Every business, a least the ones that want to be successful, needs to have a presence online that is just as good, if not better than their brick-and-mortar location. And if they don’t have a physical location, their online space should be second to none.

Humboldt Merchant Services wants to help our merchants’ customers have the best experience online, so we offer up these suggestions for making your website the best it can be.

• Think beyond the desktop. Tablets, phones, laptops…heck, even watches. You never know where your customers are going to come from, so make sure to have a mobile strategy top of mind when launching or redesigning your website.
• Content. Content. Content. No matter how pretty your website is, if there is no content that clearly explains your business and products/service then all you really have is art. Keep descriptions of products correct for your audience. If you’re selling novelties then don’t write it like you’re a travel site. Update information when needed, nothing sours a customer quicker than outdated pricing or availability.
• Hire a Pro. Can I afford it? The question should be: can I afford not to? Your website is the first interaction most of your customers have with your business, so you want to put your best foot forward, right? The expert knows the ins-and-outs of what works best and what might be considered passé. But you know your business best, so work closely with the designer/writer to make sure you get something you are happy with.
• Choose your words carefully. We all do it, go to a search engine and type in a few words in hopes of finding what we’re looking for. There are experts that make a career of watching those words and compiling a list of the most used words people use in their searches for any given industry. Using the right words for Search Engine Optimization, SEO for short, will help your business be found when potential customers use a search engine. You may want to employ a SEO expert to help make sure you’re using the correct words.
• Know when the right time is. Adding things like blogs and social media links seem like no brainers for any business, but all in due time. If you don’t have time to write blog posts on a consistent basis, it might be better to wait until you know how much time you’ll have to allot for such things. Adding social media buttons is a plus however, if you’re just starting out and have very few followers, or likes, then it might be smart to wait until those numbers grow.
• It’s a living, breathing thing. A good website is never done. Updates, adding new graphics and refreshing content will keep you busy…but it will also keep you successful!

To learn more about the services offered by Humboldt Merchant Services, visit www.hbms.com, or call 877-387-5642.