The Brochure Website: Dead or Alive?

Do you remember the classic brochure website? During the early days of online marketing, most businesses would only have a small, static website where customers could view products and information about the company. It would have contact details and it existed for one purpose: get the site visitors to call, email or fill out a form.

Are they still relevant?

Today, almost all big businesses have a highly interactive website with emphasis on social media and unique content. These sites are always up to date and are authorities in their field. But brochure websites still have their place. Maybe you just want a site where your customers can reach you and browse your products; or perhaps post breaking news and changes in your industry. If so, a brochure website is what you need.

What advantages do they have?

They are simple, low maintenance and very cost effective. In fact, Birmingham SEO company DigitalCherry.co.uk suggests that brochure websites are still the most cost effective option to showcase your business and provide information. So when it comes to giving small-medium businesses an online presence, the brochure website is still king.

Do you have any tips for success?

A brochure website requires much less of an investment than a comprehensive online marketing campaign, but there are still some things you should do to improve its effectiveness. First, determine your site’s purpose. Be as clear as possible and think about what you need to do to achieve that.

Second, the call to action must be obvious. You don’t want a customer wandering around your site, having a good look around and then simply closing the tab and moving on. Clearly tell your customers what you want them to do, such as:

• Signing up for your newsletter
• Downloading your application forms
• Filling out a contact form to tell them about new offers and sales
• Picking up the phone and calling you

Finally, there’s no substitute for a well-designed site. Make your site as user-friendly as possible to make sure visitors will not miss anything. If your customer has any trouble locating your portfolio or contact page, then your site has already failed.