5 Things Your Website Needs In Order To Grow Your Business
An outdated website doesn’t just look bad; poor design and performance can give website visitors a negative impression of your business. Your websites design should reflect and promote your business to potential customers and generate measurable results through phone calls, contact forms, and online sales.
If you aren’t getting the performance you need from your website, it’s time for an update. To get the best possible result from your site, make sure it has the following features:
Tip #1 | Modern, Responsive Design
Your customers are doing more than just browsing on their mobile devices; they are also doing research on brands, businesses, and products as well as making purchases. If your website isn’t mobile responsive or still features an outdated design that looks small or distorted on a phone or tablet, you’re missing out on leads.
To get the best possible result from your website, it needs to work seamlessly on all devices and provide a high-quality user experience. A better experience will greatly increase the odds that visitors will spend more time on your site and ultimately become customers.
Tip #2 | Updated Layout and Correct Navigation
An effective website must balance the needs of your business with the needs of your customers. If your customers aren’t able to find what they need on your website, they will end up going somewhere else. Make sure your website is laid out in a way that is easy to navigate and directs users to content that is useful.
One of the best ways to build out a user-friendly website is to group each of your services into specific categories. Each of these primary categories should have its own page and be listed as a top line menu item, with each individual service included as a subcategory that has its own page.
Example | If you offer moving services for both commercial and residential customers, you may use a site structure similar to this:
| Main Menu Topic | Drop-Down Topic |
| Residential Moving | Local Moves |
| | Appliance Moving |
| | Piano Moving |
| | Packing and Storage |
| Commercial Moving | Office Moves |
| | Industrial Equipment Moving |
| About Us | Contact Us |
The content in your individual main menu pages should link to each subtopic page. You may also want to use dropdowns in your main menu navigation that list (and link out to) your subtopics.
Tip #3 | Calls-To-Action
An effective website does more than simply look appealing. Your site should also provide potential customers with the motivation to take action. Through calls-to-action, or CTAs, you can capture your audience’s attention during key moments in their decision-making process and increase the odds that they will become a customer.
What is a Call-To-Action? A call-to-action is a statement, often included on a clickable button, that is designed to drive a response from the reader. Calls-to-action can include statements such as “Get Started,” “Download Now,” or “Request A Quote.”
While the actual content within a call-to-action is typically simple, making your CTA as effective as possible can be challenging. Elements such as wording, design, and placement on your website can greatly impact how well it performs. You may have to test out a few CTA strategies before you find the one that works best for your goals.
Tip #4 | Search Engine Optimization
When a potential customer searches for your products or services online, you want your site to appear at the top of their search results. To accomplish this, you need to invest time and energy into your website’s search engine optimization (or SEO). Through SEO, you can drive more qualified visitors to your website and attract more new customers.
While developing a complete SEO strategy can be a complicated process, there are a few simple things you can do to boost your SEO:
- Use Google Analytics to track website visitors, discover how they arrived on your site, and learn what they are doing (or not doing) during their visit.
- Spend time doing keyword research to discover what words and phrases potential buyers are using when they search for your products and services.
- Publish new content to your site on a consistent basis to keep your site up to date and continue attracting new traffic. Make sure each of your services has its own page on your site, and that you are publishing informative blogs on a regular basis.
Tip #5 | Unique Photos and Content
The more interesting and informative the content on your website is, the more likely your visitors will take action on your website. Unique photos and text will provide your visitors with a more engaging, high-quality experience (and can also boost your SEO).
- Original photos are a great way to add visual interest and keep visitors on your site longer. While stock photos may seem like a more convenient option, they don’t do anything to help you stand out from your competitors. Your website visitors know stock photos when they see them, and they know they don’t provide an honest look at your company. Do your customers and your business a favor, and invest in professional photos and video for your website.
- Unique website copy is a crucial component of your SEO strategy, and it’s also beneficial to your visitors. The design of your site is not the only thing that sells your products or services; your copy is what ultimately keeps your audience hooked and persuades them to take action.
If your website doesn’t include these five key elements, you aren’t getting the best possible results. A quality website is better for your customers, and it’s also better for your bottom line. Need help? Contact our team today for your free Digital Marketing Plan.