Business Opportunities and Internet Marketing Systems that Don't Work |
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3-5 Page Website Packages3-5 page websites are offered by low end web designers as an "affordability option" for startups. They are aimed at small businesses on a tight budget. A web designer may offer you one, without telling you what the fatal backlash is. In short, no credible business in this day and age has a 5 page website, much less a smaller one! You cannot present a persuasive marketing message, along with validation of your legitimacy in even 5 pages. See, there are pages that are expected on each site, and if they are not there, then your site will suffer. These include: About, Contact, Policies. Then you need a home page, and pages that explain who you are, what you do, and why your product or service is worth their consideration. You need pages for each product, and you need enough information on your site to demonstrate your expertise. This is especially important for service businesses. Those extra pages also serve a great purpose, in helping you to get more search engine traffic as well. The pages can be targeted more precisely to close topics, which search engines really like. Consider a small Virtual Assistant business (I just pulled that out of a hat - I have not thought about this previously). If I were brainstorming with a client to produce a website for this business, I'd recommend starting with the following pages: Home That just happens to work out to just 10 pages. For most small businesses, it will take at least 10 pages, because in order for a site to function effectively, and to get good traffic, topics need to be self-contained as much as possible - that means one topic per page. And a well-presented business will answer the majority of client questions without them having to call you - many people still will, because most people don't buy from strangers, especially if it is a service. You need to summarize your business on the home page, and explain in detail on interior pages just what it is you do, and why it is better, why you can be trusted, and that your expertise really does include what they are concerned about. You just can't do that well if you have only two pages to do it in. I'd never suggest a 3-5 page website for a client, because I know it would do them a disservice. It would make them appear cheap, unprofessional, and shady. The deep dark secret of web design is that it takes VERY little more time to produce a 10 page website than it does to produce a 5 page website. If you can produce a 5 page site for $400, you can produce a 10 page one for $500. Because the design and site structure do not change, and they are actually the hardest part of building a small site. Adding a page is quick and easy after the initial design and site structure have been created. So don't get suckered by someone telling you they can save you money by building you a 3 or 5 page website. The site designer is cutting a corner that should not be cut! And you are the one who will get slammed with the consequence. Written by Laura Wheeler, MicroBusiness Website Developer, and founder of the MicroWebmasters Alliance |
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