Having a website built: what should you look for?

Your website is often the first place a new customer gets to know you. Whoever hears your name, sees a video or searches for you on Google almost always ends up on your website. That’s where the decision is made in a few seconds: get in touch, or click away. So having a website built is no side issue. What should you look for?

1. Start with your customer, not the design

A beautiful website that convinces nobody brings you nothing. First ask yourself these questions:

• Who is your customer? A private customer looks for something different than a company or a municipality.
• What are they looking for? A price, a professional nearby, proof that you can do the job?
• What should they do? Call, request a quote or book a meeting. Every page leads there.

2. Fast and smooth on mobile

Often, most of your visitors reach your website on their phone. People close a site that loads slowly or makes them zoom in straight away. Pay attention to:

• Loading time: resized photos, no unnecessary plug-ins and good hosting.
• Readability: large enough text, buttons you can hit with your thumb.
• Contact within reach: a call button or contact form you don’t have to look for.

3. Built to be found on Google

A website nobody finds is a brochure in a drawer. Good SEO starts during the build: clear titles, one topic per page, copy around what your customers search for and a technical structure Google understands. Read more in our article on SEO for SMEs.

4. A design that fits your business

You spot a standard template immediately. A custom design in your brand style, with real photos and videos of your team and your work, makes your business recognisable and trustworthy. People buy from people: show who is behind your business.

5. Copy that sells

• Short and clear: say in one sentence what you do and for whom.
• From the customer’s point of view: not what you do, but what your customer gets out of it.
• Proof: past projects, reviews and figures say more than promises.

6. Your website belongs to you

Make sure your domain name is in your name and that you always have access to your website and your data. Also ask clearly what is arranged for hosting, the SSL certificate (the padlock in the address bar), your email and a compliant cookie notice.

7. Think beyond the launch

A website is never completely finished. New services, new photos, a blog article: choose a partner who remains your point of contact after the launch. And connect your website to Google Search Console and Analytics, so you see how visitors find you.

How we approach it

1. An intro meeting: your business, your customers and what your website needs to do.
2. Structure and copy around what your customers search for.
3. A design in your brand style, with your own images.
4. The build: fast and readable on every screen, in the languages you need.
5. Launch with domain name, hosting, Search Console and Analytics.

Curious what that looks like? Take a look at the websites we built.