Digital marketing agencies as a whole may sound like a broken record....you need a website, you need to be on social media, you need to blog. You get it. But why do we all keep saying it? Because it’s true. Your website floats in a sea (the internet) filled with other businesses trying to get their websites to shore (aka connecting with a prospect -- was that a stretch?).
“Okay, so what do I do?” You ask.
We’re here to help. Follow these 6 website “must-haves” to optimize your website so it connects with the leads you want. Let’s reel em’ in!
1. Have a Storyline
We’re not talking about “Once upon a time.” Your website, especially your homepage, needs to tell an emotional, attention-grabbing story, and it needs to be told in less than a minute.
- What is the problem your website is trying to solve?
- What is your solution?
- What makes you different?
- How can they find out more information about your company?
People don’t care about you or your business. They care about their problems and what you can do to make their lives easier. You need to be the solution they are looking for and your website needs to convey that in a simple, structured way.
If your website cannot answer your audience’s questions, help identify solutions to their problems, and provide additional resources or information about the things they care about, you can kiss any conversion goodbye. If a customer has to navigate away from your website for any reason, you’ve lost their business.
2. Use Calls-to-Action
CTAs, or call-to-actions, are clickable blocks, buttons, and lines of text throughout your website. These give your visitor a direction on where to go and where to find the information they’re looking for. Your CTAs could be a:
- Landing page to an offer
- Backlink to another helpful page on your site
- Phone number
- Contact page
- Subscribe button
The list goes on. If you’re sending people to it, chances are you can use a CTA. A strategically placed and visible call-to-action will act as a river, guiding your future client through your website, the way you want them to go.
3. Have a Great Blog
Each blog post you publish adds another page to your website, subsequently boosting your SEO. Not only this, but having a solid and informative blog will enable your website as the encyclopedia of all the things related to your customers’ pain points, your solutions, additional services, and anything in between. To keep content fresh and to add to your brand’s search value, consider writing and publishing 3-4 blogs per month.
Your blogs should be timely, interesting content that you know your prospects will be searching for. Instead of writing something technical that only your industry leaders would understand, make it simple and helpful. Tip articles, lists, videos, and educational content are what thrive on the internet.
Pro Tip: Make your blog a separate button on your website’s menu so it’s easy to find!
4. Social Share Buttons
When people like something, they want to shout it from the top deck. This is how social media helps - it lets people take their opinion of a business and share it with their network of friends, family, and colleagues. The goal of your website is to be seen by lots of future clients and for them to in-turn tell their friends about it.
By adding social share buttons to each blog post and near your web content you are increasing the possibility of connecting with future clients. This gives your visitors direct access to all of your social profiles and allows them to easily share from their personal profiles.
5. Changing Strategies
A stagnant website creates boredom for your leads and closed clients. Are you updating your strategies to include a rotation of website updates? What’s your focus for the next quarter - can you offer ebook downloads, a new header image, blog posts, and social media updates to complement the strategy you’ve created?
Your business is a forever-changing entity and your website should reflect that. We understand that your website took a long time to create and you love the way it looks - but a great website is never done! Small changes can mean more leads and more conversions. This is where growth-driven design can make a huge change to your website and leads. By looking at data about what your audience likes, testing new elements, and making these small but important changes over time, you’ll get the traffic and customers you are looking for. Check out more about growth-driven design here!
6. Offers
Last, but definitely not least, people love free things. When you offer site visitors a helpful ebook, one-sheet, infographic, or checklist, without the stress of committing to or buying anything, they will be much more likely to use your services and refer you to their friends. Keep it simple, not too technical, and answer frequently asked questions people have about your services.
Pro Tip: Many people who visit your site are not ready to "buy now" and pick up the phone to talk to you. Make sure that the content you create and your no-obligation offers serve these people who will be researching your product or business for a bit longer.
