The first impression counts

Customers usually choose tradespeople based on recommendations or online. Therefore, a professional online presence is an absolute must.

This article is part of the special feature GründerNavi – for founders and young companies

Anyone who has enough time and enjoys design, and is also somewhat IT-savvy, can create their own website using a do-it-yourself kit. Workshops are also available. Everyone else should consult a professional. First impressions count because they stick. Today, they are mostly created online. Therefore, how a company presents itself there is crucial. A company's website plays a central role in this regard. It should visualize the company's expertise and culture, in other words, underscore its corporate identity. Furthermore, the site must be easy to find – by potential customers, employees, and search engines like Google.

Two ways to the website:

1. There are construction kits that allow you to create your own websites. Providers include internet providers, for example, companies such as Jimdo  or  Wix. If you have very specific technical requirements for your site and are somewhat experienced, you may also be able to use a simple content management system such as Wordpress This allows you to program almost anything yourself.
2. If you're not IT-savvy, you'd be better off consulting a web designer. Some charge based on the number of pages required, others based on the time required. In any case, when choosing a web designer, you should make sure that they will be available in the future for additions, corrections, or other "maintenance services," and that you have access to all the necessary login details and passwords.

No matter which path you choose, it will only work with thorough preparation. This starts with defining what and who (customers, trainees?) you want to reach with the website. No one can do this work for you. But there are consulting and training options that can accelerate the preparation process. It's also helpful to take a look at the websites of your main competitors. This will quickly reveal what you like and what you don't. This way, you get a feel for what you want and can then better emphasize your own unique features.

Ultimately, it's about the overall structure. "Less is more," advises social media expert Sue Appleton, owner of the Cologne-based company do_loop : "There should be no more than seven main categories at the top of the homepage guiding users through the website." All essential information, such as phone number or email address, should be visible on every subpage. The expert also cautions against letting personal taste dictate the structure and design, but rather to orient oneself towards the typical user habits of the target audience.

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By the way, Sue Appleton advises: If you don't yet have a corporate design, i.e., a consistent appearance, now is the right time. A good web designer can help with this; in addition to the homepage, they will also create suitable business cards, invoice templates, vehicle lettering, and, of course, the company logo.

To get a lot of attention online, a new website needs to be promoted. SEO stands for search engine optimization. Experts cleverly incorporate the most frequently used keywords into the text so that they appear at the top of Google search results. You can also do something yourself to increase your website's visibility, for example, by submitting it to Google Maps.