Website Best Practice

Dear Friends,

At Piggieback we know that sometimes it can be very hard to know where to start when setting up a website. That’s why this week’s blog post offers a simple step-by-step guide to best practices for setting up your website.

1.       Set up

• The domain name you choose needs to be easy to remember and spell. For companies in Australia the domain should finish with .com.au and for New Zealand companies it should finish with co.nz.
• Try not to use any symbols in the domain name, make it as simple as possible. 
• Don’t use any abbreviation that your target marketing won’t understand e.g. if you never refer to your company using that acronym or abbreviation, don’t use it as your domain name.

2.       Web hosting service

• Once you have purchased your domain, you need to select a web hosting provider to host your website and make it accessible in the World Wide Web. In-fact many website hosting services also assist you in purchasing your domain, so do your research before your start.
• Web hosts provide storage space on multiple servers where you can upload your website pages and content to. 
• Always look for how much storage capacity the host provides and any value add services which come with your hosting package. For example, database management and SEO tools. 
• Piggieback uses HostPapa which is an Australian green web hosting provider.

3.       Images

• Save images in your website as .png or .gif files so that your overall site size is as low as possible. This will prevent web pages taking a long time to load and minimise losing potential customers who visit your website.
• You can use animated .gif files to provide movement on your webpages.

4.       Website structure

• When creating your own website you need to host a sitemap on your web server. A sitemap is a tool that allows search engines and visitors to look up pages within your website. It’s basically a navigation tool that lists all of the pages available on your website. The lists are arranged in a clear way so that search engine “crawlers” can find them easily, and feed the indexed information back to their search engine (e.g. Google, Yahoo). 
• Always have easy to use navigation at the top of your web page so that moving between pages is easy to do.
• Consider your website layout carefully and organise it so that you’re leading the customer through your site.
• Subscription, contact, and social media information should be visible on every page.
• Include Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy where they are easy to find.
• Always prioritise a highly functional website over a creatively designed website. This will make it easier for search engine crawlers to find your website which in turn, will make it easier for visitors to find your website and transact!

5.       Landing page/First page

• The first page visitors hit when they link through to your website should always clearly state what your business does and the point of difference it has in the market, this is your sales pitch!
• Always include a call to action where possible.

6.       E-commerce

• If you have an e-store or payment portal, make sure that it is well integrated with your current website.
• Make it easy for customers to add products to a shopping cart and make sure you make the most of the functionality your e-commerce platform offers you.
• Where possible include track to purchase website tracking on your site so that you can directly link a marketing campaign to purchase information.
• Add “wish list” or “abandoned cart” marketing to remind customers about your website.

7.       Social Media

• It has become easier than ever to integrate social media on websites so make it simple for customers and visitors to share your products on social media through your website. This will result in greater awareness about your brand and your website. 
• Have “refer a friend” functionality on your website to maximise word of mouth.

8.       Coding

• Steer away from coding your website in Flash – many mobile devices can’t read it.
• If you decide to use Flash, make sure mobile devices are pushed to a non-flash site.
• Eliminate JAVA script and other codes where possible and use HTML to prevent your website from being blocked by firewalls and so that the search engine crawlers can easily read your content
• An animated .gif is a good alternative for flash to add some movement on your site.

9.       Website tracking

• Use a website tracking tool such as Google Analytics or Core Metrics to see how you can improve your website further and make it an enjoyable experience for your visitors as well as tracking the effectiveness of your campaigning.

Piggieback offers services to develop, create and track websites. We offer competitive retainer fees for brands that want to either build a website from scratch, or re-fresh their already existing site. If your business needs assistance with reviewing your current website or creating a new one, contact Piggieback today: enquire@piggieback.com.au

Make sure your website is optimised and you will generate many more qualified leads,

Piggieback