As a web developer, I improve website design and functionality, increase traffic, and ensure mobile responsiveness. Because of my marketing background, I know how to address visitors’ needs quickly and judge your site’s effectiveness as part of the overall marketing plan. Because I’m a writer (and my Grandma was an English teacher), I notice your typos, streamline your writing, and help it convert visitors into customers.
This year, once again, I was asked to judge a website competition, a highlight of my year! I get to test new sites and enjoy them from a new perspective. The last few years, I’ve been privileged to judge apps as well. Here are the results from this year’s contest and some tips you can implement to improve your website.
*To respect the organization’s privacy and the contestants, I will leave out identifying details.
Design and Graphics
The aesthetic elements of websites in this year’s competition were remarkable! Websites as a whole continue to get better and better. The tools we use to create websites have improved, making DIYers’ sites rival big agencies. There were very few issues with mobile and small screen compatibility.
The top four entries in this class were very close! The winner stood out because they met their own objectives, carried their brand imagery throughout the site, and the site works beautifully on any size device. It is easy to get to the site’s essential areas, and the navigation covers everything without becoming too visually daunting.
In the particular category of sites that I judge, each site has a plethora of content. Keeping the content organized and having intuitive navigation is critical. The contenders remember that attention spans are short, and frustrations come quickly.
To design the most effective website, you must know the top two or three areas of your site and make them easy to find. Use teaser copy with call-to-action buttons to get people deeper into the site. And always check visuals and functionality on a variety of browsers and screen sizes. Once your home and primary pages are done, ensure a consistent look and feel on interior pages.
Writing
In this particular contest, most of the writing was very good, significantly improving over previous years. Your site can be gorgeous, but if the script doesn’t work, you’ll quickly lose your visitors. Written copy on your site is rarely included in your design and developing fees.
Consider hiring a professional who:
- writes with correct grammar and spelling
- knows how to use keywords for SEO
- understands marketing
- gets visitors to do something when they’re on your site
(A person who can do all these things is rare; this is why I started my business.)
Technical & Search Engine Optimization
Does your website generate leads or make sales? Where do you show up in search engine results? Do the search engine results have the correct preview text?
Your web developer will build you a gorgeous, well-functioning website. They will not make it show up on the first page of Google results overnight. Search Engine Optimization is multifaceted, so be sure to ask your developer what is included with your site fee and if they have someone on their team who can help you improve your site’s visibility. At a minimum, your site developer should help you with your site title and description, meta descriptions, and keywords. Look at Google Analytics of your previous site to see which pages, search terms, and blog posts were most popular.
Disclaimer: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a moving target that requires a dedicated SEO expert to provide specific and accurate info.
Do you Need a Site Update?
If your site is more than a few years old, you might need a new site. (The life expectance of a website is two years and seven months.[i]) If you’re not happy with your site’s design, writing, search engine results, or functionality, it might be time for an upgrade.
How Much Does a New Site Cost?
There is a wide range of prices for websites. Your sister’s-cousin’s-boyfriend-who-is-going-to-school-and-needs-to-design-a-website-as-part-of-a-class-project can probably make a site for $1000 or less. (Please make sure you purchase the domain and have access to everything if they don’t finish the site before they graduate.) An independent web designer creates nice middle-of-the-road websites for $3-5000 (me), and an agency will provide a higher-end website that will require an investment of $10,000 and up.
The sites I design are mid-range on the budget spectrum. They are aesthetically pleasing, customized WordPress sites. (Yes, I can work with other site builders, but WordPress is my preference.) Recently, I’ve created several websites for manufactures. I’ve also built beautiful yet simple sites for real estate, hospitality, and contractors. I don’t do finance, health, or extensive eCommerce. If you require tight security for your members, extensive forums, or multiple layers of login and permissions, you likely need an agency, not an independent contractor.
Are you curious about your website’s rank and performance? Are you wondering if you need to rewrite your content? Ask Terra for a website review. Call 715-584-6773 or email terra@fletcherconsulting.com.
[i] Orbit Media Studios. 2021. What is the average website lifespan? 10 Factors In Website Life Expectancy | Orbit Media Studios. [online] Available at: <https://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/website-lifespan-and-you/> [Accessed 20 April 2021].