New Year. New resolutions. New goals. New website?
You don’t have to avoid tweaking your website because you fear it’s too cumbersome and expensive. In most cases, it just doesn’t take much to revitalize and rejuvenate a web presence. Sometimes it can be as simple as some fresh copywriting and content creation.
Look at these nine suggestions to improve your website. Keep in mind visitors want something worthwhile, they want it fast and they don’t want to work too hard for it.
Also, don’t be afraid to experiment, change things up and see what happens. You can always go back to Plan A, but if you never reach for Plan B or C, you’ll never know what, and more importantly, who you’re missing.
First, let’s check under the hood.
Is your web address simple and relevant to what you do?
A domain name – c3contentcreation.com – for example, is a customer’s first peek at who you are and what you do. It’s what they’ll type into a search browser or see first in the search results.
Always opt for .com domains as users have been conditioned to look for that extension. Non-profits are now associated with .org domains, but it’s not a bad idea to have a .com version as well.
In all cases, keep the address simple and pertinent to your business.
Utilize SEO basics.
You don’t have to be a black- (or white-) hat wizard to employ simple SEO techniques for improved ranking and visibility.
Know what keywords to use in your site copy, content and blogs (there are plenty of online tips for basic keyword research), use plenty of internal/external links and make sure your pages and URLs are properly titled and formatted.
Finally, avoid text-density by using plenty of eye-catching images and videos.
Improve site navigation.
Once people find your site, the last thing you want is to lose them because they can’t get where they want to go.
Use dropdowns in navigation menus so customers can find and get to what you have to offer from anywhere on the site.
Again, simplicity and clarity are key. Though they might politely listen during a face2face pitch, they’ll be gone in a heartbeat if navigating your site is too much trouble.
Eye-friendly design.
Dense, text-laden web pages are an open invitation to “keep moving.”
According to Statisticbrain.com, you have on average eight seconds to grab a web visitor’s eyes and attention. In those eight seconds, she is scanning for something that will keep her on the page. Long swaths of gray text scan directly to the exit sign.
Layout and design optimized for scanning stand the best chance of keeping people on your site. Short paragraphs, bullet points, and highlighted words and phrases will catch eyes and slow the pace for a full read.
Clearly define who you are.
Walt Whitman said, “Simplicity is the glory of expression.”
Does your homepage express who you are, what you do and how you do it clearly and simply? If not, those eight seconds will go by extremely fast and your online prospect is gone.
Tell visitors precisely what you do, why you are right for them and why they should keep reading.
Easy to find contact information; clear calls to action.
What do you want your visitors to do? Contact you for a quote? Fill out a landing page form? Download an offer? Subscribe to your newsletter?
Be specific and clear; define exactly what you want prospects to do, and make it simple with highlighted text or buttons.
If they want to go further, make sure all forms of contact information – email, telephone, physical address, Google map – are located on every page. You never know where along the browsing journey customers will decide to call. Don’t make them search – top right or left corners of the homepage are preferable along with footers and sidebar on interior pages.
Testimonials/Third-party proofs.
Satisfied customers turned advocates make the best sales department. They will and can say things about your products and services that ring louder and clearer than any amount of creative copywriting.
Including testimonials and case studies on your website is one of the strongest improvements you can make to capture reader interest.
Freshen up the content.
When’s the last time you updated website content and copy? Today’s buyers are educating themselves, and if the information they need isn’t on your site, they’ll find it somewhere else.
Has your homepage changed at all in the last two years? If not, why would a customer spend any time there on a return trip?
In addition to improving web search ranking, updated, well-written, quality content such as regular blogs and social posts provide users what they’re looking for and keep them engaged.
Wrapping up.
You don’t have to completely redesign your website for a new look and feel to draw potential customers in and give them what they’re after.
Tweaking a few SEO details, ensuring people know what you want them to do and how to do it, clarifying your message and mission and providing fresh content is really all you need to get a “new” website for the new year.
Let’s do it.
C3 Content and Copy Creation 