During this past decade, Hong Kong people's usage of internet for work and life services has become more and more common, according to Statistical Reports from Census and Statistics Department. Currently, out of every 100 people in Hong Kong, 34.7 are actively using the internet. Setting up a company website to build a successful internet business platform has become an important part of building a corporate image and to promote products.
Importance of a mobile site
By the end of 2015, out of every 100 people, there were 193 mobile broadband users, which means nearly every person had two mobile broadband accounts on average. The number of third and fourth generation (3G & 4G) mobile broadband users have increased to 14.15 million, a substantial increase of 21.9% per year in the period from 2010 to 2015. Mobile is also no longer just for the young, as it's gradually finding its way into the life of the higher aged segment of the population. As mobile broadband is becoming increasingly popular, the use of mobile phones and tablets for shopping is also on the rise. Whether it's on the way to work or at home on the couch, you can easily shop anytime at your own leisure. Therefore, a cross-platform, responsive design website is one of the most important tools to win your business today.
No more home-made cookies
In recent times, web design and development has turned into a very professional field. 10 to 20 years ago, it did not take much to write your own website. But a website written at that time would not be very useful from a business point of view today. You need to make a trendy web design and at the same time consider UI and UX design, SEO, back-end technologies, and that requires specialized knowledge and expertise.
Moreover, web development is becoming increasingly advanced; software like Dreamweaver is no longer powerful enough for modern web development. For example, responsive web design and CSS animations need deep programming knowledge to make websites look attractive and professional.
SEO is another area that requires professional service. You need professional knowledge to tactically plan your SEO in order to boost up your website traffic. Techniques such as link building, page speed optimization, content refining, and structural data affect how search engines like Google rank your website. Which means that without a professional guide, not many people will reach your website no matter how beautiful and impressive it is.
Think before choosing to use templates
You may be tempted to buy a design template from one of the many sites selling them, maybe because of the lower price. But consider the drawbacks: templates are usually developed based on a specific back-end system, like WordPress, which means you will be limited to that platform. Another drawback is that a template is generic and will in most cases not be perfectly suited to represent your business. Finally, other websites may be using the same template as you, or similar looking ones, meaning your website will not look unique or stand out.
The solution is to find a vendor that provides tailor made services. The cost will be higher, but the website will generate more value in the long run. The difference in web design may cause more than 100 times increase in site traffic. A successful website needs both great design and good marketing strategies. A good-looking and properly constructed interface can keep users on the site, reducing bounce rate. (Bounce rate is the number of users leaving your site without clicking any other page.) That means even if SEO draws in traffic, you still need to keep visitors from leaving your website. That's what SEO companies won't tell you because they don't know web design and programming.