The problem with a lot of business websites is they have not been designed with proper goals. Everyone knows they need a website. Most companies create a typical who, what, where, brochure style website. They then go onto the task of running their business expecting their website will do its job without them. When their website does not get the results they want, they design a new one. The lack of success from the original website is then repeated in the new one.
Sound familiar? Here are 7 key steps to make sure you hit the target for website success.
1. Define the goals and targets for your website
Without proper goals and targets how can your website be successful?
- Do you want more clients?
- More leads for prospective work?
- Do you want to sell more widgets?
- Are you looking for a higher awareness of your company?
- More press coverage?
2. Set goals and create content to achieve results
Once you have some goals, look at the content on your website. Does it effectively meet those goals?
- Create content with purpose.
- Landing pages to entice leads.
- Add case studies and testimonials.
- Regular news items and press releases.
3. Use your website to start building relationships
Too many websites are pages of flat text that gain no response from visitors. Create prominent signpost to encourage customers to contact you.
- Ask for opinion on a blog post.
- Comment on changes in your industry.
- Show your knowledge and become an expert.
- Make use of social media to drive discussion and traffic.
When you network in the real world you create relationships with people you meet. Use your website and social media channels to start building relationships with the people who visit your website.
4. Focus on the needs of your customer
Too many companies obsess about what they want to tell their customers. Have you put thought into what your customers want to know? Your website should be customer focused. If a prospective customer does not find what they want they will go somewhere else. Start designing your website around the typical tasks a visitor to your website will want to complete.
5. Entice your customer into contacting you
Think about what motivates people to contact you. Visitors must be enticed and persuaded into that first interaction. Just because you place a form on your site does not mean people will fill it in. Create content that will attract them. Make sure your website makes you approachable and gives them a name with a human face. Make contact as easy and smooth and attractive as you can.
6. Measure the success of your website using analytic tools
Hopefully you have weekly or month analytics report. If you don’t get some! Google Analytics is easy to set up and free to use. Now spend some time learning how to read the reports for your website.
Don’t just focus on traffic numbers go deeper to the real power of the data you have at you finger tips.
- Look at where people enter your website
- Which pages are most popular
- Measure the success of new content
- Pay attention to where visitors are leaving your website.
(Typically called your bounce rate. ) - How many pages are part of each visit
- How much time are they spending on each visit
- Measure how effective your social media activity is
7. Make changes
Creating effective website content is about continually analysing your results and taking action. Too many website owners read the reports and then do nothing. Look at what is working and what is not. Keep pages that are working and adjust and re-write the ones that are not. Remember, Google loves websites that are updated regularly. By making adjustments to your content you are helping to improve your customer experience and your Google ranking.
All of this does mean extra work, but if you are measuring the results and keeping track of what works, the time and effort will pay off. In the process your website will become an integrated part of your business supporting your goals with tangible results.
