So I have studied websites for a while, checking out some of the best websites on earth. I have also done a review of some of the websites that we have in Zimbabwe comparing them against the best in the world. What is my verdict? My verdict is that our websites are not good enough and this ironically includes this ZBIN websites!
Why do we have terrible websites around?
It seems anyone can develop a website in Zimbabwe which is plus because this removes barriers in the industry-there is however a downside to this- quality of websites is compromised.
Below are my top 7 reasons why we have terrible websites
- Business sector still to appreciate the importance of websites
- Website developers are mostly IT personnel with little understanding of business
- No industry standards leading to poor quality
- Clients not fully aware of what they need from websites
- No proper training and follow ups by developers
- Developers do not make it easy for clients to update material on websites
- Unethical practices from some website developers
Top Qualities of a website: Consider your website as a ‘live receptionist’ someone who can talk to clients, smile to them-ask questions or reply. Someone who can answer questions promptly.
Why should people visit your website?:So in your business you have a target audience or target market? We expect your website to give them information which I can categorise in the following levels:
Level One-Basic Information:
Basic information includes who the organisation is, contact details,location, products sold and prices, pictures etc
Level Two-Interactive
Level 2 is the next stage-after getting basic knowledge about your website why should I come back? I should come back for promotions, updates, resources or for fun. I remember during my college days in Bulawayo. As students we used to frequent a popular shop called Haddon and Sly, why did we go to this shop? The reasons are many-to while up time whilst waiting for transport to the campus, the air conditioner helped in cooling off, just to check out the beautiful ladies who worked in the shop lol, to find out latest products, to check out discounts, for some it was a meeting place, for some to reduce stress. I can spend the whole day explaining why this popular shop was always full.
Now for level 2 let’s call it the Haddon and Sly Experience-you should apply it to your website. Level one is just window shopping, folks just seeing basic information and walking away. Level two is about customers getting into the Bulawayo shop and experience more benefits. At the end of the day being a win-win situation!
- Create an Update Section: One easy way to promote your website is content marketing whereby you write articles that are helpful to customers. If it is a hardware website, I expect to see a section that updates clients of upcoming promotions, helpful tips, donations done by the company etc
- Comments Section: The comments section allows visitors to give you important feedback, some may be customers with concerns which need to be addressed. Customers/clients need to know that there is a ‘person’ behind the website-someone with feelings, someone who can answer, someone who can talk to them. A website should not be dead!
- Resources Centre: A friend of mine has a website for his company, the company sells mining equipment. I have asked him to put a resource centre that helps customers in with information on installing mining equipment, repairs, latest trends on mining equipment, common problems with mining equipment. Most of visitors to his website are miners so I asked him to put a price tracker of minerals, mining news etc. These resources will help visitors to have a Haddon and Sly experience and come back.
- Website Forum: ZBIN will be creating one in future, a forum which allows us and members to post topics and responses. This should allow visitors to exchange ideas on investment and business. You can have one for your site which can help attract clients because after participation on the forum then they can visit other website areas such as your advert sections.
I have given you 4 tips but there are a lot more that you can do to attract visitors to your website. You need to move from level 1 to level 2 if you would like to reap benefits from having a website. So when reviewing a website just ask yourself which level the website is at? When engaging a website developer ask for reference of websites previously developed and check the level.
So which level is ZBIN at? The answer is that we are still at 1- embarrassing stuff but the good news is that we know it and we will be taking corrective action in the coming months as we try and develop probably the best business website in Southern Africa.
