My practical mind has me thinking about why, for many, the process of building or refreshing a website feels like a mysterious art, filled with jargon, complex terminology, and a sense of uncertainty. I have met business owners who put it in the ‘too hard’ basket year after year. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
If you don’t need complex integrations or custom-coded functionality, building a great website is far more straightforward than you might think. Here at Focused Marketing, we’ve had several clients come to us after hiring a developer, some already having prepaid for their services, only to find themselves stuck when asked to provide the content. They assumed they were paying for someone to build them a complete website, only to realise too late that content wasn’t included. Instead, they were handed a bare-bones framework, with no guidance on what comes next.
A developer can certainly build you a functional site, but that’s just one piece of the puzzle. You really need a mix of marketing skills to ensure that your website isn’t just a collection of pages, but a powerful tool that connects with your audience and drives results.
Obviously if you need a website with complex functionality, coding expertise or complicated integrations with other systems, then I would suggest you need both a web developer and a marketing expert to work together… but I am starting to feel that a large number of businesses, especially in the business-to-business (B2B) space, are potentially over sold to, and don’t end up with what they need.
The key is to prioritise clear messaging, smart design, and a seamless user experience. In 2025, website technology has never been more accessible, but attention spans and effective digital communication have never been more elusive.
6 considerations for your next website project
1. First impressions matter – I mean REALLY matter
Well, you only get one. Whether the rule is three, seven or 15 seconds, to capture attention before visitors leave, the truth of the matter is, it’s not long! Your top-line messages and information, both verbal and visually, need to resonate and appeal pretty much instantly.
- Does your homepage clearly showcase your value proposition?
- Are you using visual elements effectively to grab attention and guide eyes to the information?
2. Build your website for connection
What is the purpose/goal of your website? Is it to educate, engage or convert visitors into customers? Your content needs to be tailored to achieve these goals.
Impactful key messages are the welcome to your offering, then design, layout and functionality are also important to engage your visitors and keep them reading. A full service agency will take a holistic approach, engaging a developer as well as graphic designers, UX/UI specialists and copywriters. This collaborative effort will result in an easy-to-read, visually appealing and user-friendly experience for your website.
Ask yourself, is your website:
- On brand and clearly showing/telling what you do?
- Connecting as a solution for your target audiences?
- Guiding visitors towards clear call-to-actions?
3. Engaging with content (and choosing the right images)
Knowing your product is one thing; effectively communicating its benefits is another.
I once heard the analogy of “you can’t read the label from inside the jar”.
Meaning you can often be too close to your subject matter and can’t simplify it for web, and especially for skim reading. In my experience, my clients often know too much about their product or service to articulate their website content succinctly.
In addition to skim reading, your content also needs to be keyword-rich to be optimised for search engines, ensuring your site is discoverable. You can read more about the other dark art of SEO here.
Images and their optimisation also play a critical role. It takes more time than you might think to find images that are high-quality, on-brand and relevant to your audience. The wrong image can confuse or alienate visitors, whereas the right ones instantly strengthen your message.
Ensure you have:
- Strong, clear headlines that immediately communicate your value
- Concise content that gets to the point
- Thoughtful image and graphic selection that visually reinforces what you do
- Messaging optimised for both users and search engines
4. Bringing your brand to life
A website is more than a collection of pages, it should be an extension of your brand. Marketing experts thrive on aligning your site’s design, messaging and visuals with your brand’s voice and identity, ensuring a seamless, memorable experience that will build lasting connections with your visitors.
- Is your website aligned with your brand guidelines?
- Does it reflect what makes your business unique and memorable?
5. User experience
A poorly designed website frustrates visitors and reflects badly on your business. By working through the whole experience from messaging, images and the technical build, marketers prioritise user-centric design. This practical approach ensures smooth navigation and a user journey that encourages exploration and conversion.
Your site should have:
- Clear, logical navigation so visitors find what they need instantly
- High-contrast text and easy-to-read fonts for accessibility
- A smooth user journey that guides people towards action
6. Maintenance and optimisation
A website isn’t a one-time project. Much like your mobile or computer, you need updates to keep things running smoothly. SEO is similar – tactics evolve, keywords change, and search engines check you are caring for your site. You need ongoing care to keep your website competitive and effective.
Think about:
- How will you keep your website up to date and relevant?
- Do you have a plan to adapt to changing trends?
Don’t get bamboozled, take the practical route
If your website doesn’t need complex backend integrations, building it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With today’s content management systems (CMS), the real challenge isn’t coding, it’s crafting clear messaging, selecting the right images and designing an experience that resonates with your audience.
It frustrates me when businesses are unnecessarily bamboozled into investing a fortune into a website that doesn’t suit their needs. Especially when complex development and coding means that ongoing costs for maintenance and updates are high. Your website should aim to be functional and effective – and if you don’t have endless marketing dollars, like many of our customers, it needs to be easy to update and look after. Also note, copying old content onto a new platform won’t create a fresh experience for potential customers. The most successful websites are simple, clear, and user-focused, not just technically sound.
A developer can build a website, but taking a holistic, marketing-driven approach can transform it into a powerful business tool. Refined content, impactful imagery and optimised user journeys will ensure your site grabs attention, sparks conversations and drives real results.
If you are looking for a practical, no jargon conversation about a solution for your website, we’d love to help. The team at Focused Marketing can make it happen.
