Cash is king and every business exists to make a profit. Every business needs to be prudent with their cash flow and if there is money to be saved then this is usually a good thing.
However, there are certain aspects of your business you need to be extra careful with when it comes to cost cutting. If you want to save some cash with changing energy supplier or a new mobile phone provider then go for it but when it comes to your website, great care needs to be taken. You really do need to avoid a cheap website!
If it seems too good to be true then it probably is. We receive many enquiries from potential new clients regarding their websites and often hear how much they can save by getting a website from elsewhere (normally a cookie cutter website solution). It seems too good to be true because it is!
When it comes to finding the right supplier for a new or improved website here are some questions you always need to ask so you don’t end up with a website that needs replacing within a year.
It goes without saying that all websites need to be responsive, which means the website will work on mobiles and tablets as well as on a desktop computer. Not only is it vital that people can view your website perfectly on their phone but did you know that Google are now penalising non-responsive websites? If your current site is not responsive then theis needs to be a serious consideration for you.
Don’t just accept the supplier’s word for it that the new website will be responsive but get examples of sites that they have done proving this and then get the necessary assurance that yours will be the same.
This really is a non-negotiable!
When businesses cut corners and have their website built in cookie cutter website programs like Wix or Squarespace your website will lack the ability to be found on Google compared to other websites.
SEO is an art form and requires proper research, coding and expertise. You can try to save money in the early days but it will come back to haunt you. For you to have your website appearing in Google you need to ensure that the CMS your website is built in can keep up with Googles constant algorithm changes and that when your website is built it is correctly optimised for SEO.
It is ok having a new website that looks nice but if no one can find it, what is the point?
Normally when you buy something, it is yours. Not always!
When you have a cheap website created you may well be simply renting space from them. It is their design and their system, not yours. In addition, more often than not the control you have over the site and what it can do is incredibly limited.
In the future if you want to move away from them or if the site is not getting results, you will not be able to take your website and put it in a new system. Also, if you have managed to move up the Google rankings that would all be lost when you move away.
It is natural that you want to be able to keep your website up to date. Information changes, you might want to add new services or even new pages. How easy will it be to do this? Can you do this or does your supplier need to do this for you? If they have to do it, how much will this cost?
We cannot begin to tell you how many new clients have contacted us because of their cheap website limitations. They believe they were getting one thing but got another. The limitations in place were restricting them from doing the things they wanted to do to drive their business forwards.
You need to ensure that your website has flexibility for change and progression.
Your website is your window to the world. More often than not if people want information or to find a new supplier they will Google it. If they do find you, what impression are they left with?
The painful truth is that a cheap website often looks cheap. They are not unique, they are poorly executed and do not give a professional image of your organisation. You may well have saved some money but at what expense?
A good website company employ good designers who know what they are talking about. Site builder companies rarely employ web professionals to give you after sales support. You don’t need copy and paste answers you need correct and professional answers from people who built the site.
You need to be able to talk to someone with the experience and expertise to give you the right answers that can guide your forwards.
When having a new website designed or updated do your research first. We are not here to pull apart competitors we are just asking you to dig deeper. Websites cost money to create so if it’s a cheap website, there has to be a reason for that. If you are serious about growing your business, don’t let your website be the area you cut corners.
If you would like to discuss your website then our experienced and professional team can give you the help and advice that you require. Whether it be a new site or simple updates to what you currently have, we are here to help. Contact us here.
