Do I Need Web Services?

Take a look at our simple flow chart to find out if you need web services.

It will quickly guide you through a brief assessment of what you currently have, and where you should be aiming.

Click here to download the chart and see for yourself.

That was easy – right?!

Now read on to discover the reasoning behind your results and check out our list of must-do’s for business websites.

Have a Website

This one’s fairly obvious. The internet is a staple in the lives of the vast majority of Americans; for that reason alone, having a website is no longer a matter of choice in a viable business plan.

The internet is central to:

  • research and information
  • shopping
  • communication
  • managing money
  • news
  • entertainment

and in all of the cases listed above, it’s paramount to the way most people make decisions. Everything from ordering socks to buying a house can be influenced by the internet.

Many people have their first interactions with a company on the internet. If someone can’t check your hours and range of products and services before they go out the door, they are more likely to exclude you from their list of viable options.

Check out our past article about website do’s

Update Your Content

If your website isn’t fresh, you are losing people. When you make regular updates:

  • You ensure you have the most current information available
  • You give your customers a reason to stay engaged with you online
  • You tell search engines that you are relevant
  • You look like a viable choice to potential customers who don’t know you yet

Do your own updates:
Not sure how to do it? Not everyone has the time or interest to learn to write code. That’s okay! GCI proudly offers websites that use the WordPress platform. (Updating a WordPress site is about as easy as writing an email or creating a Microsoft Word document.)

Be purposeful:
Not sure what to change? Let’s sit down and talk about your strategies. We can establish goals and create a plan for achieving them.

Check out our past article about website do’s

Utilize Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

SEO is critical to :

  • Being competitive – if your competitors outrank you, they have an advantage
  • Being found by people actively looking for what you offer
  • Getting more high-quality visitors to your site
  • Being accessible to your past customers

Optimization happens in the code of your site, the content, and through external efforts. What we would propose is unique to your goals and the competitiveness of your local industry.

Be Mobile-Friendly

Having a traditional website isn’t enough anymore. 46% of American adults have smart phones and that number is continually growing. (To put it in perspective, Smartphones outrank lower tech mobile phones in use.)  Many Smartphone users shop and make decisions on the go. If your site doesn’t stand up to their expectations for ease of use (if they have to pinch and squeeze or can’t find what they are looking for), they will probably pass you by.

Set Meaningful Goals and Follow A Plan to Achieve Them

Did you create your website with goals in mind? You probably had expectations for how the investment of getting online would impact your profits. If those expectations aren’t being met, then there are some things we should talk about.

  1. Do you have specific goals?
  2. Was your site made with your goals in mind?
  3. Beyond having a website, are you implementing goal-oriented strategies online?
  4. Do you have a business plan? A marketing plan? A media plan?

If you answered “no” to any of these things, then it’s time to set some goals. (Aim before you shoot!)

You won’t find specific goals on our blog, because your goals should be uniquely yours. Schedule a free consultation with us  so we can talk about what makes you unique and how our approach to web can help you.