Starting a business or getting your name out into the big wide world in any fashion these days means building and maintaining an online presence. While social media should certainly be a large part of your online arsenal and is comparatively simple to create and manage, a well-designed website should be the crux around which your online presence is built.
Unfortunately, the stigma around websites since the dawn of the internet many years ago is that you usually had to be a technologically gifted coder to build one. Many of us know that is certainly no longer the case and that there are a variety of tools available which help to make the task of building your very first website all that much easier to approach.
Like many industries in the technological age, the new issue is that there is such a wide range of products and resources to pick from that it can be difficult to know which one is the right one for your purpose. Standing out from the cluttered crowd requires being on the cutting edge of what is trending and what isn't, and building a website is no exception. As a result, there are a few things you should at least consider including on your website if you're looking to be a hit!
Social Media Integration - Long gone are the days of building a fancy website and thinking your work is done. Not only is it now important to maintain a strong and regular social media presence, but also to sprinkle it across your website in an effort to cross-pollinate users that you pick up from via any method. This can be as simple as a linked icon to a social media feed.
Hamburger Menus - These are particularly useful for websites with more than a handful of pages. Put simply, it's an icon that remains near the top of your website from which your users can access any of the main pages through a distinct and easy to use drop down menu. Helping consumers get straight to the information they need will make them more willing to return to your website when they require any further information.
Hero Images - Everything in life needs a hero. Whether it's cooking show judges touting the "hero of the dish" or our infatuation with superheroes, everything needs something to catch your attention in a positive light. By heading up your website with an eye-catching, content-relevant image that speaks to the reader about what your website delivers you can open up the potential to keep them on your website much longer.
There are countless website design and building tools available online, and even more online resources for learning how to build your own website. Research is the name of the game and putting your own personal brand will help you stand out from the crowd.
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