Why entrepreneurs need a website?
Some entrepreneurs say that a Facebook page is sufficient regarding their online presence. It might be true for some people; however, for most self-employed workers, a website is a tool that should not be neglected. There are many advantages to have your own site. First, a website is the basis of your online presence. It allows you to gather together all the information about your business at the same place. Furthermore, a site will always be more customized than a simple Facebook page.
Also, we must mention that when you have a website, it gives you more credibility as a business. Let’s say you are looking for a lawyer to write a contract. Who will you contact? A lawyer who only has a Facebook page or one who has a complete website? On another topic, websites can allow you to be found by potential customers thanks to search engines. It is not something to take lightly.
What should we find on a self-employed worker’s website?
If you wish to create a website for your business, there are some elements you must not forget if you want the final result to be both professional and credible.
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Your brand image
The first element we should find on your business site is your brand image. Open your brand style guide and use it during the creation of your website. The brand image should include many elements like your logo, color palette, fonts, and values. If you want to have a strong brand image, it is vital to use it everywhere.
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The basic pages
If you look at other business websites, you will see that most of them use a similar structure. Indeed, we can find a homepage, an about us page, a page where the services or products are presented, and a contact page. These are the essential pages of your site. Therefore, you should take the time to create them. They all have a specific purpose.
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Some examples
Whether it is on your about us page or your products page, you should add some examples of past work to get the trust of potential customers. Be proud to present your best work! For example, if you are a hairdresser, you can add to your business website photos of your best haircuts. If you are working in the construction industry, you could show your most recent renovation projects. This way, your potential clients will see in a concrete way what you can do.
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Some recommendations
Similarly, we also recommend adding customer reviews to your professional website. It is another way to show that you are a trustworthy and credible entrepreneur. Since most of your potential clients do know you personally, they might be reluctant to contact you. Earn their trust by sharing recommendations from past clients directly on your business website. To do this, invite past customers to leave you a review and, with their permission, add them to your site.
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Your contact information
If you want people to contact you, it would probably be relevant to find your contact info on your business website easily. You can add them on the footer or your contact page. You can also add a contact form directly to your site to have all the necessary information to create a quote quickly.
Do not forget legal mentions
If you are located in Europe and most specifically in France, do not forget the legal mentions and the GDRP. Indeed, legal mentions are mandatory if it is a website for a business or an online store. In sum, your site legal mentions should include your name, address, email address, phone number, and all business license numbers.
If it is an online store, you also include your general terms and conditions of sales that explain what you offer and the rules regarding the shipping and refunds, for example. To write your legal mentions, you can contact a lawyer specialized in self-employed businesses or work with online tools.
Finally, there is also the General Data Protection Regulation (GDRP) to think about during the creation of your business website. The GDRP applies to all sites that use data from European citizens. Regarding WebSelf, you must notify that your site uses cookies by enabling an available banner in your parameters.
In conclusion, if you wish your business to look credible and be found by search engines, it is essential to have a website. You now have many choices regarding the creation of a site. You can work with a web agency, a freelancer or do it yourself. After more than 2 million websites created since 2009, we invite you to look at WebSelf. It is simple, and you can even try it free of charge!