What a website can and cannot do.
WHAT IT CAN DO
Let people who heard of you elsewhere check you are real Answer questions so customers stop phoning to ask Generate enquiries from people searching for what you offer Sell products directly Establish credibility
WHAT IT CANNOT DO
Create demand where none exists Compensate for an unclear proposition Produce customers without anyone knowing it exists Replace relationships and referrals for most local businesses
TIMEFRAMES
Search visibility takes months. A new site produces little from search in its first quarter.
Early traffic comes from people who already know your name, from referrals, and from anywhere you promote it.
WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
Clarity about what you do Being findable for the specific things you offer Being easy to contact Evidence that you are competent and real
WHAT MATTERS LESS THAN PEOPLE THINK
Visual design, beyond being clear and credible Having many pages Having every feature
THE HONEST SUMMARY
A clear, fast, easily contacted site with good content outperforms an elaborate one. Most sites fail on content and clarity rather than on design.
