For manufacturers, a factory is a work space, but it is also their shop window. Consequently, they must reconcile the demands of a working environment with keeping the area presentable, and safe, for visitors and for those working in it.
However, manufacturers must also consider the impression they make in the digital realm.
As Jonathan Guy of Aqueous Digital explains, “For many people, a website is their first contact with a company. And first impressions count. Manufacturers should apply the same standards of tidiness and order to their websites as they do to their physical places of work.”
Should You Judge a Business by Its Website?
“Having a website exposes you in new ways, to new, potentially much wider, audiences. Not having a website is increasingly not an option in a super-connected world, but having one is a commitment.”
“There may be a temptation for manufacturers to think that what they produce will do their talking for them. Visitors to a physical site may well come away impressed by what they see there.”
But manufacturers must be able to reach out beyond this and attract visitors digitally first. This means that their websites must be an accurate representation of what they offer, and must be consistent with their brand.
“It’s not enough to set up a website, even if you initially optimise it to improve your chance of being found on Google. You must maintain a website and treat it as an active marketing tool. You must keep your house in order.”
Keeping Your Website Tidy
Broadly speaking, there are two main traps that business websites can fall into.
The first is where the site suffers from neglect.
“If you set up a website and then basically leave it alone, it becomes a static monument to your neglect, gaining no attention from search engines, and, should visitors stumble upon it, what impression will it leave them with?”
“The risk is, that if someone feels that a website is static and dull, they will, by extension, think that the company it represents is the same. What will make them want to find out more, to act, if the website carries no convincing call to action?”
The second trap is where a site grows too unwieldy, and becomes a confusing mass of information.
“Some businesses tend to simply keep adding to their sites, without considering their content strategically. This is as much of a turn off as having a site with too little going on.”
If visitors cannot find what they are looking for, or are bombarded with too much information, then the site risks losing them.
“People want answers. They want clarity and a sense that the business they are exploring understands their needs. This applies as much to manufacturers as it does to providers of services.”
“Manufacturers are now entering a digital age and must meet the demands of this new world, and that includes how they communicate with potential prospects and customers and represent themselves online”
“Just as the factory floor needs a degree of housekeeping, so does your website,” Jonathan concludes. “When it comes to being online, tidiness counts.”
To discover how you could improve the first impressions of your business and brand through your website, please contact Aqueous Digital:
- By phone on 0800 285 1424
- By visiting aqueous-digital.co.uk
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