Let’s look at the popular client request – what is the difference between business sites and corporate websites.
The main results on the Internet are that «corporate site – this is cool, long, expensive», and «business card – is place where you download the prices and contacts to specify. Just, reasonable, fast »
There’s some truth here, but there’s more to web development than that. We will reject the common myths and confirm the facts about these types of commercial resources.
What do corporate sites and business cards have in common?
These are all easy
- Both – commercial sites (created to attract clients attention – potential and existing)
- Both – designed for sale, but not online sales (for this purpose Internet shops are created, with baskets, the possibility of payment on the site, shipping
- Both are virtual business offices
Now we’re going to refute or confirm the opinions.
Are business card sites cost less than corporate resources?
Not quite. The pricing of Internet resources depends on the complexity of the works, the deadlines and the functionality. If you order a simple five-page business card with basic product and company information, it’s not really inexpensive. But who will stop the entrepreneur from ordering for his business site cool author design, additional functionality and services? Nobody! It’ll still be a small website, but it’ll cost more.
Similarly, you can order a corporate site with essential features, a minimum number of pages and save on development costs.
Business cards are cheaper in the servicing?
That’s really true. The main difference of corporate sites – with these resources the user can get answers to all his questions. And for this, you need more pages, more information, more data, more options, more «stuffs» (graphics, modules, widgets, content and other functionality). Correspondingly, to maintain the working state of all «wealth» on the corporate site needs more time, more human resources, other requirements for hosting-provider. One person can support the business card site, plus small hosting costs. The business card also needs to be updated, but from time to time.
Is it possible in the future to turn the business card site into a corporate resource?
Of course. If business develops, it is logical that the website also grows. It is important to remember: in order to successfully go to the next step of scaling the website, you need a good «base». This means: from the very beginning it is necessary to plan the possibility of «transformation».
What needs to be done for internal optimization of the resource?
- Refuse the free design and «build» site on the simple to manage, but «real» CMS, so you can independently manage the contents.
- Select a relevant domain name so that a stranger can look at URL-address and understand – what your business is. Great choice – when the domain name repeats the name of the company, for example, itk-agency.com. But sometimes you have to choose a domain from other variants. For example, if a company sells cosmetics, you can choose a domain like lipstick.com – all clear.
- Choose a high-quality hosting service. Server space is not necessary, so the service will not be expensive. The main thing – is that the provider can ensure smooth and stable work. Do not accept free or cheap hosting.
- Write high-quality and unique content according to SEO-text requirements and properly optimize target pages (title, description, meta-tags, sub-headings, keywords). After all, there are only a few pages on business card websites, so make sure you get them.
What needs to be done for external optimization of the resource?
We’ve come to the most important difference between a corporate site and business card. Owners of corporate resources make considerable efforts but do not waste time on SEO on-page and off-page. And business customers have very different plans and views on how to promote the resource. Basically, an orientation towards external optimization. And this external promotion has nothing to do with purchasing «eternal» links from donors and building PageRank. It is about moving forward with more external, more powerful resources.
- Business card is needed for branding (personal or corporate): print address on cardboard business cards, leave a link on pages of social networks, on other resources where you can engage in PR-activities. Clients will find the company on external resources.
- Business card website is needed for advertising campaigns and various actions: launch context advertising, print address in catalogs, flyers, banners.
- Business card site is only necessary for cooperation with different market players, aggregators, industry catalogs. For example, the hotel receives most of its customers via Booking.com. Potential clients could go from the intermediary page to the business card website to get more information about the hotel, check more photos, perhaps book the room directly there (and the hotel owner economizes on the commission).
It is not a complete list of possibilities for external optimization of the business card website, but all options – tested and effective for attracting clients. You can choose one idea, or use all at the same time, or come up with your solutions, or ask for help from the web studio IT-Kitchen – let the professionals create a strategy of external promotion.
What conclusions about corporate websites and business cards?
Clearly, you shouldn’t think A – better, B – worse. Just figure it out what you need.
Here’s what you have to consider when planning to order any Internet resource:
• size and direction of the business (market, activity specificity, number of employees).
• «Age» of the company (at what stage of development, what plans for further growth and scaling).
• Item (good or service).
It’s not a complete list of factors. After all, entrepreneurs do not need to understand the types of sites, customers fill out the briefs, and the task of the web studio is to propose the optimal solution and create a tool that will solve the problems of this company, precisely at this stage of development.