Is Business Web Design Easier or Harder in 2020?

ArcStone | February 2020

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Wherever you look, you’ll find ads and articles that tell you it’s never been easier or cheaper to create a business website. The underlying message seems to be that web design has never been less of a concern.

Talk to the business owners who step into our office for consultations, though, and you’ll hear a different story. They’ll tell you that maintaining a high-quality web presence that produces results — in terms of visits, leads, and sales — can feel like an impossibility. The competition online is absolutely fierce. Whether you’re fighting for traction on search engine sites, social media feeds, and in customer inboxes.

How do you find the truth between these two opposing points of view? Is business web design easier than ever as we move into 2020? Or, are things getting that much harder? To find an answer that makes sense, you have to consider a couple of things…

It is Easier Than Ever to Create a Basic Website

Let’s start with the obvious. If you are simply looking to put an online brochure onto the internet, your options are endless. There are dozens of templates, services, or freelancers available to help. From DIY solutions like Wix to prebuilt WordPress websites, there are plenty of simple tools at your disposal.

Most of these options are inexpensive and don’t take a lot of technical expertise to create and manage. However, the results are often underwhelming and fail to showcase your unique brand. That brings us to our second point.

The “Design” Part of Web Design Isn’t What Matters

In some ways, web design isn’t a relevant term as we move into the new decade. Although it’s the accepted phrasing for a specific set of services, the “design” part of the process isn’t the most critical or valuable feature.businesswebdesign

Having a website that looks like the millions of others out there doesn’t do anything for you. To be effective online, you have to grab attention, draw in traffic, and promote your competitive strengths so you can turn visits into conversions. Template-based websites rarely help you to do any of those things. In fact, in many cases, using simplified tools might hold you back.

A cookie-cutter website doesn’t help you stand out. It won’t boost your branding or sales. And, it isn’t going to have the kind of programming or customization that will help you with automation, e-commerce, or other cost-saving trends.

There is still some truth to the old axiom that “you get what you pay for,” particularly when it comes to web design and online marketing. Now, you don’t have to spend top dollar with the biggest agency in town. But, you do have to take your website seriously if you want to generate a positive return on your investment. You need a strategy, not just a pretty layout.

Need Help with Your Online Marketing Strategy?

It would be nice if there were simple, cheap solutions for online marketing that work for every business, but that’s rarely the case. To create new revenue and outwit your competitors on the internet, you need a focused plan that you can execute over time.That’s where our team of creative business growth experts comes in. Contact ArcStone today to schedule a consultation and see how we can help you do more with your website!

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