The Importance of a Branded Website

When it comes to company branding, the website is often overlooked. Society, as a whole, has gotten better at knowing what is or is not an online scam which means a well-made website can affect business.

The World Opens

In the past, consumers had favorite brands they would always choose over others. They would go to the local brick and mortar store to pick a specific brand. The Internet changed all that by opening up the entire world to consumers. Now, they are no longer stuck with just one or two choices from a local establishment but have dozens of brands to choose from. With various new choices, consumers are spending more time researching products and services to decide which ones are indeed the best for them. They may not be able to travel the world, but they can travel and research on the Internet. Your company's website may be the only chance a consumer has to judge your product. Your website has to do the job of introducing your product, show them the merits of buying your product, and provide customer service for questions they may have.

Research

Consumers depend on research to find information. They can easily go to third-party sites, but the information may be biased or incomplete. The best place to find what they seek is straight from the horse's mouth -- the company’s website. Once there, they expect to have all of their questions answered and get a good idea of whether they are willing to spend their money on that brand or look elsewhere.

Give Them the Best

Your website is your brand. If a consumer doesn't like what they see when they click on your website or they can not find the information they want, you can count on losing their business. You want to appear trustworthy and worth every penny you are asking for. How can you do this? 

1. Answer Questions - Anticipate the most frequently asked questions from potential customers and set up a FAQ page. Make the answers thorough and informative. Don't make them search every page of your website to find color choices, sizes, or different service tiers. Put all of the important information at their fingertips.
2. Be Personable - Show them the person behind your company’s branding. They want to work with humans. Tell them a story with your About Us page. Let them see the hard work you put in to get to the top of your industry. Show them you care about their needs.
3. Great Customer Service - Make sure there are a variety of ways they can contact you. In addition to a physical address and phone number, include an instant chat. Set up a customer forum if your product or service could benefit from users helping other users. Make any guarantees and return policies easy to understand and easy to locate. 
4. Make It Easy - Time is important, more so today than ever before. People are often on the go when accessing information on the web. Make sure your navigation is straight-forward. Don't include all those bells and whistles that may look nice but add nothing to the user's knowledge. Make sure visitors know you recognize the importance of their time and are willing to do what you can to help make life easier.

Final Words

You don't buy a Chevy from a Ford site or expect a shoe outlet to answer every question about every brand of shoes they carry. Consumers know the best place for answers is on a brand website. If you can make their visit the best experience there is, you gain their trust. Make sure your company branding efforts extend to your web presence.