When searching for information online, do you get frustrated when you come across a business that doesn't have a website? A non-functioning or hard-to-navigate site can be equally annoying.
We recently admitted that our website lost some of its appeal, especially on a hand-held device. We have made modifications over the years but decided it was time for a full remodel. We, therefore, launched a complete reboot in October to make our site more user-friendly. We hope you like it!
What's new
Our website is truly a new site by layout, color scheme and navigation. The site always worked well on a PC, but now it is easy to navigate with cellphones and tablets. The same material is available online, but we condensed our online content to make everything easier to find.
"Support Tools" is a new header that hosts LEED information and other literature, technical information, the arch length calculator, diagrams and equations, graph paper, a radius layout template and galleries of past installs. BIM and CEU information has been added in one spot, and press releases and media-related news has a new home. Our press release section will be updated regularly to keep customers informed about our news and how contractors use our products. It's a great place for design inspiration too! All of our downloadable product-related information is in the "Products" section. There are a plethora of ways to reach us, from our "Contact Us" page, social media buttons or a new SMS texting option. We are really excited about this texting option! We made links to our distributor locations and product representatives easier to find. We figure if our business is to make framing jobs faster, easier and more accurate, we better have a website with the right tools to do that.
Ideas for you
We work with a great web-design team and knew what changes we wanted to make. If you are building and maintaining a website on your own, check out a past blog about making a small-business website work.
If you have a website and you want to make some edits, consider these tips. Start by reviewing your site and asking others to check it out too. Make a list of traits that people do and do not like, and create an action plan for improvements. Simple tweaks, like improving the site's layout by moving navigation items or even changing the color scheme, make a site fresh and more compelling. If people think your site is clunky or has too many click throughs, dig a little deeper into changes. Turning to a web designer is always a great option. If you are adamant about maintaining the site yourself, look for free options from website building sites. Wix, for example, has blogs filled with tips for small businesses. You also can reach out to the Wix Marketplace to get help with design, branding and marketing needs. Other website development sites have similar options.
Add a calendar reminder to review data analytics from your site monthly. Watching site visit trends is a good indicator of what is working on your website. Also regularly check in with employees and trusted customers for feedback.
The quality of your work speaks volumes for your company. Your marketing tools, like your website, do the same. Tweaks and modifications sometimes are necessary to improve how a site functions and to elevate clients' perceptions of your company.