Whether you have a brick-and-mortar store or your business is entirely online, your website is an invaluable marketing tool, so naturally, a web partner is important. A 2019 GE shopper research study found that 81% of people do research online before making a purchase.
But simply having a website isn’t good enough – it has to perform. According to a survey by landing page company Unbounce, 70% of respondents admitted that slow page loading impacted their willingness to buy from a website.
There’s no getting away from the fact that if you want to maximise your sales, you need a functional and reliable website for your small business. That’s why choosing the right web partner is crucial.
Websites are a bit like plants. They need constant attention and nurturing. You can’t just stick your plant in a pot and expect it to thrive. You have to water it, treat it for pests, prune spent growth, give it occasional fertiliser, and if all goes well, move it to a larger pot as time goes on. Similarly, a website needs regular input, good virus and malware protection, out-of-date content removed or replaced, and back-end upgrades to keep up with your expanding business requirements. Your web partner can help you make sure all of that is easy to do.
These are the things you should look for when choosing your web partner.
They understand your goals
It’s unlikely a web design company will produce a website that suits your needs if they don’t know what you’re trying to achieve. Choose a company that will sit down with you and find out where you want to be now and in the future. That way, you’ll get a site that is fit for purpose not just now but in several years.
They’re experienced
With the advent of drag and drop site builders, anyone can get a reseller’s licence and set themselves up as a web developer. Check that your chosen web partner has a proven track record of producing quality sites.
They fit your budget
A long-term relationship has to be financially sustainable for you, so check that your web partner is affordable and that any necessary future upgrades to your site won’t come with surprise costs.
They have a portfolio of other customers’ sites that you can check out online
Try before you buy! Have a look at your prospective web partner’s previous work. Do the sites look great? Perform well on multiple devices? Load quickly?
They have good ongoing support
As with all technology, websites occasionally go wrong – a plugin stops working, or a bit of stray code causes chaos (see our recent blog: Why does my website keep crashing?). A good web partner will have a solid support offering, including the ability to troubleshoot technical issues and provide new content or updates.
They’re okay with you doing some of the work yourself
If your site needs frequent minor updates, you’ll probably want the ability to do that yourself rather than having to pay someone each time. Find out if your web partner offers training and an easy-to-use interface that allows you to maintain your content.
To find out if Moreweb is your perfect web partner, check out our small business website packages and give us a call with any questions!
