Top 3 Essentials for Web Entrepreneurs

By Zach Buckley

If you're a Web entrepreneur, you probably know what your competition looks like. Quite a few sites are horrible, while only a select few stand out. You don't want to be part of the sub-standard sites out there so it’s vital that you have several essential things to be an online success story. Here are a few lessons for the budding web entrepreneurs out there:

Design Matters

As Web designer Brian Reed once said, "Everything is designed. Few things are designed well." The design of your site matters. It’s the first impression that users will get about your business. Your site should be well designed and a pleasure to look at, especially the landing page. When your site visitors land on your home page, it’s essential that you capture their attention quickly. This means an easy to read and easy to view site where users will know the site's purpose within a few seconds. Grab the visitor's attention and encourage them to click the other page links. Make it easy for your site visitors by letting them know who you are and what you do, briefly and concisely, so they are likely to stay on the site and possibly become customers.

Good Domain Name

Simplicity is especially important when it comes to your domain name. A good domain name is easy to remember, easy to type, and easy to recognize. Although there are plenty of different extensions to choose from today, .com is still the most popular and most easily recognized; generally preferable to a .net, .org, or any other extension. If possible, it’s best to avoid adding dashes or a number that isn't part of your company's name. Extra characters just make it more difficult to remember and type, which could limit the amount of people who are return visitors for your site.

Be Accessible

One of the main reasons that site visitors might not return is frustration. How easily can they get in touch with you? It’s important that your contact information - phone, live chat, or email - is readily accessible. A visitor who can't find the answers they want will automatically start looking for a "Contact" button or page. It’s vital that your contact information is easy to find. Being available for your site visitors is truly be one of the best ways that you can turn the visitors into your buyers.

Besides contact, there's also recognition. The Internet is essentially a massive ocean over which you can cast an impressive net to pull in potential consumers. Note: PPC and SEO. A proper PPC campaign and a means of auditing that campaign can help you get your brand in front of new, relevant eyes while SEO will give you exposure through organic search. You can have all the luck in the world developing your online business, but it means nothing if no one can see it. 

Using these top three tactics are essential for the neophyte entrepreneur. Try these simple tips to see how valuable they can really be!

Zach Buckley is a freelance writer who is interested in exploring the intersection of culture, science and education.  He lives in the Midwest and enjoys music, literature and good food.