Richard Masters Websites 2012: for Small Businesses 02/07/2022 Richard Masters www.rjmasters.co.uk 1
Nov 17, 2014
08/04/2023Richard Masters www.rjmasters.co.uk
Richard Masters
Websites 2012: for Small Businesses
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ContentsRole of websites for Small
BusinessesTypes of websiteBasic website designBuilding websitesFurther resources/information
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Does my Business Need a Website?
Not all businesses need a website, but if you need a digital presence you probably need a website as the core element of it
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Small Business WebsitesWhether or not a business needs a website
depends on:The nature of the businesses
products/servicesCharacteristics of current and future
customers (Personas)Where they hang out and spend their timeHow their buying decisions are influenced
It is fair to say as the population is ageing, and digital media is becoming more prevalent, fewer businesses would no longer benefit from one.
It is possible to suggest a loose typology for business websites based on increasing complexity. See next slide.
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Typology of Business Websites.Type Content Characteristics
Nameplate/Business card
Static Tend to very simple, often third party based and free.
Electronic Brochure Static Basic information in a fairly standard format. Often “Cookie Cutter” sites. Low cost.
Specialist/White label
Hybrid Sites part built for certain common industry type with limited update: Estate Agents, Restaurants, Hotels/Villas etc.
CMS based Dynamic User specified with content updated and amended on an ongoing basis by authorised agents
Database linked Dynamic User defined with certain content updated usually from another linked database.
Ecommerce Dynamic Sites that allow commercial transactions so linked to payment and catalogues etc.
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What type is best for my business?This depends on a number of factors:
Your business offerings (Products/Services/Brand)Your go to market strategy (Direct or Indirect) (B2B or B2C)The nature of your customers (Personas, Demographics)The extent of your market (Global, Regional or Local)The nature of the sales transaction (Simple or Complex)How your competitors are addressing the marketplaceHow are you looking to differentiate your offerings
A consideration of these factors should provide a basis for deciding what general type your business needs.
Generally, starting simple is a good plan!
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Basic Website Design
Every businesses website will, by definition, be unique. There are however some basic principles which are best followed.
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Essentials of Website Design Websites are, in essence, just another form
of publishing, there are some accepted basics common for all sites:
1. Basic layout2. Basic contents3. Further design factors4. More complex websites
These are outlined, in more detail, in the succeeding slides
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1.Basic LayoutGeneric screen layout should be something like this.
Current thinking suggest menu’s may be better on the left hand side and vertical
CTA= Call To Action (see later) 08/04/2023Richard Masters www.rjmasters.co.uk9
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2.Basic ContentContent type Characteristics
Home page •Standard layout(only got 6-8 seconds to engage)•Top level CVP (Customer Value Proposition)•Site contents and navigation apparent
About us •History/ Size / Vision or Mission/Values•Profiles of key individuals( not too stuffy)
Products/Services
•Summary of main customer benefits of offerings•(not product centric descriptions)•Structured by persona type if appropriate•Multi media if this aids understanding/appreciation
Customers/Reviews/ Testimonials
•Customer lists/Logo’s•Reviews of offerings by actual customers•Testimonials from clients (video’s good)
Contact us •Address and telephone number (fixed line)•Map/Directions (if appropriate)•Email contact form
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3. Further design factorsFactor Points to consider
Visual design •Do not over obsess about visual design (only 10% of users think it is important!)•Key is :people want to find the information they want quickly and easily (78%). This is, therefore, the key design parameter.•Don’t invent a new design-use one users are familiar with!
Navigation •Clear and simple navigation a “chimp” could manage is essential.•Generally not more than 3 levels of hierarchy•Use contextual (“Breadcrumb”) navigation (see resource paper)•Site search box also an option
Landing Pages •The most obvious landing page on most sites is the Home page.• In more complex sites multiple landing pages are used for different offerings or client groups
Calls to Action •CTA’s commit visitors to some form of action. Register, buy, download, contact you etc.•Placed strategically on pages where appropriate. (see resources)
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4.More Complex Websites
Increasingly the role of small business websites in the Web 2.0 world is expanding in two directions:
1.They are becoming “Content Rich” in that they contain a much wider range of the businesses information.(see below)
2.They are forming the centre of all of the businesses online activities. They are often depicted as Hubs, Portals or Ecosystems (see below)
These two concepts are described in more detail below:
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The Content Rich Website A Content Rich Website hold more than basic information: is at
the central repository of all marketing information and activity.Content is now regarded as the most important aspect of any
website. It is not only king but pope and president as well! Three areas of rich content can be identified:
1. Multumedia Content. This extends the range to media types from text such as Image and Video etc
2. New Content types. Content generated by other marketing activities such as: Blogs, Slideshows, Podcasts, Articles, Forums, Newsletters etc can be tightly integrated into the website
3. Social Networking Interactions. Not only can new forms of social publishing be incorporated but so also can content generated during social interactions.
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The Website as the marketing hubThe incorporation of new activities and content repositions the role of the business Website to the centre of the hub of marketing activities
Sometimes also called:
An Ecosystem
A Portal
See next slides
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Websites as portals or hubs...
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or the centre of an ecosystem....
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Website as the Marketing Hub
Kipp Bodnar:
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“Think of your online marketing like a wheel. Your strategy should have several spokes that connect back to one hub in the center. A website is the hub of your online marketing. It serves as the one place to which you drive prospects and leads for information and business transactions. Using only social media removes the hub, and the wheel crumbles”.
Building Websites
This section looks at some of the alternative methods available to build small business websites.
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DIY or Outsource?Basic decision is will you contract an external supplier or Do It Yourself.
The implications of both of these options are considered below.
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DIY Websites
The increasing sophistication of the available tools and the need for the majority of sites to be dynamic in terms of adding new content on a regular basis, has let to a huge rise in DIY websites for small businesses
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DIY: Alternate approaches
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The approaches: more detailApproach Tools (e.gs.) Pro’s and Con’s
HTML/CSS Text editor (e.g. Notepad), FTP
•Get exactly what you want•Significant learning curve•Need to organise own hosting etc
HTML code Generators
Dreamweaver (Adobe)Microsoft Expressions
•WYSIWYG : don't need HTML skills•Faster development/Integration•Need to have separate hosting etc
CMS WordpressDrupal Joomla
•Much easier to learn. Blogs too.•End user content/Widgets/Themes•Some technical skills
Website Builders
Jimdo, Weebly, Wix. Moonfruit, Yola etc.
•One stop shop. End to end managed service.•Very easy to use (Word type skills only)•Good integration with email/social•Not for complex requirements
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Which DIY approach is for me?Approaches one and two are appropriate if you have
clear technical leanings and you see your website growing into something more complex.
The CMS approach is hugely popular with Wordpress, in particular, having a large and passionate user base. These do, however, require some investment of effort in learning the basic skills or the use of skilled freelancers for design and construction.
The Website Builder approach is the simplest and newest approach. It is a cloud based managed service approach which incorporates all of the various aspects of websites in one service. Only basic Word type skills are required and content can be added and updated and external services integrated. Can outsource design and copywriting to freelancers if required.
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Website Builders
Features GuidanceDomain registrationWeb space (storage)Email accountDesign templatesText/image editorsDomain integrated BlogsDownloadable Widgets
(for service integration)Basic SEOTechnical support
Start with free version!
Cost free-£15 per month (includes own domain)
Excellent comparison website: www.websitetooltester.com
Evaluation paper: https://www.box.net/shared/4e7c208eb7f8e4aa0515
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The rise of Website BuildersTop 5 now have nearly 50 million Websites
Current growth rates in excess of 20%
Functionality and ease of use come on dramatically
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Externally Sourced Websites
Some small businesses will still choose to outsource their websites to external providers such as Web Designers or Web developers. This can because they are either too complex to develop with DIY tools or because they would rather deploy their resources more productively elsewhere.
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Various Overall ApproachesTools100% bespoke siteCMS (or hybrid with above) Website builderManagement & ResourcesCompletely outsourced keep management control and use
freelancers for certain activities: e.g. coding, design and copywriting.
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Important Considerations1. Fully document your actual
objectives and requirements2. Get the balance of requirements
right3. Co to Tender and objectively
evaluate the bidders4. Enter into a firm contract based
on the ITT and responses
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Choosing an external supplier (1)Spend some deciding what type of site you want,
and the features you require, and how you might like to develop it in the future. Don't let the supplier drive the requirement!
Always go to tender.Spend some time writing a comprehensive ITT ( for
a downloadable example see: )Avoid “Cookie Cutter” offerings for anything other
than static brochure type sites.If you intend generating any degree of content on
an ongoing basis- ensure you specify the use of a CMS for those parts of the site.
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....cont (2)Don't obsess with design. Request an a
industry standard layout and designDo obsess about content, ease of
navigation/use, SEO basics, social integration, user control of content, forward path.
If you look at reference sites: evaluate them analytically not visually: Use Marketing Grader tool, check them off against your requirements
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1.Document your requirementsWrite down your current and future objectives.
Capture them in an ITT.( example in resources)
Request a response to the ITT from a number of suppliers and draw up a shortlist
“Beauty parade” and question the shortlist
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2.Get your requirements rightWhat users want is easy access to the information they want.
Don't obsess over visual design. Its not very important.
Use an accepted industry standard layout and content.
Navigation, basic SEO and social are important.
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Objectively analyse the competitionUse a structured framework ( download an example: )
Use tools such as Hubspots Marketing Grader
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Written Contract -Written Contract, based on the ITT and responses to it
-Fair to both parties. Include termination clauses.
-Include how future changes to be charged for.
-Specify how content is to be handled and
Updated.
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Further Downloadable Resources
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Document Title View/Download from Box.net
Are Web Design and SEO companies reaching the end of their lifecycle?
https://www.box.com/files#/files/0/f/319455687/1/f_2562543593
Existing Website Diagnostic: Pro forma https://www.box.com/files#/files/0/f/319455687/1/f_2562543639
Can Small Businesses build their own Websites?
https://www.box.com/files#/files/0/f/319455687/1/f_2555743741
Website Design: Resources Document
https://www.box.com/files#/files/0/f/319455687/1/f_2562542963
WEB Developments: Questions for an ITT
https://www.box.com/files#/files/0/f/319455687/1/f_2562542083
Website Development: Resources Document.
https://www.box.com/files#/files/0/f/319455687/1/f_2562546237
Website Planning : Resources Document
https://www.box.com/files#/files/0/f/319455687/1/f_2562545927
More/Contact
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.rjmasters.co.uk
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http://www.linkedin.com/company/masters-associates-limited
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Twitter: @mastersassoc
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