event | Absolute Inc.

Building a website for your business, but finding yourself stuck? It’s no simple task. In a world full of websites, (over 1.8 billion), creating a unique and usable website with relevant content can be daunting to even the most tech-savvy. When generating or re-doing a website, there are a variety of elements to consider ranging from user experience to information hierarchy. If this sounds like a bunch of gibberish, you’re not alone.

How many websites do you visit daily? I can’t keep track on two hands. Nielsen reports that American adults spend over 11 hours a day interacting with media, and a quarter of U.S. adults report being online constantly, but we seldom give thought to the logistics behind the screen. How do websites actually work? When it comes to generating a website for your business, do you know the necessary steps to take? Can you tell an effective site from an ineffective one? Our team has 20+ years of experience designing websites, and we’re here to explain what it takes to build an effective website for your business. We’ll also provide you with examples, so you can see the difference between effective and ineffective web pages for yourself.

1. How are websites created?

From a technical point of view, websites consist of software code (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) that is rendered by web browsers. Although a website can be written entirely in HTML, most websites today are created using a server-side language such as PHP or a Content Management System (CMS) such as WordPress or Drupal. Some simple websites are created using drag and drop tools such as Wix. However, to create more complex websites, you’ll need a skilled, professional website developer.

As for the actual process of creating websites, this can differ based on who is building the website, their experiences and preferences, the size and complexity of the website, and your budget. Most website development processes can be distilled into three phases: design, development, and deployment.

2. How long does it take to create a website?

This is a pretty common question. Most clients want to know how long the project will take before the project begins. The challenge is that developers often have little information about the project before they are asked this question. Some developers will provide a SWAG (Scientific Wild Ass Guess). This isn’t entirely worthless, because the developer is likely an expert and is basing the estimate on their past experience. However, we do not recommend relying on SWAGs and suggest asking for a second estimate after the design process has been completed.

3. What type of content does my website need?

As every organization is different, so too is every website. Your website content depends on your business and your target audience, however, there are a few pages that every website needs such as a home/landing page, an about page, a contact page, and a product/service page.

Besides the type of pages on your website you need, it is important to have clear calls to action throughout your website. Understanding why a visitor has come to a particular page should help you decide on what kind of calls to action will be most successful.

These are just some basic content considerations. There are hundreds of potential content features to be utilized, from blogs to event calendars, to photo galleries. The more information you give about your business and services, the better. However, the material must be appropriate for your audience and organized deliberately to ensure understanding and accessibility.

4. Why does a website’s structure matter?

Designing a user-friendly website structure is perhaps the most important part of website development. This will positively or negatively affect the overall user experience. Internet surfers typically seek a specific answer or product and may get frustrated if they can’t find what they’re looking for quickly. In fact, users will leave your web page within 10 seconds, unless you clearly communicate your value proposition. This is why it is imperative to optimize the user’s experience by making the content or action they are seeking clear and easy to find. A good user experience means that the customer will stay on your site, and possibly return in the future.

5. What is responsive website design?

Responsive website design changes website appearance based on the device being used to view it. According to Statista, more than 50% of all global web traffic comes from cell phones. Since cell phones are sized differently than desktops and tablets, websites must accommodate varying screen dimensions. Responsive website design does this by shuffling elements around. If done incorrectly, this could negatively affect the user experience from one device to the next. Your site must be programmed to respond to each device so that the user experience stays consistent and straightforward across all mediums.

6. How will my website stand out?

Your site will stand out if it’s easy-to-use, eye-catching, and true to your brand. Forbes recommends to “avoid the natural inclination to make your website about you.” Instead, make it about the consumer/client. Knowing your target audience and how to appeal to them is key in designing a stand-out site. What are your visitors looking for, how can you help them, and what type of content do they enjoy most? Provide users with exactly what they want, and surprise them with material that they don’t even know they want.

7. Should my website be updated?

Technology advances rapidly, so staying aware of the newest updates and trends is necessary to keep your website relevant. Changes in industry and consumer behavior also come into play. By analyzing user patterns and data, it becomes apparent when changes should be made. Our agency re-evaluates & tweaks clients’ sites on a regular basis. We also recommend major updates/site makeovers every two or three years at least.

8. How can I tell if my website is effective?

Regular website maintenance is essential. Developers and marketers must work together to consistently evaluate visitors’ interaction with the site. Are users following through with the call to action? This is known as conversion optimization, and it is the primary way to tell if your website is efficient. For the best outcome, work with a full-service digital marketing agency, so you can discuss goals and implement marketing strategies from the start. This way, the website developer will work directly with the marketers who define objectives and tactics for the site.
Your website is a vital communication tool that must convey your brand’s message effectively. If built, monitored, and maintained well, potential consumers will be more likely to engage with your brand. Check out these examples of website makeovers to see what Absolute can do for you.

A before and after image of Anthony & Partners’ website A before and after image of Taco Bus’ website

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Phoebe

A recent graduate from the University of Tampa, Phoebe brings an understanding of journalism, PR, advertising & branding to the Absolute team. Her extensive customer service and cross-cultural communication experiences give her insights into various perspectives.

If you have a Facebook page for your restaurant or business, you’ll want to pay particular attention to the changes that are getting rolled out over the next few months.

In January 2018, Mark Zuckerberg announced upcoming changes to handle the way content appears on news feeds. These changes would define what users see, and with what frequency. What this means is that posts from your brand will show up less and less on users’ feeds.

The changes are meant to increase user activity with the platform. Rather than showing than content put out by brands, media companies, and publishers, Facebook wants to put the power back into the hands of users, rather than content publishers.

How Facebook marketing used to work for restaurants

In the early days, it was all about the number of likes you had. Surely, that was an important indicator of legitimacy, and meant the more the likes, the more the customers. Facebook later told us that having a verified page was a critical visibility factor, and that your business may not be easily found if you did not take the steps to verify your listing. “Likes” became less important as users then became focused on online reviews, the response rate by which you could answer questions about your business, and your ability to carry out customer service. Good reviews became increasingly important, and since you couldn’t delete them, your users paid close attention to how you handled them.

>> Related post: The delicate art of responding to customer complaints

Coupled with this, Facebook showed preference to publishers that created short, catchy, and engaging forms of content. Often, this took shape in the restaurant industry as “snackable” videos – short videos of branded content that enticed users to learn more.

While maintaining customer service on your social media channel, and creating valuable content are still very important to maintain for your brand, Facebook is now focusing on bringing people together to share and watch content together, and bring the “social” back to social media.

So… what does the new Facebook news feed algorithm mean for your restaurant now?

More than ever before, engaging content is only as valuable as it brings people together, and makes people want to share it with their family, friends, and colleagues. Here are some immediate effects of the change:

People will spend less time on Facebook
People will see fewer posts by brands, including your restaurant
You have a narrower window of opportunity to be seen by your followers (because Facebook will display your content even less frequently)
Influencers will have a bigger impact on your social media visibility than ever before

Why did Facebook do this?!?

Facebook has done some soul-searching and wants to improve users’ lives, and expose them to fewer divergent views, opportunities to argue, or passively consume content.

If you think about it, the move totally makes sense. Think of all those hours you’ve spent on your phone, mindlessly scrolling through your feed, clicking through cat videos and quizzes about what Game of Thrones character you are, and other types of content from publishers, rather than engaging with friends and family. While Facebook has been decreasing the organic reach of content published by companies and brands, that’s made the platform increasingly pay-to-play, with publishers dishing out advertising spend just to get in front of the very people they wish to target.

Facebook used to be about the people; but in recent days, has been criticized for being a platform for dividing people, spreading “fake news,” and becoming an ad platform. This move is an attempt to cut through that and restore the sense of community and social engagement that the company started out pursuing.

How can I make sure my audience still sees my content?

Don’t panic; these changes may seem drastic, but they could help your restaurant’s position in the Facebook community. Doing this will motivate brands and companies only produce high-quality, highly-sharable, highly-social content. Here are two ways that restaurants can start planning their Facebook marketing strategy to rise above their competitors.

Watch Party

Rolling out with this change is a new product called “Watch Party,” a feature that will let groups of Facebook users watch a video at the same time.

Restaurants should certainly take advantage of this feature, which is different from live videos but is inspired by the video feature. Facebook said that live videos create six times more interactions than regular, non-live videos, and the reason for this is because people watch them together. When users are watching the same video, no matter where they are and are commenting, liking, and engaging with it, it creates a community.

Host an event, reveal news, or feature other exciting content that is so awesome, your restaurant fans will want to watch it together and share it with their friends. Make users want to visit you after seeing you announce a special new holiday special, a limited-time offer, or another promotion at your venue.

Influencer marketing

If you haven’t found local influencers in your community, you haven’t tapped into one of social media marketing’s most valuable resource. Influencers are tastemakers; people who have trusted followers and can endorse and enhance the reputation of brands by standing behind them.

With the newsfeed algorithm change, influencers will get a boost in value because they not only are engaging content producers, but because their content is user-generated, and their fans are authentic. Facebook is giving the opportunity for influencers to double down on this opportunity, and so should your restaurant.

Having an influencer outreach strategy is of vital importance, and coupled with an engaging content calendar, can massively improve your online visibility and help your brand stand out amongst a sea of competitors who are now racing for finite space on the social media platform.

How can I use Facebook marketing for my restaurant?

As a restaurant owner, you know how important it is for your patrons to visit your establishment with their friends, family, their tribe, and to connect and build experiences there. From here on out, your social media strategy has to reflect the same values of personalization to survive the new ecosystem.

To learn more about social media marketing for your restaurant, contact us today!

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Miné Salkin

Miné Salkin is a multimedia producer with a specialty in marketing, tech writing and digital storytelling.