As of January 2024, there are an estimated, 1 billion websites on the internet.
Only 18% are active.
With seven years of experience and a portfolio that spans across the US, the UK, and Canada, Marty Wallwood was a standout option for me, and one of the best people to interview about this for our The Best In series.
Knowing there's over 250,000 websites being built per day, it’s crucial you know how to stand out.
So, here are the 5 key steps, to build an amazing site, to match your amazing company.
Clear Message: The First Key To A Perfect Website
It’s crucial to have a strong message. Whatever you think is too obvious. Is perfect.
You need clear headlines and clear explanations.
People don’t have the time you think they do. Grab their attention in 2 seconds and how what you do, helps them.
“...You can have a wonderful design for the website, but your message also has to be strong.
Make sure you understand what you do, then focus on explaining how your service or product helps them to solve that issue.”
Professional Design
Websites that load slowly cost retailers £59.6bn each year in lost sales (blog.9cv9.com).
“It takes a few seconds to form an impression of the website, your website has to create a good one.
Ask yourself: if that site were someone else’s website, would that website leave a professional impression?”
Mobile Responsiveness
Ensuring the website looks good on mobile, is crucial.
Just think about how often you use your phone and not a computer.
“Google reports that 61% of users are unlikely to return to a website if they have trouble accessing it on mobile, and 40% of those will visit a competitor's site instead (UserGuiding).”
In Marty’s words, “It shows visitors that you care about their experience when visiting your website, regardless of the device you use.
And that also shows people your professionalism.”
If your website is easy to work with and use, it gives the impression that you understand what you are doing and shows what could be built for the clients as well.
Accessibility
Following accessibility guidelines, such as WCAG and ADA, ensures that the website is usable by everyone. This is a massive bonus to a wide range of audiences and to you.
“...every person browses websites in their way.
Make sure that buttons and texts on your site are not too small or big. If you have longer paragraphs on your website, break them down to improve readability.
Pay attention to color contrast as well.”
Limit Animations
You need to look the part, without overcomplicating things. Don’t, I repeat, don’t make your website to complex.
Not everything needs a cool scroll effect. Trust me.
“…no animations can make the site boring while too many animations can be distracting.
Find a balance so visitors recognize animations but can also read the content without feeling that those animations are distracting them.
…Remember, the best websites are usually simple.”
Important Areas Of His Work: It's Not Just About Websites
“I have had many conversations with my clients and other people who have told me that finding someone who can build their website has become way harder over time.
Mostly because businesses are not often looking for just a one-time designer who can build a website. Usually, they are looking for something else.
They are looking for someone they can consider as their partner.
Someone who can answer all those questions they have.
Someone who would be there to support them with their new website and at the same time, care about their success and how to achieve it.
Everyone knows what it feels like when something matters to them. And in most cases, businesses are looking for those people who care as much as them.
Especially when you are running your business and you are doing it all alone. You would like someone to help with those things you don’t know much about.
Whenever I’m helping my clients design and build their websites, one of my goals is to offer them a great experience…”
Why He Loves His Work
I asked Marty how he got into all this. And what makes him do what he does.
“One of the greatest things about working with various clients is that you get to learn so much about different industries.
And, there is always something you do not know about some industries but find really interesting…
The second great thing is to see how much something you have built for someone means to them.
If you do something for many years, you see the things you do differently and might sometimes forget the impact you are creating. But those moments… they are some of the best reminders that the value I create for people or businesses makes them happy.”
I also wanted to know what his real purpose was. Why all this extra care.
“I have a purpose in life. To use my knowledge and skills to help other people and businesses achieve their goals. That’s also why I’m actively sharing my experiences and lessons with others on social media.
Do I know it all? Definitely not. But what I know, for sure, is that no matter what, we will figure it out and find the right solution.
And even when you think about building websites, it’s never a finished project - there is always something to update, add, or even do better.
They are never done.
Because businesses change, goals change, and even circumstances change too…”
Thank You To Marty
There’s no doubt websites will be around for a long time. And we hope this helps you, to build your perfect website.
I really like Marty’s approach to this, and so happy he had some spare time, to come on The Nexus Gecko.
As will all our interviewees, I asked Marty, who are 3 other LinkedIn creators, you’d like to highlight.
Here Are Marty's Top Picks:
“Matt is one awesome content creator and does many other remarkable things. He's one of those people who has a lot to share and everyone can learn from his experiences.”
“Justin shares content that resonates with me because I'm also a solopreneur. Through his content, he's being honest, making some good points, and showing people what actually matters when it comes to solopreneurship.”
“Richard shares some good advices that helps people to find new clients and take wiser steps when running their businesses.
Especially love how he writes his content in an interesting and engaging way.”
Thank you again to Marty.
If you’d like to inquire about his work, and find out more, you can find him here on LinkedIn, or via his site here.
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