In an increasingly competitive and aggressive market, showcasing your business successfully and building brand awareness could be directly related to the performance and overall quality of the web development platform you select. It can be a challenging task to choose a suitable solution, but it’s also a crucial first step in demonstrating your services and products to your target audience.
With that in mind, here are some simple tips that will allow you to choose the right web development platform for the unique needs and requirements of your business:
Know the website type you require
The process of web development begins by identifying the exact type of website you would like to build, taking into consideration the aspects you want to demonstrate to audiences and how you wish to display your brand. This can be anything from a traditional blog to a site describing products and services.
The website type you select will then dictate the programming languages, frameworks needed for fulfilling requirements, and potential hosting options. It may also affect smaller aspects such as elements of web design and calls to action, thus enabling you to choose the best platform. For instance, you might realize that Drupal and Joomla are great for business websites, while Shopify and Magento are more suitable for e-commerce.
Attempt to set a budget in advance
Creating a specific budget for your web development project could also aid in selecting the right platforms. Of course, you can always leverage the benefits of WordPress and similar open-source content management systems (CMS) to develop a solution free of charge.
But if you’re hiring a professional to help in this process or develop any additional solutions, a suitable budget can help to narrow down your options. Not to mention that along with the CMS, your domain, hosting provider, and similar services are all crucial aspects of web development that will come at a certain cost as well.
Consider any additional features
Customization abilities are another important factor to keep in mind. Having the ability to make adjustments to the appearance and functionality of the website will allow you to create a more unique and attractive solution. However, this becomes even more crucial if the needs of your business dictate additional features, such as web apps.
In that case, choosing the best web application development solution might be the wisest decision. Experienced professionals in this field will be able to align with your business goals and overall needs in order to deliver the most effective web app solution that brings real value to audiences while boosting growth and success.
Focus on site speed and performance
Loading times are key to the success of a website. In fact, it’s estimated that a majority of visitors expect web pages to load in a couple of seconds, otherwise they might give up on browsing the website entirely. This can reduce your site traffic, deter consumers, and drive visitors directly to your competitors, which would be quite detrimental to your business.
So, make high speeds and great performance a priority. While speed is generally the result of good optimization, established web development platforms can aid in enhancing this process and improve the overall performance of your site as well.
Make ease of use a priority
In an effort to appeal to a larger audience, developing a website that is easy to use and navigate is always advised. That is why most web developers focus on good web design that is simple, functional, and consistent, with grid-based layouts, high-quality content, and branded imagery throughout.
But what’s often overlooked is the user-friendliness of the platform itself. If you’re developing a business website without being particularly tech-savvy, narrow down your list of potential platforms to those that are known and appreciated for their ease of use. Platforms such as WordPress and Shopify are great for beginners, enabling you to create the right solution with a few simple clicks.
Try to enhance the user experience
User experience is arguably the most important aspect of web development. Not only does it affect the opinions and feelings of site visitors, but it could also impact your brand value and the overall success of your business. Consider the balance between user experience and the code intricacy of the platform; don’t make the common mistake of overlooking the user interface and user experience areas. To make the process a bit simpler, selecting a platform where coding isn’t required could also aid in improving the quality of the site’s user experience.
In conclusion
While websites might be crucial for business growth in the modern world, developing one is often a challenging and complex process. Consider the aspect mentioned above to simplify it, select the best web development platform, and increase your chances of success.
Written by Derek Lotts