Do i need a website for my business

Do I need a website for my business?

Do I need a website for my business?

When setting a business up it can seem like there are a lot of costs involved at a time when we might have limited cash. So it wise to think carefully about where you spend the cash you have, particularly in marketing. We regularly get asked 'Do I need a website for my business?' We think getting a business website is essential in today's digital age, and here are some reasons why:

  1. Online Presence: A website will provide your business with an online presence, allowing potential customers to find you easily through search engines, social media, and other online platforms.
  2. Credibility: A professional website can help establish your business's credibility and legitimacy. It shows that you are serious about your business and that you are willing to invest in your online presence.
  3. Increased Visibility: A website allows you to reach a wider audience, increasing your business's visibility and potential customer base. With the right SEO strategies, you can attract more traffic to your website and generate more leads.
  4. 24/7 Accessibility: Unlike a physical store, a website is accessible 24/7, allowing customers to access your products or services at any time of the day or night. This can help you generate sales even when you are closed.
  5. Cost-Effective Marketing: A website is a cost-effective marketing tool that allows you to reach a wider audience than traditional marketing methods. With the right strategies in place, you can attract more customers to your website without spending a fortune on advertising.

Overall, having a website is crucial for any business looking to establish an online presence, attract more customers, and grow its business.

 


We specialise in creating websites for our clients in WordPress, we also offer a design service for Wix websites.

If you are thinking about getting a website but not sure where to start, which platform to use or where to host it, we'd be delighted to have a chat and offer some advice. Get in touch by emailing us at studio@excelldesign.co.uk

 


Using gamification in your marketing strategy

Gamification in your marketing strategy

Gamification in your marketing strategy

The term ‘gamification’ is is widely used these days  It’s also something that we’ve noticed is cropping up in conversation with our clients on a regular basis as they consider creating their own gamification marketing strategy. So, what exactly is gamification and how does gamification fit in to your marketing strategy?

The answer to the first question is fairly straightforward and has been covered extensively on sites such as Wikipedia:

"Gamification is the application of game-design elements and game principles in non-game contexts. It can also be defined as a set of activities and processes to solve problems by using or applying the characteristics of game elements. Gamification commonly employs game design elements to improve user engagement, organisational productivity, flow, learning, crowdsourcing, knowledge retention, employee recruitment and evaluation, ease of use, usefulness of systems, physical exercise, traffic violations, voter apathy, and more."

The answer to the second question has been surprisingly established for some years. Gamification has been embedded into marketing strategies since day 1. Incentives have been central to both marketing and gaming strategies; encouraging us all to better ourselves with the latest products, improve our skills with the most difficult challenge or by simply offering us an escape from reality.

Gamification takes the essence of what makes games so “fascinating and irresistible” and integrate them into non-game experiences, i.e. marketing strategies and campaigns. Adding elements to your site or app like: rewards, challenges and incentives triggers a sense of achievement and makes use of the competitive nature in people, encouraging them to use your app or website even more, because they’ll enjoy it.

Why does gamification work?

  • You create a fun experience for your audience, which will lead to a longer and more engaging relationship.
  • It motivates your customers to participate: there are chances to be rewarded, to win something or to gain recognition.
  • It gives you an emotional connection with your customers, increasing the possibility that they’ll also become more loyal to your business.
  • It’s for “all-around” uses since you can add game elements to different areas. Think project management, recruitment, marketing and more.

Gamification can increase the engagement of customers, prospects and partners. Rewarding them (it doesn’t’ have to be something materialistic, it can also be recognition or even valuable content) can increase their loyalty and positive feeling towards your business. It speaks to the sense of achievement & competition of the people. People want to be noticed and get rewarded. Performing better than their peers will leave them with a sense of achievement. It will help your prospects identify each other. Having gamification tools, can help you segment your prospects, so you can make them a more personalised offer.

Gamification in your marketing strategy

  • Incentive - Is there a valid reason for introducing gamification and, if so, a strong incentive to ensure it is a success? From rewarding users with improved status, access to new content or just free stuff, being clear about how you intend to motivate your audience is a vital gamification technique.
  • Process - Are there existing processes in place that can be adapted and, if not, how will the gamification of your products, services or content be managed? If you can identify activity that your users are already performing and ‘gamify it’ then you can instantly add value.  Alternatively, if you’re trying to convert your users to new behaviour then make sure the gamification process is easy for them to buy into.
  • Context - Is it the right audience on the right platform? In simple terms, if you want to use gamification as an HR tool, make sure that the technology is accessible to all as a web service and not just as an app.  If your target audience are already using a particular device then go with the flow and develop a solution around their technology choices.
  • Objective - What do you hope to achieve from the gamification process and is it a short or long term objective? Using freebies as an incentive is a quick win but being able to give your users improved status amongst their peers or giving them ongoing access to exclusive content has the potential to create brand loyalty in the long term.
  • Scope - How long will this take and how much will this cost? An obvious question when undertaking any marketing or communications activity.  However, if this is something new to your brand or business then scoping out the project properly in the first place will provide your creative and technical partners with a much clearer understanding of your expectations.

Entertainment, education and engagement through gamification can help you to engage with different target audiences and build long term brand loyalty. There are many stablished webinars and conferences that specialise in gamification, such as Gamification Europe and Gamification+.

What ever you decide to do, make it fun!