Understanding the Importance of Website Investment

The article written by Molly McCormack highlights insights from our CEO Sarunas Budrikas. When making a big purchase, what’s the first thing you do? If you’re like 82 percent of consumers, you head to the web. This sheds light on the necessity of having a fully functioning, well-informed company website.

So, why do so many fabricators hesitate to invest time and dollars into bettering their online presence? We talked with Sarunas Budrikas, president of website development company Angle180 Inc., about the biggest obstacles for companies looking to tame the wild, wild web.

“They don’t see the potential value the website can bring,” Budrikas says, describing companies that created their websites some time ago. “They had high hopes that they would drive traffic and business, but didn’t see the return they anticipated.”

Today, advancements in design, analytics, user experience and e-commerce platforms have improved the likelihood of finding online success. Budrikas admits, though, that there are other hurdles to overcome.

Key Steps for Website Improvement

• Have clearly defined goals and expectations that are performance based.
• Focus on great user experience. A website’s message should be clear, load quickly, and work on all devices.
• Integrate your marketing strategies into the website. Have an expanded site map with landing pages for unique search phrases and optimize every page for conversion.
• “Another reason businesses shy away from upgrading their websites is because of our own industry experts,” Budrikas says. “Web designers should do a better job communicating with and educating business owners.”

If hiring an outside party feels daunting, Budrikas suggests assessing your true needs and wants from a website before deciding to go it alone.

“If we’re talking about a simple brochure website then yes, the owner can do it themselves,” Budrikas says. “But I wouldn't recommend it for established businesses. Creating a website that performs well takes time – from strategy, planning, content writing to design, development and analytics.”

SEO and Continuous Improvement

According to Budrikas, there’s no real magic in putting together a website, but for a company to see the benefits, they need to pay close attention to search engine optimization (SEO). This gives businesses a greater chance of performing higher in online searches. Budrikas warns about cookie-cutter SEO programs, stating that while they seem easy to use, they have limitations when scaling as the website grows.

Conclusion

Have an expanded site map with landing pages for unique search phrases and optimize every page for conversion. But most importantly, focus on great user experience by providing a clear message on a fast loading site that works across all devices.

For those already updating their website or reevaluating their website needs, whether working with a developer or not, start with clearly defined performance goals and expectations.