Does your website look like a carnival?

Answers the question, “Why shouldn’t you build your own sustainable business website?” This article compares cyberspace to a game booth at a carnival. Nobody likes carnies teasing them to come to their game, but it’s the prize that draws the buyer. Hiring a web developer focuses more on drawing the buyer to “the prize,” whereas do-it-yourself sites are like the offensive carny.

The carny on the midway at the state fair tries to catch your attention either by drowning out catchphrases or hurling insults to get you to play. So what do you do? Keep your head down and don’t make eye contact!

So why do carnivals still make money off game-joint booths when their carny is so offensive? The taunting may draw some, but it is the oversized plush toy cradled in the arms of people walking past that always drew me to the game. Dangling the big prize is what draws most people to play.

Your website is your game booth and the Internet is a carnival. How will you draw the players? Think about how you use the web. Where do you make your buying decisions, at a static brochure site or a more dynamic responsive website that got you information quickly, and/or had an add-on for your purchase? Using a professional web developer can be the difference between looking like a huckster and being the booth with a line out the door.

Travel businesses, professional services, and start-up opportunities should consider hiring a web developer to build a well-suited website that integrates the first impression you want to make and can adapt to the constantly changing rules of the Internet and buyers. You want to sell products, make profits, and stay current, and the effective web developer wants to see you succeed; that’s their business. Together, you are teaming up to expose your business to as many in the buying masses as possible and draw them to look at you.

Here are a few considerations to guide your buying decision to hire a web professional:

Experience. In medicine, it’s called “a practice” because the more patients and cures a doctor sees, the more successful the treatments. Compare how much time you spend on the web to the web developer, whose livelihood depends on it. A seasoned developer, especially with a good track record in designing for your product and industry, is much more likely to get browsers to stick on your site, spend time moving through the pages, position your website to a higher position on the search engine … getting customers closer to your prize.

Image. As a former Chamber of Commerce executive, it was disappointing to hear a luncheon emcee look out upon a surprisingly larger audience than normal and exclaim, “Wow, this sure is a lot more people that we usually have!” Small businesses shouldn’t appear small! Buyers need the confidence that you have the goods to back up their purchase, which also lessens buyer remorse. A do-it-yourself web page appears temporary, but a developed site shows permanence and uses technology to lure the buyer. Entice the buyer.

Responsiveness. The world is in flux with changing economies, lifestyles, and buying trends, all influencing customer behavior. Professional development will not only anchor confidence in your brand but also offer flexibility to address contemporary buying influences. Keeping an eye on these patterns and connecting the dots, helps the professional to dangle your prize in front of the consumer. Ask yourself, just how old is this web template I’m using?

Use your website to draw your market to the game. Step right up.

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Planet Media is an eco-friendly and sustainable creative agency specializing in branding, UX/UI design, web development, ecommerce, and digital marketing solutions. We have extensive experience in developing, promoting, expanding, or reinventing your web presence.

Contact our Denver, Colorado office for a no-obligation, project cost analysis.