If you just launched an amazing new startup company, you're not alone. Brand new companies spring up by the dozen every day. In order to stand out among the masses, you need to make a professional and – quite frankly – an unforgettable online appearance. But how can you do all that with minimal cash flow? We've rounded up the best ways to make a killer online impression to kick-start your company.
1. Create a design strategy
Take the time to create a detailed design strategy before jumping into the web designing process. Beginning without a plan can set you up for a jumbled website you'll need to go back and fix later. Save yourself the time and money and get it right from the start. Pick out a few essential features to become part of your website vision. To do this, ask yourself a few questions. What overall message do you want to convey? What features will make you stand out? What kind of features does your audience want to see? Make a list of these features and use them to create a strong sense of focus in your design.
2. Keep it simple
Strive for simplicity. Simple designs cost less money and are faster to create (especially useful to startups notoriously short on time and cash). They're also memorable, timeless and show up better on smartphones and other mobile devices. Don't try to wow your visitors with a complex and crowded design. You want to entice readers to convert, not impress them with overwhelming designs. Keep it clean, simple and straightforward. You'll make it easier for readers to spot your call to action and actually convert. Too much clutter and complicated designs will only drag down the speed of your website, distract readers and lend an unprofessional vibe to your website.
3. Use a template
Unless someone at your startup has previous experience with web design, don't try to create your website from scratch. Employing one of your execs to muddle through this process with no prior knowledge can drain your startup of precious time and money. Instead, consider purchasing a professional template. Professional templates range from $25-$70, but can save your company hundreds of dollars (or more) in wasted resources. You can install Joomlashack templates quickly and easily – allowing you to shape your ideal design vision. With a template, you can also update and maintain your website in a snap.
4. Implement an SEO Strategy
Your company website won't do you much good if it's sitting out in cyberspace without visitors. You need a strong focus on SEO in your design to draw viewers to your site. SEO may require time, focus and resources – all of which run short in a brand new company – but you need to focus on SEO to begin building rank for your target keywords now. First choose an SEO-friendly design that's easy for search engines to navigate (like Joomlashack templates). Place keywords strategically in the main content of your site. Make sure your content reads well – you don't want to over stuff your site with keywords. It won't be pleasing to your readers or to search engines. Then update your content consistently, which leads us to our next point...
5. Update your content
Now that your website looks clean, with a few knockout features, an awesome design and an SEO strategy, you're almost there – but not quite. You need to update your site with fresh content on a regular basis. Ideally, your content should entertain, engage and educate visitors. They'll like it, tweet about it and send it to their friends. Standout content makes your company more relatable and builds a strong relationship between you and your reader. That's a good thing when you're a brand new startup looking to build up a client base. Updating your blog will also boost your SEO, so write well – and often.