Like many professionals, I’ve seen the future: it is on the web. With Blogs, new forms of news sources created by everyday people, a thriving market place, social networking, the web provides you with an incredible array of online marketing possibilities.
The first step is to create a web site that is not only user-friendly and intuitive, but one that meets web standards, is cross-browser and platform compatible, and is one of the most effective search engine optimization tool in your shed.
Content is king here. With this part of your branding, take good care that you provide valuable content and content that will lead users to come back looking for more regularly. If you are not the greatest author in the world, hire someone to do the writing for you! This will pay for itself ten-fold. Include other valuable content, rather than just the site body text, such as an e-newsletter, a PDF download of free information or put your blog within your web site to keep the conversation flowing.
Your web site is fluid and alive, it can be changed, tracked and tweaked to not only get the most value for you, but also the most value for your fans.
What Kind of Website is Right for Me?
It depends on what your goals are for your new site. Do you want to have the ability to make changes in the future on your own? Will the site be more of a stand alone brochure for your business, without much interactivity? Your needs will determine what option is best suited for you.
Brochure HTML Website
Over the years I have designed and developed websites using HTML, CSS, Flash and Javascript. As the web evolved and the technology became better, my production of websites has changed. Most of my projects in the past have been HTML websites that were static and more brochure-like. Once created, they never changed much. This may still be the option you prefer.
CMS or WordPress Website
Today, Content Management Systems (CMS) have now taken over to be the popular choice for clients. Why? A CMS hands the power back to you so you can edit text, make photo changes and add functionality to your site without assistance or needing to know code or HTML. The best platform available today is WordPress.