Have you googled it? The first place a person will go to learn more about a company is online. Today we are busier than ever and having information at our fingertips is essential. It’s important to make a great first online impression. A company has one chance to create a positive first experience and wow a website visitor, therefore it is important to take advantage of this opportunity. Don’t settle for average when it comes to your corporate website — be exceptional.

Visible 24/7 to people all over the world, your website is one of your most powerful marketing tools. It will reach numerous potential clients and offers the option to easily update content as your business grows.

Today, websites can be both informational and interactive. They can act as an online tool for a company as well as a gateway enabling interaction with current and potential customers. A website was once strictly an informational brochure. Now, functional website possibilities are endless and ensuring a website will provide brand longevity is an investment worth making.

Mobile and tablets have rapidly changed the web and the way content is accessed and consumed. With this change in how people are navigating websites, the web design itself needs to be accessible and adaptable allowing the opportunity to do things bigger and better.

The introduction of responsive web design caters to the new way of viewing content across technology platforms. The responsive design framework intelligently adapts to the layout of desktops, tablets and mobile devices making the content easily readable and obtainable.

This is one of many factors to take into account when planning a new website. Here are a few tips to get your planning started:

Accessibility: A website should provide a consistent and positive user experience across multiple devices. It is important to give users easy access to key information regardless of the device used. A responsive site will allow you to accomplish this.

Design: A website design should be tailored and meet a company’s online objectives. Your brand and values need to be presented in synergy. Clients associate website design with the quality and professionalism of a company or product.

Content: What is your website content saying to your audience? Do you have a strategy behind it? Well written, strategic content not only bolsters your SEO efforts, but it also engages the user.

Strategy: A web strategy should involve clear obtainable goals based on an analysis of how and why people use the website. The strategy should map back to a set of objectives and if executed correctly, it should help improve your brand presence and recognition.

Analytics & Optimisation: Ongoing site optimisation should be conducted in order to achieve user engagement and conversions. Constantly fine-tuning your content strategies and improving your website tools for users will help your business stay ahead of the curve.

The decision to develop a new website can be overwhelming and time consuming. It’s important to remember that a properly designed and built website is an asset.

Selecting a suitable web design and development agency can be just as important as the website itself.

When selecting an agency, here are some points to consider:

- Experience: Does the agency have respectable experience in website development and design?

- Examples: Ask for websites that the agency has developed and spend some time surfing them to gain an understanding of the styles used. Do these styles map back to what you’re looking to do?

- Audience: Does the agency understand your target audience and demographic?

- Scope: Does the agency have a strong grasp on your goals and objectives?

- Client management: How does the agency work and are they transparent throughout the development process. The development process has many elements and being transparent about processes is essential to ensure the overall product exceeds the your expectations.

If you have a good web development team in place, the process can be exciting and the rewards can be endless. First impressions last a lifetime. Make a good first online impression and create a memorable experience for your site visitors. A quality website is an un-regrettable investment.

Sean Collier is president/creative director of Cosmic Ltd. Cosmic is a full service agency in Bermuda. The agency’s service menu includes branding, advertising, web design, social media, annual report design and development and corporate design. Website: www.cosmic.bm