thinking is essential: When creating content for your site or advertising it’s important to put mobile usability first. Ensure everything you create works on mobile platforms, as Gen Z is more likely to be consuming online content via their smartphone or a tablet.
• Promote sustainability issues: If your business puts sustainability first, ensure you convey this in your online advertising. Gen Z cares about sustainable purchasing and environmentally friendly processes so if this is something your business implements, spread the word and capture their attention.
• Support your online advertising on social: Don’t rely on PPC and your on page content, ensure you are using social media to convey your message. Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat are popular platforms for Gen Z with the likes of Tik Tok rising in popularity too.

3. Alternatives to cookies in the pipeline

We’re of course not talking about those sweet treats you snack on after dinner, but instead cookies that track our online activity and allow brands to serve up advertising that’s relevant and helpful. The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) announced earlier in 2019 that it is proposing a new approach to online cookies.

Instead of tracking where you click and search online, a single identifier applies to a consumer and companies need to meet certain privacy standards to have access to this identifier.

How the end of cookies could impact online advertisers:

• Audience driven planning: Advertisers won’t need to plan around channels! Instead online advertising can target their market audience anywhere and everywhere.
• Better contextual advertising: Advertising should make more sense to consumers and offer more relevant suggestions while they’re browsing.
• Less risk: By improving privacy there is less risk of personal data breaches and fraud.

This change has not yet come into place. However, it will impact online advertising in the future! Therefore, it’s important to stay ahead of the curve and in the know, ready to adapt in 2020.

4. Brands adopting IAB’s Gold Standard

McDonalds and Tesco recently adopted the IAB Gold standard , which is a trend we expect to witness more of in 2020. Indeed, more and more companies may well join its ranks in a bid to improve the entire advertising sector online.

What is the IAB Gold Standard?

The IAB Gold standard was created in a bid to ‘clean up’ the digital advertising sector and create better standards across the industries. Ad tech companies, media owners, and agencies are encouraged to sign up to the initiative and remove nuisance advertising formats. For example, pop-ups and auto-play videos. The aim is to improve user experience and encourage users to come back and not click away immediately.

How will the Gold Standard help advertisers?

Tesco has noted that only using Gold Standard verified advertising platforms will save its marketing department money. This is because its budget was once tied up in ad verification and tech costs in an attempt to get in front of the right consumers.

However, now that it is using only Gold Standard advertising platforms, these costs are no longer requirements. Meaning, more budget can be simply put into creating online advertising that appeals.

Tesco’s head of media and campaign planning, Nick Ashely looks forward to using the standard. “The IAB gold standard is a clear start to building better standards across the industry. Moving forward we also encourage all stakeholders to agree to a single industry-wide set of standards that we can all get behind.”

For other advertisers in 2020, signing up to the initiative is worth considering. Particularly, from a best practice perspective and in terms of saving money. With the Gold Standard in place, marketing budgets are no longer verifying a site’s suitability. Instead, brands can enjoy instant access and easily keep track on marketing.

5. The return of creativity in display advertising

In 2020, more brands will be creating data-driven display advertising that is also heavily creative. As noted on the subject, in-house marketing teams are becoming concerned that there is too much focus on ROI (Return on Investment) at the expense of creativity.

This data-heavy influence appears to have occurred in recent years as we enjoyed more access to data that could tell us exactly how our advertising spend impacted the business. There has also been a longstanding belief that a creative campaign alone has very few means of being accurately measured.

However, in 2020 if you wish to appeal to consumers there needs to be a shift in perspective around this issue. As marketers, you need to move away from the data-heavy concepts and create something that captures consumers’ attention. Combining data-driven design with a dash of creativity is, therefore, the way forward for the year ahead.

How to combine creativity and data

• Use heatmaps: A creative management platform (CMP) can help you see where consumers are clicking or hovering on your digital advertisements. This offers live feedback and allows you to adapt future ad designs to appeal to consumers further.
• A/B testing: A/B testing allows you to see which creative design elements such as colours and imagery appeals to whom. An advert with a large green CTA button might bring in more clicks than the same advert with a black CTA button. Trial and error is a common theme in creativity and advertisers shouldn’t be afraid to dabble in 2020.
• Utilise DCO (dynamic creative optimisation): Run advertising campaigns with DCO and enjoy the benefits of a personalised advertising experience. Create ad variations with copy, designs and interactive features that appeal to the right consumers, in the right place, at the right time.

6. In-house DCO with a CMP (creative management platform)

We’ve already covered contextual targeting and with this next trend, it’s safe to say that 2020 is the year marketers focus on what consumers want and create ads that are truly relevant to them.

This is something Bannerflow can help in-house teams with – and has seen great success. For example, iGaming company Casumo, is able to create personalised content that works harder. Plus, is able to target customers at a variety of stages in the funnel.

Casumo created hundreds of assets to cover a range of markets. And by using a CMP, they can jump on any compliance changes quickly to ensure they adhere to industry standards. Thus they can also create interactive and innovative digital ads that engage customers and drive clicks.

Conclusion

The future is certainly exciting in the world of online advertising! When mapping out your strategy this New Year, consider these trends. And either try to implement them or consider how they can be incorporated.

By doing this you can ensure you’re always present and always relevant to potential customers.

Finally, want to adopt key online advertising trends into your online advertising strategy in 2020? Fill out your details below to get your copy with all essential insights!

Separating yourself from the pack to stand out on social media can be challenging, particularly if you’re a small business and you have limited resources. And considering that 94% of small businesses use social media to market their products or services, your business faces an even bigger challenge of differentiating itself from your competition.

That said, your social media marketing and branding strategies don’t necessarily have to be innovative; you just have to find ways to stand out in your specific industry or community. Here are 10 tips that can help your small business get noticed and truly stand out on social media.

1) Pick the Right Social Networks

Rather than jumping right in and creating a presence on every social network you can think of, take your time and research how your products or services can be marketed on each platform. In addition, you need to know your target audience intimately and have a good understanding of the social channels they use. There’s no sense in trying to fit a square peg into a round hole, if your content doesn’t fit or your target audience isn’t active on a particular platform.

With more than one billion daily active users, Facebook is the most logical starting point. Granted, not every user is a potential customer, but Facebook is so valued because it promotes the development of organic relationships with your customers. Interaction and engagement are vital when attempting to nurture relationships with new customers.

Beyond Facebook, you’ll have to decide what works best for your business. If you want a platform that visually showcases your products or services, then Instagram (which has more than 500 million daily users) and/or Pinterest could be invaluable channels for you. And keep in mind that there are niche social networks that may help you reach a specific target audience and could be used to help your business distinguish itself.

2) Draw Inspiration From Others

Yes, there may be some small businesses in your sphere that excel at social media marketing, but don’t limit yourself by trying to replicate what they’re doing. Look beyond your industry for ideas and inspiration. There are countless brands and individuals you can follow on various social channels. A good place to start is by doing a quick Google search for a list of some of the most inspiring social profiles from a variety of industries and genres.

Also, don’t be shy about connecting with social media influencers in your industry. They can be an invaluable tool to help promote your products or services. In fact, according to a survey by Nielsen, 92% of consumers are persuaded to make a purchase because of a peer recommendation. If the influencers you target have a devoted following and those influencers like your product, you could be well on your way to setting yourself apart from your competitors and generating more sales.

3) Get Advice From Your Audience

Be proactive with your target audience and followers. Beyond simply engaging with them on social media, make them feel valued and respected by asking their opinion or advice on a particular topic. By posing a pertinent industry-related question, you can be people talking and generate dialogue among your followers. It’s also a great tool for obtaining feedback on your products or services.

Not only will you demonstrate to your target audience just how important they are to you, but you’ll also show how much you trust them. It turn, this will go a long way in earning their trust.

4) Recommend Others Who Can Help Your Followers

A big part of being engaged with your followers is paying attention to what they’re saying on social media. Is there something they’re looking for beyond what you can offer them? If so, provide recommendations for a social media account that could provide beneficial information to them.

We all want to be the industry guru. However, you are undoubtedly connected with other industry thought leaders who may actually be better able to offer particular information that your followers are looking for. And that’s okay! By passing along this sort of information, you can illustrate your industry expertise in another fashion. It’s also a means to further show your followers and customers how much they can trust and rely on you because you’re providing them with useful resources, even if they’re not your own.

5) Don’t Be Afraid to Be Yourself

Your followers and audience want to know your story and the real you. If you’re genuine and transparent, they’ll be more apt to identify with you. So don’t be afraid to share information that inspires you and makes you laugh.

Yes, you want to be professional and highlight your expertise, but you should also show your human side. By peppering in inspirational quotes and funny anecdotes that speak to your audience and express your business’s values, your followers can better identify with you.

6) Utilize National Observance Days in Your Posts

Each day, week and month of the year recognizes various causes, products and celebrations to raise awareness, promote advocacy, or even serve as a means to simply have a little fun. From National Lasagna Day to National Trivia Day to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, there are thousands of national days, weeks and months for observing just about anything under the sun.

Some are obviously more serious and meaningful than others, but there are events throughout the year that you can use to promote your business and/or industry on social media. They can be just another fun or enlightening way to generate interest in your products or services.

7) Use the Past to Promote the Future

Your followers and audience turn to you for your expertise and your timely and compelling content on social media. But from time to time, why not give them some more insight into who you are by sharing posts or photos from past events and achievements? For example, you could share photos from your ribbon-cutting ceremony or from when you won an award from your local chamber of commerce. Again, it’s just another way of humanizing yourself and helping your followers and customers relate to you.

8) Focus on Visuals

Speaking of sharing photos, 65% of people are visual learners, so remember to not only share images of what’s going on behind the scenes at your business, but also personal shots of yourself and images that express the substance of your brand so that your followers can put a face to your brand. Also, don’t forget about posting informative live videos, infographics and quote graphics.

Regardless of the channel you’re using, posts and tweets with visual content generate much more engagement. For example, Facebook posts with images receive 2.3 times the engagement rates of posts without images.

9) Always Be Gracious

Although every business should be customer-centric, small businesses especially can’t afford to put customer service on the back burner. We’ve already discussed the importance of engagement and humanizing yourself on social media, but don’t miss the chance to thank your customers for their loyalty and business. If they’re satisfied with your products or services and you earn their trust, they’ll be more likely to write favorable customer reviews

Beyond expressing your gratitude through your words, take the time to put together a special thank-you video or graphic that celebrates a particular milestone. You can also show your appreciation more tangibly by offering special discounts or giveaways to your followers and customers.

10) Demonstrate Your Expertise Through “How-To” Content

Your customers are looking for industry expertise, and with so much competition out there, you can set yourself apart by offering Content that’s useful to them. Take advantage of your expertise and knowledge by creating informative videos that inspire your customers and serve their needs. After all, four out of five consumers say that “how-to” videos are helpful, and online shoppers are 1.81x more likely to purchase a product after seeing a “how-to” video.

The Bottom Line

Social Media is an essential part of your business’s marketing and branding strategy, but to make your social efforts effective, you have to continually look for ways to set yourself apart. If you incorporate these 10 tips into your plan, you’ll be well on your way to standing out from the competition.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The COVID pandemic has shifted e-commerce in 2020, maybe more than any other time in history. Traditional retail sales have declined but E-Commerce has seen a 129% year over year growth in U.S. and Canadian orders as of April 21st, with an impressive 146% year on year growth Most, if not all, brick and mortar stores have taken their businesses online to survive the pandemic. As a result, U.S. e-commerce sales will hit a projected 709 Billion, or about 14.5% of total U.S. retail sales, up from $601.65 billion, or about 11% of total retail sales, since 2019. That is the biggest jump in the e-commerce share of retail sales in a single year, Andrew Lipsman, principal analyst with eMarketer, said in the research. 

Across the world, people are shifting buying habits and the lockdown has even hit boomers by forcing them to shop online – some for the first time. COVID has accelerated the e-commerce industry’s growth and more businesses are joining the e-commerce business revolution than ever before. Companies that previously embraced the e-commerce trend have already experienced expansion, in the midst of retail shrinking. By the end of 2020, global e-commerce sales are expected to reach $4.2 trillion, explained in a report by the E-Commerce behemoth Shopify. But, creating a website and selling your products isn’t that easy. The cash won’t just flow in once you hit publish on that new Shopify site. The competition is getting steeper and online shopping behaviors are changing faster than ever before. 

The changing economy calls for keeping up with emerging e-commerce trends to cut through the noise, get noticed, and attract customers. Here are three trends experts are paying attention to.

Personalized Commerce Is the Next Frontier 

Successful e-commerce companies are leveraging personalization technology to give consumers a customized experience. Delivering personal experiences on e-commerce sites is achieved by dynamically showing content, product recommendations, and specific offers based on browsing behavior, previous actions, prior purchase history, customer demographics, and other enriched personal data. As compared to traditional retail, e-commerce doesn’t include a retail salesperson to recommend products based on interest, preferences, or taste. Human touch-points provide many opportunities to beat out the competition. And, that is the magic of personalization – mimicking what a consumer’s in-store experience would be, through a personalized customer journey online.

Data is at the forefront of this operation. Social media platforms and search engine tracking tools let you extract tons of personal data about your visitors and buyers, such as search queries, page visits, purchase history, and more. “Personalization is the missing ingredient to a successful online shopping experience and will be key to 2020 and the future of e-commerce,” says Juha Valvanne, Founder of Nosto, a tech platform that delivers personalized e-commerce experiences.

Customers spend 48% more when their shopping experience is personalized. Plus, 57% of inline shoppers are comfortable with sharing their personal information with a brand if it benefits their shopping experience. 

When personalized is done right, a customer will feel like you’re reading their mind. This emotional response generates a sense of loyalty. To achieve the highest ROI, retailers need to embrace and make personalized commerce a reality for their consumers’ shopping experience. 

Social Commerce Through Celebrity Endorsements 

Social commerce is selling products directly through social media. It differs from social media marketing because you’re not redirecting users to an online shop, but giving them the ability to checkout directly within the network they’re using at that moment. Social commerce paired with influencer marketing is a recipe for increased sales. Many businesses are already focusing on influencer marketing through sponsored content partnerships with micro and macro-influencers. As much online gripe there is about influencer marketing, the trend isn’t slowing down as it is still a very effective tactic. 

In 2020 and beyond, the trend will continue to grow and evolve as 65% of influencer  budgets will increase this year alone. And 7% of companies are planning to invest over a million dollars per year towards this strategy. Influencer marketing and celebrity endorsements have been around since the dawn of social media, but the key is to garner celebrities and people with massive followings to endorse products at a more affordable level, combined with social commerce to drive sales directly from social. 

To stay ahead of the game, brands often partner with High Profile celebrities for sponsored social media posts. We can expect this trend to continue and evolve through 2020 and beyond. 

Interactive Product Visuals

We all have been there – you like a product, but you’re not sure if what you’re seeing on the site is what you will get when you make a purchase. Long story short, you hesitate from hitting the purchase button and the shop loses a consumer.

In 2020 online reviews are not enough to convince a customer to buy a product. Modern consumers need to trust the company, product and experience before purchasing. That’s why high-resolution images matter in e-commerce sales. But static images are no longer enough, either. Consumers demand more, such as 360-degree viewing images that let potential buyers view all angles of the product. 

Getting ahead of trends and harnessing the latest technologies can help e-commerce brands drive sales, attract new customers, and increase market share.

The internet is a vast, nearly infinite digital network of networks. There are billions of websites on it competing for the attention of the people who use it daily. When designing a website, it can be challenging to think about all the competition you’ll face. But, it helps to remember that within that vast number of sites, there are several categories trying to achieve different goals.

So, why is this a good thing? It means the majority will not be direct competition.

As you consider the best approach to build your website, you need to evaluate what kind of website you need it to be. This will save you a lot of confusion in the future. Besides, when you identify the specific goals and setup you need, it becomes easy to find other websites in your niche and study them for inspiration.  Here are the most popular website-types you will see around the internet. In practice, most sites are a combination of the categories discussed below. You may follow this approach if you feel that it is the right thing to do

Business websites

A business website is any site that is meant to represent a specific enterprise. Its branding matches the parent business (same logo, tone, and positioning) and communicates the types of services or products the company offers.

Considering that the internet is such a popular source of information, every business needs a website. Each potential customer you reach through your advertising, whether conventional or digital, will assume that they’ll Google your business name and find a website. If they don’t, it will make you seem untrustworthy.

E-commerce websites are business websites. However, it is also possible to have business websites that do not sell anything but encourage visitors to get in touch for more information (lead generation) or lead them to a storefront if they want to become customers.

Entertainment websites

If you keep track of your internet browsing history, you can probably name a few websites you visited merely for entertainment. They could be humor sites like the onion, webcomics like readcomiconline.com, or sites with interesting content like Buzz feed.

Most of these do not make money as e-commerce and business sites do. Instead, they generate profit by selling advertising space.

If you are interested in an entertainment website, there are plenty of content options you can choose. You could display informative or funny videos, write compelling blog posts, create exciting quizzes, and so on. Since there are numerous entertainment websites, you should keep in mind that it may take yours a while to gain an audience, and even longer for it to become profitable. Still, if you’ve got great ideas, and know people will find interesting, it will work out eventually.

eCommerce Websites

Ecommerce websites enable electronic purchases over the internet. They offer a digital platform for people to buy and sell products or services.

You’ve likely used an eCommerce website before; most prominent brands and small retailers have one. Any site with a shopping cart and a means to process credit/visa card information for purchases belongs to this category.

If you are planning a website for your business, and intend to sell your products or services through that platform, this is the kind of website you need.

There are a few things you need to know before you start an eCommerce website design project;

• You’ll need eCommerce software to track inventory.
• An SSL certificate to secure your customers’ financial information
• Depending on the size of your website, a content distribution network to ensure it loads fast.

Ecommerce websites can be extensions of businesses you already own or the cornerstones on which your business is built.

Infopreneur websites

Although infopreneur websites merge the qualities of eCommerce and business websites, they represent a unique type of online business. Infopreneurs create and sell information. This is generally in the form of e-books, videos, tutorials, and courses. Infopreneurs need their websites to build a knowledge brand. That is, to convince their audience that they possess sufficient knowledge to make useful educational products.

Infopreneurs typically create both free and premium content. The free content serves as a marketing tool to draw people to the website, and the paid products generate sales. A functional but visually appealing website is crucial for this kind of business model.

Portfolio websites

Portfolio websites are meant to showcase examples of previous work. Service providers often use them to show potential clients their competence. They also use such sites to collect the best samples of their work. This website is easier to build than a business or eCommerce website as it serves a simple purpose: collecting samples of previous work.

Whether you are seeking employment or starting a side project, most people will search for your name on the internet. A personal website will help you control which information is shared.

Your website and brand will always evolve, increasing your traffic and reach. Eventually, this will grant you an advantage with future projects; you may not need to start all over again.

The more detailed your website is, the more it will impress your audience. You’ll reach more people, get better opportunities, connections, and so on.

Depending on your industry, highlighting your past work, along with your unique strengths, will help you stand out. In this way, the portfolio website works even better than a resume. It offers you more freedom to engage your audience and provide detailed explanations about what you do.

It is favored by freelancers and creative professionals who are hired based on demonstrated skill

Brochure websites

Brochure websites are a stripped-down version of business websites. They are commonly used by businesses that want an online presence but don’t want to invest too much into it. A simple brochure site has few pages (about 5-6) that explain the nature of your business, services/products offered, and provide contact information.

Brochure sites were popular in the early days of the internet when business owners understood the strategic advantage of having websites but did not expect them to be so vital for success. Now that the internet is a fundamental part of daily life, businesses prefer a more competitive approach. On the other hand, if you have a business, and you are sure that you don’t need your website to gather new leads, you need something simple, and brochure websites might suffice.

Nonprofit website

Nonprofits need online presence just as much as business websites. Nonprofit websites are a convenient way for potential donors to make contributions and will be the first place they look to learn about such organizations and evaluate their credibility. Building an appropriate website is a crucial step to creating legitimacy if you run or are considering establishing a nonprofit. You may use it to raise awareness about the projects your organization tackles and encourage followers to participate in community activities and receive donations. Remember, though, that because you’ll be handling personal information, you will need to implement the same precautions as an eCommerce site. Specifically, you will need to install an SSL certificate and a merchant account with a payment processor such as stripe or PayPal.

Educational websites

Educational websites fall into two major categories: The websites run by educational institutions, and those that offer online courses without affiliations to any known educational institute. These websites aim to provide educational material or information on the educational institution they represent. Some educational websites also display advertisements like media and entertainment sites. Others offer subscription plans sand educational products for purchase.

Media websites

Media websites gather news stories and other types of reporting. They often overlap with entertainment websites but are more likely to include serious journalism than entertaining content.

Examples that belong to this category are Slate, The Washington POst, and others. They make money through the advertisements that are displayed on their pages or through subscription models. Some sites combine the two strategies. Most media websites are digital extensions of media channels that exist in other forms, such as television, print newspapers, and magazines.

Personal websites

Not all websites are made with the intent to make money. Many people find comfort in creating personal websites that share their own opinions with the world. This category includes photo diaries, personal blogs, and Vlogs. Sometimes, these websites grow and start to earn money; once they gain a sufficient level of popularity, they may display targeted ads. Personal sites are not as complicated as the other entries on this list since there aren’t any strict guidelines to follow. You can make them as elaborate or as simple as you want with no worry about sales, conversions, and ad revenue.

Web portals

Web portals are websites designed to fulfill internal functions at a business or institution. They are a repository of different formats of information, and they are designed to make that information accessible to the people who need it, provided that they have proper authorization. In most cases, a login is required to gain access to a web portal.

Web portals offer various resources and services that include search engines, email, and shopping malls. The first web portals were online services, like AOL, that offered access to the internet. Since that time, most traditional search engines have evolved into web portals to draw and retain a broad audience.

There are different types of portals:

Vertical portals: they provide access to information about a specific area of interest. For instance, wine.com is a vertical portal. It offers information that appeals to a particular audience.

Horizontal Portals: these are often described as “megaportals.” they target a broad audience and have the ability to provide customized content for each user. The companies that offer such services intend for users to visit their sites before the rest of the internet.

Benefits of web portals

• Portals combine applications and content in such a way as to create a centralized experience. This comes with several benefits: they ensure the efficient delivery of information to the audience.
• They increase end-user productivity.
• They increase interaction between employees and customers
• they facilitate the integration of external services and applications through portlets

In comparison to the other websites discussed so far, web portals require more advanced programming and design. To make one, you’ll need to hire a skilled web developer.

Community forums or Wikis

Most people know about wikis through the most famous example there is Wikipedia. You can create a wiki on nearly any subject imaginable. A wiki is any website where the audience can collaborate on content and make their own changes as required. There are various wikis for businesses, fan communities, and even scientific phenomena. Creating a wiki is straightforward, especially if you use an existing design platform or wiki site builder as opposed to building the website manually. Wikis are the ideal choice for organizing information in a centralized manner while offering access to the general public.

This post has covered the most popular types of websites. The knowledge should help you make the best choice for your needs. However, as mentioned at the start, there are times when it’s necessary to combine different website types to solve a unique challenge. Furthermore, before choosing a particular kind of website, you must consider what it will do and ensure that its design will help you achieve your goals. This will save you the frustration that comes with choosing the wrong approach.

So whats the real importance of a website anyway? Who needs one, and why. What do they really do and provide?
Turns out, well pretty much everyone & everything.

Over 4 BILLION people are using the internet, and over 5 billion internet searches made per day on Google alone.

It’s a popular place these days. Below we take a look at what an online site does for a business and the reasons why that’s important to you.
No one enjoys getting left behind, do they?

We know it’s nearly 2020 and not 1920, the business world and even society have moved into the digital age. With the internet and websites becoming increasingly important, a useful requirement for modern life, but you already know that, right? As you wouldn’t be here otherwise.
After all, you did use the internet to visit this website to find information about… well websites.

And they are important because:

Why Have a Website?

Every business is different, and each business will gain from having a website in different ways. If you’re asking yourself, why have a website? Well there are various reasons for different businesses.

Some businesses will get more from the additional marketing opportunities such as ultra-low-cost online ads.
A different company can benefit more from having information accessible online.
Even simple things like an address with directions and a map to your business can make a world of difference.

The benefits for having a website and the importance of one is all about the benefits it provides CUSTOMERS and YOU as a business.

Primary reasons for having a website are:

• Important for marketing
• Increasing sales from online customers
• Builds the customer trust factor
• Accessible 24>7
• Makes the correct first impression
• It’s cost-effective with positive ROI
• Convenient for customers & accessible from anywhere
• Looks and is professional
• Greater audience reach
• Builds connections with customers
• Provides a resource and information data center
• Enables self-service customer support
• Low-cost advertising opportunities
• Increases company visibility
• Engages users with content
• Puts the customers first (shows you think about their needs)
• Gets important feedback from customers
• Opportunity to beat competition via SEO and better/more content

These provide not only great additions to any business and help your customers but also necessary functions, doing a lot more for your business than meets the eye.

We will take a closer look at these and what a site provides you with the reasons why having one is essential.

The Importance of a Good Website for Business.
Do you need one for your business though?

It’s pretty safe to say that yes, you probably do, even one that you hardly use. Because it’s not just about what it does for you, it’s about what it does for your customers.

If customers are searching for you online (and they will be), then you will want them to find your site, while having your own social media page is helpful. It’s also unprofessional without there being an official site to back it up.

We have seen many instances where a companies social media page has been taken down for no apparent reason.

You have to remember these pages belong to another company and not you, such as facebook, twitter. Social media companies do reserve the right to delete pages they host, and this is mentioned in their t&c.

Why your business needs a website in todays market

Take a closer look at the reasons and why your business needs a good website and how they will help not only your business but your customers.

Remember, each business is different. Some companies will gain more from a specific benefit that suits that type of industry. Getting a website can cost less than $299 (we will get to costs later)

Your job is to identify which benefit would most help your business and maximize that.

The benefits of a website for small business

Importance for marketing

Your website is your online home, the place that serves as the base of operations for all online marketing.

There are many different ways to implement online digital marketing, you have free options like putting out content onto social media directing back to your pages or paid such as PPC (Pay per click) ad campaigns (dont be scared of paid advertising on the internet it can be remarkably cheap, and you set the budget from the start)

You can use your site to gather customers and visitor’s email addresses and send out newsletters or upcoming deals. A customer contact email is a great way to get customers coming back and getting new customers to make that purchase.

Nothing is worse than a marketing email from a public address such as Gmail, it looks unprofessional and untrustworthy.

Be sure to send it from your website’s email address. Whenever you have your own website, you should be sure to get access to a professional email address associated with that website address.

A site will help build your brand along with the services you offer and the products you have available.

A big mistake we see a lot is small businesses that have some form of social media such as facebook or twitter, maybe LinkedIn and Instagram, but no website.

While this does provide some access to the online world, it comes across as small-time and even unprofessional whenever a potential customer is searching for you via a search engine.

The options dont end there, and a digital marketing article could fill an entire site, getting the basics down will put you ahead and ready to go.

Utilize all the avenues available to your budget, but the website should be the foundation to build those on.

Importance for sales and revenue driver

A business without a website is losing business.

Nearly 2 billion people made an online purchase in 2019.

Getting sales is the lifeblood for a company!

Not only helping any small company to survive but also to thrive.

Having a website can add a massive sales boost; people enjoy the comfort of their own homes to shop online.

The convenience that they get being in their sofa, on their mobile, in their pajamas and not having to spend hours walking to find a shop or even having to get up.

Like it or not, customers are searching online for you. When they find your site, they are more likely to make a purchase. Either directly online or after seeing your site and the extra information that comes with it then deciding, Yes, it is worth it to pay you a visit.

For building credibility / builds a trust factor

As so many companies do have their own website. That is great but:

Not having a website stands out like a neon sign in the dark saying we’re CLOSED and we suck.

 Customers start to think maybe you have something to hide, do you?

Imagine for a moment a salesman coming up to you in the street with no credentials or ID, it’s not the best first impression.

Having a website is a professional move in the eyes of the consumer, just as a business not having one is an unprofessional move.

Your site allows customers to find out more about you, your product, and gather any information they need.

Even if it’s just the peace of mind that you have an online presence, this lets a potential customer start to take you seriously.

You are building greater trust with the more information you’re providing. Things like how long you’ve been in business, credentials, or even testimonials from past customers and a map to your physical company address.

 A website is the first step in helping build a company-customer relationship.

Always on – for being accessible 24>7

Window shopping isn’t what it use to be.

Your online presence never sleeps, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Even when working hours might be over, your website stays on without any additional work or effort from yourself or your team.

Super convenient for customers

You never really know when a customer might be looking for some information about your company. They have the luxury of being able to do this from the comfort of their bed; it might be 3 am on Saturday for all we know.

What if you’re in a new area and need to buy some flowers, the local shopping area is a little out of your way what are you going to prefer?

Travel a few miles there to possible find something, or have a quick look online and see if there is definately an option there for you?

If you see there is a suitable store, then you are going to make the journey.

Great! That’s a New Customer!

It’s the outlook for the majority of people looking to purchase something they haven’t purchased before. Maybe they don’t even know their local area has the services. They will check online first rather than spend an hour physically searching for it when that search can be done digitally in less than 1 minute.

A website gives your customers that ease of access whenever they want it. 

Maybe they want to double-check your address and product, or perhaps they want a detailed look at something.

The time this saves them doesn’t go unnoticed or under-appreciated.

You may need sleep and some rest, but your website doesn’t.

For making the correct first impression

First impressions count, and they count big, what’s yours like?

A business with a physical store relying on people coming in from the street still has people searching for it and that type of product online before they even leave the house.

When customers search online and don’t find you, that’s their first impression. If they see a competitor instead of you, then say goodbye to that customer.

Not having a website creates the impression:

• A) You dont care that much about your customers, they are searching for you and you can’t be bothered even to help them find your official site, why should they then bother with your business?

• B) Or equally as bad they think maybe this company cannot afford a website. In which case, they will then think that the company might be about to go broke. Are they going to trust this product? If they can’t afford a website, can they afford to make a quality product? They think to themselves.

People generally know how it’s possible to get very affordable websites these days, so this doesn’t sit too well with them.

Once they find that you do have an online presence and its a professional one, then the next step begins. 

Here are a few guidelines you will want to follow for a customer to have a great first experience with your site and a positive first impression.

Your site will want to include the following aspects.

• • Mobile and responsive – Works perfectly regardless of the size of screen or type of device accessing it
  • Easy to find their way around – Navigation should be smooth and information they want easily accessible
  • A clean and good looking design – Something that looks smooth and professional.
  • Works well – It should work, no bugs or errors
  • Useful information and good content – You dont need to write a page every day. The person viewing your site should be able to get a baseline level of information. Provide them with all the basic needs that your customers will have; this can and should be improved on over time.

Builds connections with customers

People will view your site, and this is an excellent chance for you to reach out, let them get to know your business better.

After all, this is why they will visit your website they want to know more about what it is you offer.

A website is a fantastic chance to build a connection, maybe by getting a new email subscriber to your monthly newsletter or perhaps it’s just them finding out interesting insider facts about your business (like family-run information)

Building a healthy customer and company relationship goes a long way in establishing a long term customer. Online is an excellent platform for this, why not include a video showing how to get the most out of your product.

A website not only provides a professional touch but a personal one

Provides a resource of information

Your pages can act as an information bank, not just for your customers but for employees also.

If you have multiple products, these can be displayed online with detailed information. Customers can refer to this pre and post-sales, just as employees can see this to gather information.

Acting as an online library giving quick, easy access. Websites also provide unlimited scope for information means you can do away with expensive, bulky paper catalogs and that you can update within moments.

You’re able to display products in rich formats such as multiple images, interactive images, videos.

You can show any information, such as testimonials from customers, or even use part of your site as a full portfolio of your work.

Many large companies have a separate part of their site for employees to refer to, like an in house library online.

Many smaller companies use their website as a resource for customers. A restaurant may display a menu online, for instance.

Low-cost advertising

Advertising can be done in many ways on the web. There is free advertising, affordable ways, or more luxury options.

Online advertising can be remarkably cheap, depending on the type of places or words you’re targeting. It is well worth taking a quick look into some of the prices for this. An ideal first place to look is PPC campaigns such as Google AdWords and Bing ads.

You might be surprised at the costs to reach 1,000 different viewers. You can set the budget, but without a website, these opportunities will be inaccessible to your business.

Ads can be taken on search engines, on social media such as Facebook, or directly on another specific sites ad banner, and bring in targeted traffic.

The broad reach of the internet allows your ads to get in front of so many more eyes than a shop front would, removing all limitations of 1 location and opening up the world wide web of potential customers.

Help the user engage with your content

If you put out any form of ongoing content such as an article or even an update, it will need a place to live, such as your site.

By creating unique, helpful, and interesting content, you will give your customer base a chance to like you even more.

You can keep clients informed or even tell them a story about what your company has been getting upto recently.

This helps a customer get emotionally invested in you, and that builds a relationship. It might sound silly, but when people spend time online that is part of their lives, not just a screen anymore, it gives information that affects their real-world choices.

The more engaging and helpful your content is to them, the more a customer can feel part of the journey along with you.

Or an email newsletter that keeps users updated with any current goings-on or points of interest. You could have a blog on your website, which acts as a platform to put out as much or as little content you would like.

Engaging with customers through your unique content show you are going above and beyond, not just selling to them but helping them.

Get important feedback from customers

The majority of people won’t tell a business or service any real issues they have with them face to face. They will just not use that product/service or company again.

Think of a restaurant serving lousy food, and customers are likely to pay the bill, not say much, and never return. 

A lot of business owners won’t be any wiser about why they are not getting more customers.

Customers like to talk with their feet, and they will not purchase from you if they don’t like your goods.

People don’t want the hassle to explain it in person, and they don’t know how you will react, so just won’t come back. Sure some will speak up and they can be very vocal but they are the minority.

With a website, you get the chance to receive real feedback. Customers feel more comfortable telling you what they actually think if they know, it’s anonymous and don’t have to explain it in person. They are just far more likely to provide feedback online; that’s a good thing.

It gives a business a great chance to improve based on what customer feedback they are getting, both good and bad.

What are you doing that customers love? Find out by sending your customers a quick survey or provide that option on your site.

Likewise, find out what problems they are having and what they really think, improve on it, and your company will grow from strength to strength.

Websites provide a real opportunity to get authentic feedback for free! The critiques, criticisms, and compliments that you would struggle to find out about otherwise.

You’re thinking of the customer and putting them first

We left the best for last, and it’s often overlooked, undervalued, and misunderstood.

Too many businesses focus internally on themselves only. Sure they have a bit of customer focus but only the bare minimum they can get away with, and often they pretend its more than it is.

When a customer searches for you onlinw, you are meeting them halfway by actually having one, and this helps you and the customer connect.

When a company thinks about getting a website, they are looking at the benefits they will get.

 When really they should be thinking first about the benefits a customer will get.

Think about that.

 Most of the above points lead to one place, and that is thinking about the customer. The more you help the customer with things like convenience, the more the customer will help you with things like buying your products.

How to get a website

There are a few different ways to get a website, and it’s possible to create one by yourself if you have the time and energy and willing to learn the ropes.

A DIY job can be more suitable for something nonbusiness such as a personal site or someone who has the time to trial and error it a lot beforehand.

 However, it’s not recommended for a business unless you will be creating many different websites.

Anyone who has designed sites before, knows the first few sites you create (always personal sites for yourself) end up pretty embarrassing when you’re looking back at them a few months later.

The majority of people opt to have someone design and create their website professionally, and we offer just that.

A simple, easy, and affordable, straight forward way to get you up and running online with minimal fuss and zero stress from experienced professionals.

Importance of a website to an organization

With all the benefits having a site brings to a business, the importance of having a website should be clear to see.

We could sum it up and say well everyone has a website these days, but that doesn’t tell half the story.

 If you want to be taken seriously as a business, then you need to be serious about taking business.

Nothing says professional business more than your own professional site. Nothing connects more with your customers online. Add that to all the great benefits a website brings to your business on a functional level, a sales level. It should be one of the first things a business of any size does, its mission-critical if you want to move forward, or just want to make sure you don’t end up moving backward.

You need a plan.

If you’re reading this, you already know the marketing value of exceptional content. 

It’s true—Content is your moneymaker.

Content is also your sales pitch.  It’s your billboard, brochure, and portfolio – rolled into one. 

However, content without structure is like a ship without a captain.

Your content’s effectiveness is steered by your developmental approach to reachingyour audience. 

Whether you’re a blogger, marketing professional or a social media strategist – you need strong content that’s organized by a content development strategy.

As I said, you need a plan.

However, what does an optimized development plan look like?

• It reaches a broader audience through organic publicity.
• It tailors your content for different readers.
• It helps generate fresh, competitive content—On deadline!
• Helps to establish trust.
• Converts visitors into repeat (paying) customers.

In other words, you need well-written, actionable and shareable content that educates readers, spread word-of-mouth business, and solidifies your reputation as an authority. 

Quality content proves to customers you’re an innovative thought leader. It establishes trust. A professional content development strategy will help you edge out the competition.

Still with me?

Good.

Let’s walk through the fundamentals.  Then we’ll jump on some advanced techniques.

What is content development?

It’s the strategic planning, organization, and execution behind content creation and distribution.

Think of content “development” as a two-sided coin.

1. Side one: strategic planning – how and when to distribute organized content—the engineering.

2. Side two: content creation – writing authoritative and innovative content. The architecture.

First, you develop a plan. Then you develop the writing.

To be successful, you have to master both disciplines– the organization and the production.

How do you strike the perfect balance?

Invest as much effort planning your content development process as you do producing the content—If not more.

Why is content development so important?

Successful content development requires you to streamline your process.

Once you get your production line up and running, your organization becomes a well-oiled machine.

Well-structured content development models take the guesswork out of creating top-level content. This lets you focus on delivering superior information and making sales. 

Content development also prevents you from missing deadlines. It eliminates procrastination and other distractions that steal time away from crafting killer content.

It’s the blueprint you unroll to visualize the structure of your goals, and the strategies to achieve them.

Stages of the Content Development Process

Let’s flip on a light and examine that blueprint.

1. Defining your content goals.

• What value does this content add? (education, problem-solving?)
• Who are you making the content for? (experts, professionals, hobbyists?)
• Where are you posting it?  (blog, website, social media, all of the above?)
• When are you rolling out this content? (maintaining a content schedule.)
• How will your audience find and interact with this content? (channel and platform strategy.)
• What makes your content different from your competition? (uniqueness, innovation.)

2. Learning about your audience.

• Research the buying habits and behaviors of your customers.
• Pay attention to customers comments and suggestions on social media.
• Familiarize yourself with tools like Google Demographics and Interests.

3. Creating a content calendar.

Are you tired of missing deadlines? Create a content development calendar. 

To optimize your results, you need to map out a schedule of what content to post, how often to post and specific dates of the postings. 

This is an excellent planning tool that will give your team a centralized source to track content progress over multiple platforms.

It’s also a great way to quickly visualize the amount and types of content you’re putting out this week/month/year.  Without a calendar, you risk duplication or, even worse, creating gaps in essential content.

Calendars also help you plan for milestones, so you make the most of important events and holidays.

Planning quarterly works well, since it can be hard to plan out an entire year at once.

You need to control your workflow, so you’re pumping out content quickly – hitting deadlines while raising your game with exponentially better content that keeps visitors hungry for more.

4. Systematizing your writing process for efficiency and performance.

• Design templates for blogs, white papers, infographics, video scripts, charts, and graphs.
• Design writer guidelines for you and your team. This ensures consistent branding and quality.
• Test out content variations. Modulate tone for different audiences.
• Collect data on performance.  Which content generates the best results? 

5.  Studying your competition.

• Stay relevant by analyzing the top competitors.  Borrow their best practices.
• Determine what your competitors are lacking. Step in to fill that void.
• Solve problems – don’t give visitors any reason to bounce into the arms of a competitor.
• Become a content genie.  Ask your audience for their wish list and start granting. 

6.  Maintaining a strong social media presence.

• Use a variety of social media channels.
• Post often—but not too often.
• Make it easy to share your content.

7. Mastering SEO Optimization.

Search Engine Optimization gets to the heart of effective digital marketing.

You need to bone up on the fundamentals of good SEO writing:

• Make sure all your web content is indexed.
• Be sure to use proper formatting tags (H1, H2, etc.)
• Keep individual page URLs short and use dashes to separate words.
• Learn to rank for Google.  Produce authoritative content and Google will prioritize your content.
• Regularly perform keyword research.  That means using tools like SEMrush to find the best and most relevant keywords for your content.
• Keep up with changing trends.  SEO marketing changes all the time. It pays to stay abreast with industry experts.

8. Develop Free Content for Visitors.

Educate readers using tangible downloads filled with actionable tips and helpful tools they can use now. Teach them a skill, so they feel empowered and grateful. 

Why should you provide free content?

• Downloads are portable. If visitors don’t stay on your page, they can revisit your PDF later.
• It establishes you as an expert.  Who else could develop such an authoritative white paper?
• It expands your network.  Downloads are easy to share, spreading word-of-mouth interest.

Makes sense, right? Grateful customers tend to stick around.

What kind of free content should you offer?

• Blog articles.  Blogs are terrific educational tools that show off your expertise and your brand’s writing style.  Online content like blogs is easily digestible.
• Newsletters.  Email content has to be entertaining and useful if you want people to read it.  Offer them valuable information on your industry and the services you offer.
• Infographics and memes. Infographics convey many data in a small package.  Visuals are great learning tools.  Moreover, memes are a fun way to make your content shareable for younger generations.
• Fun emails with Coupons.  This should go without saying, but everyone loves a good discount.
• Videos. Video content is a great way to show off personality and incorporate humor.
• Tutorials and courses. Whether video courses or PDF tutorials, educational content is always appreciated by customers and proves your expertise.
• Templates. Depending on what services you offer, there are several template types you can offer customers to help them help themselves.
• E-books. While e-books require an up-front time investment, they can lay out all the components of your platform, like a site map that indexes your services and expertise.

But wait—isn’t that giving away the farm?

Not at all!  Freebies are proven lead magnets that make visitors happy, drawing them closer to buying your products and services.

Not convinced?

Think of it this way:

Teach a woman to fish using your template, and she’ll be grateful. However, she’s busy, so she asks YOU to fish for her.  Then later, she’ll want you to teach her to hunt bigger game.  

Which you’re happy to do. For a fee.

9. Learn the Ingredients of Top-Performing Content

Content is the feather that tickles your customer’s curiosity.

It’s a pleasant itch they can’t help but scratch, and stellar content leads to stellar profits.

You need to capture the attention of visitors, so they convert into paying customers. 

How?

With a platform that’s rich in quality content.  Content that speaks to customer needs and demonstrates brand value. The best content stimulates interest, solves a problem and leaves customers wanting more.

It establishes your reputation as an industry expert.

Generating consistently top-performing (and high-ranking) content can seem overwhelming. 

It’s easier than you think:

• Be concise. Stay focused. Eliminate confusing or extraneous ideas. 
• Be engaging. Win over readers with the fundamentals. Then introduce new insights about related challenges readers haven’t considered. Help them overcome those challenges.

• Answer your readers’ questions.  To level-up your content game, you have to write copy that delivers answers better than competitors. Visitors seek you out based on the implied promise you’ll address their needs.  Keep that promise.
• Quote industry experts. Quotations, statistics, and studies add credibility to content.  Leverage the authority of other experts (as long as they aren’t your competitors).  
• Be adaptable and agile. Tweak your content based on customer interactions and behavior. As David Ogilvy said, “Never stop testing, and your advertising will never stop improving.”
• Write for your audience.  Knowing your audience is key to winning them over. While there are universal truths that appeal to most people, you still need to tailor the language, tone, and information to your targeted demographic.
• Link to High Domain Authority (DA) Sources: Websites with high domain authorities serve as sources trusted by readers.  The DA concept was created by Moz, the parent company of the Firefox browser. It uses a 1-100 scale of authority (100 being the best). 
• Learn to Write for “Scanners.”  Studies show people don’t read online like in print.  They scan. They glance.  You have mere seconds to win them over.  Use short sentences. 
• Hook them with one-sentence paragraphs.

10. Use Storytelling to Educate While Entertaining

Picture it:

Potential customers Google your services while sipping their morning coffee.

They visit your site.  They admire your attractive design scheme—the intuitive layout. 

Their minds wander. They glance at other browser tabs. They consider clicking a competitor’s link.

However, then they spot your “About Us” section and wonder, “What can this company do for me?”

They peruse your team’s qualifications. “Impressive!” they think.

Conveniently, they find a significant section of pull-quotes from satisfied customer testimonials. “They sound happy,” your visitor thinks.

Then they notice your “Free Resources” page. They watch videos, download useful infographics and e-books. 

They read your call to action.  “This is EXACTLY who I need!” they exclaim – excited to work with you. 

You’ve won them over.  Your content convinced them you’re the best.  They share your content with friends.

For leading content providers, this happens every day. It can happen for you, too.

The best content creators use compelling storytelling to captivate readers and sell their message—to explain problems and solutions through relatable narrative.  (They also remember to use analogies, humor, and emotion to make their stories memorable.)

So tell a few stories. Just don’t get lost in the weeds – you’re not writing War and Peace.

You still have to get to the point.

Wrapping Up

Now it’s time to use this guide to create a content development plan of your own.

Develop a winning strategy that lays out your calendar, goals and long-term vision for a successful brand.

Invest your time on creating quality content and then market that content like a pro.

Still not sure where to start?

I’ve taught you how to fish – but I know you’re busy and might not have enough time or confidence to do it yourself.  So, if you need extra help – or you’re just ready to tackle the bigger game

Your website is a powerful marketing tool. A well-maintained website can help you gain a competitive advantage in your industry and improve your business image. Developing your web site offers many benefits including helping you get more leads and prospects, increase sales, enhance your professional brand, and improve your customer service.

But surprisingly, according to various recent studies, just about 35% – 40% of all small businesses don’t have websites.

Below are 10 benefits of a website for small businesses you may not have thought of:

1. Improve Your Advertising Effectiveness

Placing your website address on all your promotional material will help you gain additional exposure and encourage the visitors to first check your site for the information they are seeking.

2. Save Money on Printing and Distribution Costs

A website can act as your online brochure or catalog that can be changed or updated at any time. If you employ a content management system (CMS) you can make changes quickly and at no charge.

3. Easy Access to New Customers

You can have your existing customers refer you to their friends and relatives using only your web address or URL.

4. Improve Productivity

A website increases your company’s productivity because less time is spent explaining product or service details to customers because all this information is available 24 hours a day on your website.

5. Promote & Sell Products & Services

Provide photos and detailed descriptions of your products or services. Explain why your products or services are superior to your competitors. Show visitors how your products or services can help them in their personal or professional lives.

6. When You Change Locations

If you move your business to a new location your customers can still find you because your main marketing tool, your website, is easily changed and updated. Your website is flexible and if your search engine optimization is done properly your business will appear to online visitors who search for you.

7. Great Tool for Finding New Employees

You can post job opportunities for available positions and applicants can investigate your company and apply online.

8. Your Own Internet Identity

Your own domain name (www.yourcompany.com) establishes a strong online brand identity. You can set-up a personalized email addresses for the company, yourself and your employees. If you set-up a system to accept emails on your site you can then email updates, notices, sales and holiday store hours to your customers.

10. Build Your Reputation

Become or remain the expert by demonstrating knowledge and expertise in your area of work. Write blog posts and articles on the site that educate visitors and help them understand your business and offerings.

11. Improve Customer Service

Information requests can be processed immediately via online forms and autoresponders automatically day or night.

Colors are powerful! They affect not only feelings, but also the actions of people. This is precisely why the psychological effects of colors can help to strengthen your brand, boost sales and direct visitors to your website to certain pages or encourage them to take certain actions.

Studies have shown that people decide whether they like a product within 90 seconds and that 90% of that decision is based on color alone . Research has also shown that colors can increase a brand’s recognition value by up to 80% .

It’s no coincidence that the majority of popular social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Tumblr) and tech brands (Dell, IBM, HP, and Intel) have blue logos . However, this does not necessarily mean that blue is also suitable for your website. And even if blue SHOULD be the perfect color for your page, think about what other colors you could combine with it (and where you can do that).

Only when you get involved with the effect and understand how colors affect people can you ensure that the colors on your website work for you and not against you.

So let’s look at a few basic facts about colors:

Red and its effects

The color red can speed up a person’s heartbeat and cause them to breathe faster. Red is generally associated with lust, arousal, love, energy and movement. But it also has negative associations such as war, violence, fire, anger and danger.

Use of red

It’s a good idea to use red as an accent color to draw attention to something or to achieve an aroused state. Red is used primarily in areas such as food, fashion, entertainment, sports, marketing, advertising, emergency services and health services.

When should red be avoided?

Less is more! Too much excitement can easily slip into the negative. Generally speaking, red is unsuitable for luxury goods, nature-related content or professional websites / services.

Orange and its effects

Orange is an energetic and lively color. It is often associated with fun, happiness, energy, warmth, ambition, enthusiasm and enthusiasm. Orange can also be used to call for caution.

Use of orange

registration), as well as to your sales, offers or other content that you want to make sure that people notice them. It is well suited for online retail, the automotive industry Draw attention to your calls for action (signatures, purchase,, technology, entertainment, food and child care.

When to avoid orange

Although orange is a little less intense than red, it can still quickly become overwhelming. So don’t overdo it!