8 benefits of a professional website
The layman’s capacity to build a website has come a long way. Now, with numerous drag and drop platforms available, you don’t need coding or programming skills to create a website that looks and feels professional. However, there are some things that you just can’t fake.
Take a look at the top eight benefits of a professionally built website.
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Unique website
When you use a drag and drop platform or templated design, your website will be similar to hundreds of others online. When you have your website built professionally, you ensure that your site will be customised to your business using functions relevant to your consumers. This sets you apart from your competitors by providing visitors what they want, when they want it. This gives your business the brand edge that could make your business the superior choice.
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Professional design
Although you may think you’re the next Picasso, it’s still up for debate. With a professionally built website, you ensure that the design and finish is professional to the nth degree. Designers are trained not just to create aesthetically pleasing work, they are also adept at understanding consumer behaviour. They know where best to place different elements of your site to maximise visitor engagement.
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User experience
UX, or User Experience, is the most important thing when it comes to building a useful website for your business. User experience is pretty self-explanatory; it refers to the experience your visitors have when they come across your site. Professional web designers and developers are adept at creating a valuable and holistic user experience by optimising usability, information architecture (or the sitemap), visual design and content. Unless you know the conventions and best practice for each of these elements, you are not likely to get the most out of your DIY website.
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SEO considerations
While overall user experience is a ranking factor for your website, there are many other elements that play a role in your website’s overall rank. If you build your own website on a drag and drop platform, it’s likely you’ll have limited control over the back-end of your website, which is where these elements come in to play. A professional web developer will naturally take these considerations into account and build a website to help you rank higher naturally.
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Efficiency
When you have your website professionally built, your business immediately becomes more efficient. Rather than spending your time learning how to put a site together, you can focus on what you’re best at – running your business. A professional web developer takes the hassle off your hands and allows you the de-stress in the lead up to your online launch.
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Long term effectiveness
You’re not a web developer, so you have no idea what to expect in the future. This means that, when you build your website, you don’t know what to plan ahead for. Professional web developers work full-time within the digital space and are exposed not just to what works best for any given site but also what could go horribly wrong if certain measures aren’t taken. When you employ a full-time web developer, you reduce the risk of trouble down the track, as they will take these potential threats into consideration during the website build.
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Mobile responsiveness
Mobile is now the device of choice for the majority of people who search for information online. It is integral to your business that your website is compatible with mobile devices. If your website is awkward or, worse, not even functional on mobile devices, you have the potential to lose more than half of your prospective audience. Professional web developers know how empowered the mobile space has become and always ensure that the sites they build are responsive to smartphones and tablet devices.
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Reduce downtime
The way your website is built can impact a range of factors, including how quickly your site loads and how often it ‘goes down’. ‘Downtime’ refers to the time during which your website is offline and unavailable to visitors who are trying to access it. A poorly built website can cause you a huge headache particularly if you have built it yourself, as there is no-one to help clean it up. If you need to hire a developer by the hour, it can become very costly very quickly. The better investment is to have a professional on the project from the outset, so you have the peace of mind that they will be there to help if there are ever any issues.
These are only eight of the benefits of getting your website built by a professional. If you’re in the market for a new website, take a look at Netregistry’s professional website products. For more information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our Online Solutions Advisors.