Fact: the Internet is everyone’s source for information these days. Businesses that realize this fact are often more successful because their information is easily accessible to the public and other businesses. Does your website contain the right information to attract customers? Is it an accurate portrayal of your company? Does it function properly? The majority of people research a business online (website, social media, etc.) before deciding to call or email. Phone books have gone the way of the dinosaur. Web design in the Lafayette market needs to be handled professionally. Here are five common reasons why your website might not be as effective as you would like.

1. A bad and/or old (more than 5 years) website design makes your business seem out-of-date and out of touch.   Customers are used to having new information right at their fingertips (thanks smartphones), so if your website design is outdated, customers might think your business is, well, old too.  Not old in a good way like those reliable companies that have been around for 75 years, but old as in outdated, which could be a turnoff to new and existing customers in the Lafayette, LA market, and really everywhere.
 

2. You could be losing business for something as simple as a hard to find phone number or address on your website.  Most people won’t take the time to search your entire website for the information they need.  Make it easy for Lafayette residents and businesses to find you.
 

3. Self-made and free website services don’t work for everyone.  First of all, many of them do not contain any Search Engine Optimization capabilities.  Customers may not be able to find you on the web in general searches unless they know your URL.  Secondly, most of the free/self-made website services are based in Flash, which does not work on iPhones or iPads. This leads me to my next reason.

4. Websites need to be specifically designed to operate correctly on mobile devices like iPhones and iPads.  This is extremely important since so many people use mobile devices to look up information on the go.  If your website doesn’t display correctly then the information the customer is seeking is not readily available.

5. Every aspect of your website needs to be fully functional.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to a website that had an empty link or a contact form did not work.  A dysfunctional website design does not make a good impression.

Use this information as a checklist for your website.  Google your business and any related terms, check out your website on a mobile device, look at your website as if you were a new customer.  If you’re not happy with what you see, give us a call.  Red Room Web Design in Lafayette, LA is your one-stop shop for graphic design and web services in the Lafayette area.