Depending on what type of business you run, you may need to have a website that has specific design and functionality needs. The website that you have created will be the shop window to your business, and there may be additional needs that you have to consider.
Online stores need to have websites that function as shops, and this means they need to display the products that are available. There will also need to be a payment gateway added to the website so people can make their payments securely.
School websites also need to be created in a specific way, and it is one of the reasons you should use a Websites for schools specialist, such as those from www.fsedesign.co.uk/websites-for-schools/. A school site may need to have an area for school policies, access to school events and, in some cases, an internal site linked to the website so pupils can log into their emails and submit their homework.
Brochure websites for service-based companies tend to have less functionality, but the design choices are equally as crucial as for the websites mentioned above. It is important to ensure that any images are in keeping with your business and will help potential customers to decide whether your services are what they are looking for. You should also ensure that you have your contact details in a number of different places on your site so customers can get in touch with you easily.
What drives the cost of a website
The cost of a website depends mainly on what it needs to do. A simple brochure site that explains what a business offers and takes enquiries is at the lower end. A site that showcases a portfolio, takes bookings or sells products online needs more design and development work, and ecommerce adds payment systems, product management and extra security.
Several other elements affect the total: custom design rather than a template, copywriting and photography, mobile optimisation, search engine optimisation, and integration with other systems. There are ongoing costs too, including the domain name, hosting, security updates and maintenance. Very cheap website deals are common, but they often lack flexibility, support or ongoing upkeep. It is more useful to think about the return a site will bring. Write a clear brief, review each designer’s portfolio and compare quotes on what they actually include, not just the headline price.
Pages every business website needs
Whatever the type of business, a few core pages belong on almost every site. A contact page should make it easy to get in touch in the way each customer prefers, with a phone number, email address, contact form and, if you have premises, an address and opening hours. Put the main contact details in the header or footer as well, so they are never more than a glance away.
An about page tells visitors who you are and why you do what you do. People like to know the story behind a business, and this is the natural place to talk about your values, your experience and the people involved; photos of the real team help build trust. A services page sets out clearly what you offer. For a small business this might be a single page with short descriptions, while a larger one may need a separate page for each service, linked from a main overview, which also helps people find exactly what they are searching for.
Summary
This article looks at how a website’s design and functionality should reflect the type of business behind it. It explains that online stores need secure payment gateways and clear product displays, school websites often need policy pages and pupil log-in areas, and brochure sites for service-based businesses need less functionality but still require carefully chosen images and easy-to-find contact details.
Questions this article raises
- How much more does a fully custom e-commerce website cost than a brochure site?
- What security measures matter most for a school website’s internal log-in area?
- How do you decide how much functionality a small business site actually needs?
