With the internet playing such a leading role in marketing and advertising, I cannot stress the importance of a good website design and strong functionality.
For potential clients, being able to find your website is important, along with first impression ease of use and concise content. So here are our 7 winning strategies to improve your website and generate a stronger clientele.
1. Understand the importance of design
Everything about you business is judged in the first couple of seconds when a new client views your website – an instant opinion is made, solely based on the homepage.
Now if this doesn’t stress the importance of a high quality homepage, I don’t know what else can!
Therefore a simple and clean website design is the most effective way to help them understand and appreciate what you can offer. Make it clear and easy to understand by not overloading your homepage and keeping the text to a maximum of 120 words.
2. Keep in mind the difference between mobile and PC
Ensure that your website has been made mobile friendly and that navigation is adaptable to all mobile devices. 51% of people search on smartphones over desktop PCs (Reference) which means that you could be losing a huge client base if you don’t adapt your site accordingly. It is also important to note that Flash player is not supported by mobile devices, therefore steer clear from using this too.
3. Generate quick access buttons to services and products
Make sure that your homepage clearly showcases the products or services that you are selling, with an easy call to action. Also, most small businesses can benefit by including professional or stock photographs or videos, as the product images are the most important part of a professional look. Be sure that product descriptions are short and clear, with all information spelt correctly.
4. Organize your site to provide a great user experience
Keep in mind that when your prospective clients visit your site, they’re typically looking for specific information, they will rarely to read entire pages of text, and will skim information quickly. It is easy to get caught up and include unnecessary information that prospects do not want to know about. Therefore a well-structured site that presents information in an orderly and organized way will be much more successful than one that appears chaotic or that is not intuitively arranged. You can gain a clearer understanding of what your client is searching for through setting up Google Analytics or Jetpack for WordPress. With these tools you will be able to see the most viewed pages and search terms, allowing you to adapt your site accordingly to what your audience wants.
5. Content is KING!
Poorly written content can quickly cause a visitor to leave your site. Strong headlines with a call to action will give your client a clear sense of direction. Be sure to keep the content relevant—filled with fresh, current material such as updated product information, business hours, price changes and new articles and white papers will keep users engaged and active. Make it easy for them to find WHERE you are and HOW to contact you, so that they do not have to waste time searching for this information. Including a phone number or email on the homepage is important, along with a way to gather their information, such as an email or newsletter sign up. Creating regular blogs also will keep your website active, a stale empty website that hasn’t been updated in months is definitely a deterrent.
6. The importance of search engine optimization (SEO)
Ranking highly in Google is so important, because most people do not flick past the first or second page of Google searches, therefore it is worth your time and money to learn or hire someone to help with your search engine optimisation (SEO), so that you can rank competitively against others and build a stronger name and brand.
7. Consider outsourcing or hiring an intern.
If you or your staff don’t have time to write up some fresh, squeaky content, consider using sites like Freelancer.com or hiring an intern to keep your content fresh. This is a great way for you to save time and maintain your websites presence.
Have we missed anything? Tell us in the comments below about your winning strategies to improve your website! We’d love to know.
Thanks for reading,
Cherise Vecchio
The Bizmatrix Team
