Create an effective website from the start or optimise your current website design so that it is part of an active online marketing campaign
From the client calls I receive many have the notion that having a website will automatically increase their sales. Others approach me because they already have websites but it’s either outdated or adds no value to their business.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR WEBSITE DESIGNED?
WebsiteDesign-1
Website Design Tips
Yes, the above infographic is quite amusing but in our business we are surprised at how many clients under value their digital marketing. A Website is not just a presence, it should be part of your marketing plan and be given the same amount of attention to make sure it’s effective.
You need to spend time, money and resources to encourage potential customers to visit your website. You can do this within your own resources and expertise or you can hire a design company to do effective website design and navigation and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation).
SO WHAT DO YOU DO?
From Design, SEO, Google Ad words, Social Media to print material like adverts in Magazines, newspapers, handouts at events, networking through online business groups like Linked In, the options are endless! Your time and money have their limits though, so how do you know you’re making the right marketing decisions right now and what is your long term plans as you grow.
LET’S GET A WEBSITE
Before you meet with the designer, you should already have a good idea of your potential customers needs. What are they searching for, what makes your service unique or better than the next guy, what key info do they need to access quickly.
You should understand their lifestyles and where your product and service fits into it. You may also want to research your competitors and see what you like and what you don’t like about their sites. Go into their sites as if you are looking for their products and see if you would buy from them.
With this info you can get started on a new site with some solid goals in mind.
TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE DESIGN OF YOUR WEBSITE
Don’t do what you probably do when buying a dishwasher – phone a few design agencies to ask how much it will cost to design your website. There are some agencies offering a quick fix for R750 and your site is up! Wow! Be careful though, that’s like buying a dishwasher from a very suspicious looking character you hand the money to rolled up in a handshake…..Get serious, you get what you pay for.
This is your business and you need to get the right people in at the beginning and grow the site professionally. Sit down and chat with a design firm that identifies your needs, learns about your product or service and directs you to various paths you can take to achieve your goals.
YOU ALREADY HAVE A WEBSITE
HOW DO YOU ATTRACT VISITORS
STEP 1
Entry level SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) should come standard with your initial website design quote (do your homework and make sure they do the SEO – it’s easy to check).
An effective, clean and clear website that attracts the attention of the customer and directs them quickly and easily to their area of interest.
Add your website address to all your marketing material (business cards, email signature, brochures, Adverts etc)
Register with Google+. You must have a Google+ page to gain real SEO exposure.
STEP 2
Track your websites effectiveness monthly.
With your basic SEO, and hosting package you have access to stats about your website. This will include how many people opened the site, where they are from (location), what pages they viewed (products/services identified) and how long they stayed on the site (did it capture them). From this information you can manage your site on a monthly basis and set targets to better it’s effectiveness.
Elemental has met with many large corporate clients who have beautifully designed sites and absolutely no hits. They tick off “Website” on their marketing to do list but it is not working for them. Money better spent buying better coffee!
STEP 3
Start with more advanced SEO to find out more about what your clients are searching for and what areas you need to add to your site.
Start a Google Adwords campaign for a product or service or if you have the budget for all your products and allocate an amount you can afford to advertising on Google. This is targeted advertising, get’s you to the front page of Google searches and is affordable to any size business.
Start Blogging! Blogs are a great way to capture your target market online. Offer information on a topic they are interested (that relates to your product) and do SEO on the blog to gather in the search hits. Lead them from the information to your website or product range. (hosting your blog on your site offers better search results than through the free services off your site – contact us to find out more about hosting)
WHERE TO FROM HERE?
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a website is a marketing channel that requires no effort. Owning a website takes continued investment and effort but brings in business.
And take baby steps. For many, making the move from traditional business to online business is overwhelming but with the right plan of action, you can become a serious contender in the online world.
WE CAN HELP!