February222021
Websites More Essential to Business Than Ever – Are You Prepared?
Operations Chat
Matina Korologos Velez
Contributing: Jimmy Knoebel
02.22.21 | Operations Chat
COVID-19 made one thing certain for businesses … having an up-to-date, easy-to-navigate, website is essential. Now, more than ever, businesses must have multiple ways to engage customers and bring in revenue. The pandemic underlined that hard fact. The social distancing measures have prompted many consumers to use contactless platforms to pay for and receive products and services—some for the first time and many more on an increasingly regular basis. Even when the crisis is over, it is expected that many will become fully acclimated to their online experience and change their purchasing behavior permanently. As such, companies across all industries need to ensure that their online presence can effectively meet the needs of their clientele today and in the future.
Website Set-Up
A priority rule for websites in any trade or business is easy access to information. Consider these questions:
- How will users find your site?
- How easy is it to find and access resources?
- Does the FAQ answer the most common questions and provide a way to ask other questions?
- How easy is it to purchase/set-up a time block for consultation?
- Is a business/customer contact mechanism simple to find and use
Website Design
Site design is crucial. Avoid clutter, keep words to a minimum, only communicate what is essential for the visitor and distinctive to your business and make sure images and content are up-to-date. Most important, make it easy to navigate so visitors are able to find the product or information they need quickly and with minimal clicks. If a visitor gets frustrated at any point, they will likely move on.
The site should also be organized—clearly categorizing products/services—feature accurate navigation titles, and provide clickable elements for additional information, if needed. In addition, it is suggested that sites present multiple “calls to action” throughout the site as a means to facilitate and enhance visitor engagement and conversion.
Behind the scenes, the sites’ code is crucial, especially for e-commerce site, for security, calculating proper tax rates, shipping rates, and storing customer orders to make it easier for the business on the customer service side. During the height of the pandemic, companies that were prepared and had updated sites were well organized and likely more successful in capitalizing on the on the surge in web visits and purchases.
Security
Being on a platform that has been coded properly (with appropriate support) and designed with the user’s needs in mind will ensure a better and more secure experience. In today’s environment, all websites need to have a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate. In the past, these weren’t really needed for sites that didn’t take in personal information, but with cybercrime still increasing, this layer of protection is essential, even for simple sites that may utilize forms and data capturing tools that that can potentially lead to issues with security, depending on how it’s being used. Businesses need to be proactive in their security precautions, stay up-to-date with countermeasures, and assume that the website will, at some point, be targeted by cybercriminals.
If you have any questions, I can be reached at 212.699.8820 | mkorologos@berdon.com or contact your Berdon advisor.
Matina Korologos Velez is a Graphic Designer and Marketing Manager at Berdon with extensive professional experience in conceptualizing and designing corporate Brand Identity Systems. She is versatile in designing for print and digital platforms including logo/stationery design, websites, social media, print/digital ads, PowerPoint, and event visuals.
Jimmy Knoebel is a Marketing Coordinator with Berdon with experience in business development planning, database management, video production, client and prospect research, and managing social media platforms.