Website Design

Key reasons why your business needs a website

Having a website for your business is essential. A website can help you establish an online presence, reach out to potential customers, and grow your business.  

Unfortunately, many small business owners still shy away from having a website due to time, money, or technical expertise. Here, we discuss key reasons why your business needs a website and why not having one could impact your bottom line. 

1. Establish your online presence

Having a website is essential for any business in today’s digital world. It’s vital for establishing your online presence. A website enables potential customers to learn about your products or services. It offers a place to book services or purchase items directly from you. 

It serves as a platform for you to share news and updates about your business with the world and, importantly, to be found by search engine results pages (SERPs) when potential customers search online. A professional website makes you credible and helps you stand out against your competitors. 

2. Grow your business

By having a place that people can refer to, a website can certainly help you grow your business. This eliminates the need for them to visit physical stores, which saves them time and money while allowing you to increase sales without having additional overhead costs associated with running brick-and-mortar stores. Having an eCommerce store on your website makes it easier for customers around the world to purchase items from you without having to worry about shipping costs or other logistics related issues. 

3. Increase brand awareness

A website is one of the best ways for small businesses owners to increase brand awareness among their target audience. By creating content such as blog posts, videos, podcasts, infographics, small businesses owners can build relationships with their target audience and increase their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) with the use of relevant keywords.   

A well-designed website helps build trust among potential customers as they become familiar with your brand and messaging.

4. Enhance customer service

Enhance customer service by providing helpful information on your website such as FAQs (frequently asked questions) pages and customer support forums where customers can ask questions and receive answers quickly from knowledgeable staff members.  

Websites allow businesses owners the opportunity to create customer loyalty programs which reward loyal customers with discounts or special offers which encourages them come back again in the future. 

5. Generate leads

Having a website is one of the most effective ways small businesses owners can generate leads for their business.  

A website can be used as a tool to reach new customers who may not have found out about your business otherwise. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram allow you to share links back to your website which makes it easier for potential customers to find out more about what you offer without having to leave the site they are already on. 

Having an optimised website and with the use of other digital marketing tactics such as email marketing and social media posts you can help drive traffic to your website and introduce more people to your products or services.  

Once on your website, forms with clear calls to action allow visitors to submit information so they can be contacted at a later date regarding promotions or new products/services being offered. 

Remember – a website makes it easier for customers to refer friends or family members who may be interested in what you have to offer.

6. Build relationships

Your website can be a great way to build relationships with your customers and prospects. You can use your site to promote special events, offer helpful resources, and provide a way for people to contact you with questions or concerns.  

Use your website to create a blog or newsletter that provides value to your customers and positions you as an industry thought leader.

7. Improve your online visibility and boost sales

Optimising your website and using the right keywords can improve your visibility online and potential sales. With the right keywords in place as part of your search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy will help your ranking in search engine results pages.   

Making it easier for customers to do business with you can help increase your sales. With an e-commerce website, customers can browse and purchase your products online. You can provide detailed product descriptions, upload photos, and even include customer reviews to help potential customers make informed purchase decisions. You can also offer promotions and discounts to encourage customers to buy from your website. 

But even if you aren’t selling products, a website is still vital. A simple brochure website is still important for businesses selling their services.

8. Analyse user behaviour

Gain valuable insights into user behaviour and use this knowledge to improve aspects of online presence. This can include increasing conversion rates through AvB testing different versions of webpages or optimising content based on user feedback collected through surveys or polls hosted on websites or via social media channels. 

9. Stay ahead of Competitors

Get the edge over competitors who don’t have a good online presence. Your website allows you to stay ahead of competition by being able provide better service than those who don’t have an online presence. A well designed, optimised and mobile friendly website will help ensure that potential customers find the right information quickly when searching online. 

10. Establish credibility

In today’s digital age, not having a website could actually hurt your business’s credibility. Consumers expect businesses to have a website where they can learn more about the business at a time and place suitable for them. If they can’t find your website, they may question your legitimacy or assume that you’re not tech savvy. A professional website can give your business a competitive edge and help establish trust with potential customers. 

A website is at the centre of your marketing strategy

Having a professional website design is a crucial part of your marketing strategy. It can help you reach potential customers, establish your credibility, and grow your business. By building a professional website that is optimised for search engines and mobile devices, you can attract new customers, increase sales, and build lasting relationships. 

Web design agency Croydon

Don’t let your business fall behind the competition. Invest in a website today and start reaping the benefits of a strong online presence. 

For high-quality professional web design and development of WordPress websites, contact Smart Cow Marketing. We can work with you to tailor a modern, responsive website for your business growth needs.

Website Pricing Calculator

How to estimate the cost of creating a website

Creating a website can be a time-consuming and expensive process. As a small business owner, you may be wondering how you can determine the cost of building a website without breaking the bank.

Fortunately, Smart Cow Marketing has developed a simple, easy-to-use pricing calculator that gives you an estimate of the cost of creating a website quickly. Here, we explain how our website pricing calculator works and how it can help you make informed decisions about your online presence.

Website pricing calculator

Our pricing calculator is designed to ensure that our clients can make informed decisions about their investment in their online presence. Our experienced team of digital marketing experts has taken the time to develop this accurate pricing calculator that takes into account various factors.

Using our website pricing calculator is a practical and straightforward way to get a quick estimate for your website. Once you enter the type of website you need, whether brochure, e-commerce, select your design preferences, and other add-ons you may require, our calculator will give you a fast estimate of the cost of building your website.

Who we design websites for

Our pricing calculator is specifically designed to cater to small to medium-sized businesses, online stores, and other local firms that need to build an online presence. We understand the importance of creating a website that reflects your unique business needs. That’s why our pricing calculator takes into account essential factors such as your business goals, target audience, and design preferences.

Our pricing calculator provides you with a quick estimate that is transparent and customisable to meet your budget and unique business needs.

Working with a Croydon web designer

A website is a valuable asset to any business, and investing in building one is crucial to your online success. Our website pricing calculator is designed to ensure that you can make an informed decision about your online investment. We understand that as a small business owner, you have unique business requirements and budget constraints. Trust us to create a professional website that is customised to meet your needs without breaking the bank.

digital marketing growth

Using digital marketing to increase your bottom line

Small business owners tend to have a lot to juggle. Between managing inventory, employees, and bookkeeping, it can feel like there isn’t enough time left in the day to focus on marketing. However, with the growth of digital marketing, it has become easier than ever for small businesses to reach a wider audience and increase their bottom line.

Here, we take a closer look at how small business owners can use digital marketing to increase their profits.

Create a website

The first step in using digital marketing to increase your bottom line is to create an online presence. This can start with a website, which is an important asset for any business. A modern website design that is mobile optimised serves as a point of contact for potential customers, a hub for information about your products or services, and a platform for sales. With the help of a website, tailored for your target audience, small businesses can easily showcase what they offer and attract new customers.

Content marketing

Content marketing can provide value to potential customers by creating and sharing relevant and useful information. This can take the form of blog posts, videos, or infographics. By offering valuable content, small businesses can attract new customers, establish themselves as industry experts, and build brand awareness.

Content marketing is an important part of any ongoing marketing campaign and especially important for search engine optimisation (SEO). Content should include keywords that will help you be found in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Pay-per-click advertising

Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is another powerful tool for small business owners looking to increase their bottom line. PPC advertising allows businesses to target specific keywords and demographics, and only pay when someone clicks on their ad. This can be particularly useful for small businesses with limited advertising budgets, as they can maximise their spend by only paying for clicks from high-potential customers.

Email marketing

Email marketing is a valuable tool for small businesses looking to build relationships with customers. By building you on email database and sending regular newsletters and promotional emails, business owners can keep their customers engaged and informed. This can be particularly effective for small businesses, as it enables you to keep in touch with your client base and encourage repeat business.

Social media presence

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter are powerful tools for building relationships with customers. Not only do they provide a direct line of communication between the business and its customers, but they also offer the opportunity for businesses to showcase their products and services on another channel.

Digital marketing agency, Croydon

Digital marketing has become essential for small businesses looking to increase their bottom line. By building an online presence, leveraging social media, and investing in content marketing, PPC, and email marketing, small business owners can attract new customers, build brand awareness, and increase sales. While it can be overwhelming to navigate the world of digital marketing, the reward of increasing your bottom line and growing your customer base is well worth the investment.

If you would like help with your digital marketing strategy, get in touch.

How Much For a Website

When it comes to developing a website, one of the most frequently asked questions is “How much will it cost?” Unfortunately, the answer to that question is a bit like asking “How long is a piece of string?” There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, as there are many factors that can impact the cost of website development.

Firstly, what type of website do you need? A plain brochure site with basic information will cost much less than a membership site or an e-commerce platform. For example, a simple brochure website can cost from £1500, while an e-commerce website with multiple products will cost from around £3000.

Next, consider how many pages you want on the website. Have you already got the content, text and images for those pages ready or do you need those elements created?

If you’re selling products, the number of products will also impact the cost of the website. A large inventory will require more development work and therefore increase your costs.

Additional features, such as a blog, accessibility settings, email boxes, domain name, and logo can add to the cost of development work. However, these features can also increase your website’s functionality, making it more valuable for your business and its customers.

When it comes down to it, there’s no definitive answer as to how much a website should cost. It really does depend on a variety of factors. That said, smart website development firms can provide website cost estimation tools to ensure that you get an accurate assessment of costs before engaging. At Smart Cow Marketing, we offer a website price estimator on our website to help you get an idea of what your project will cost.

Essentially, the cost to develop a website will always depend on individual requirements, features, and complexity. But with a little homework, a consultation with a website development professional, and by using our website price estimator, you should be able to get a better understanding of the costs involved and start on the road to achieving your online goals.