5 tips to develop winning web site
As more and more people get high-speed internet connection, having an effective website is one of the most important marketing tools. Unfortunately, many business owners don't understand what makes an effective website, which really boosts sales and increases quality leads. Unlike people passing by a store front, website visitors are highly qualified potential customers. In this article, I will explain how to build a great website for your business growth.
1. Identify your website goal
No matter what kind of business you are in, the most important goal of your business is probably to make money through sales and lead generation. A website's goal, in most cases should be the same. If your website's goal is generating qualified leads, your website should be designed to:
- Attract more visitors from search engines (Search engine friendly design)
- Educate your website visitors on how to make a smart decision for their purchase (provide useful tips and information)
- Encourage them to take an action (effective copywriting can help)
- Give visitors a reason to return (provide online customer service, FAQ, and blog articles)
2. Know your customers
Having hundreds of website visitors a day is very good. However if your business serves seniors, having too many teenage visitors doesn't really help. Your website should be designed to appeal to your target customers. Teenagers usually like graphic-heavy design with small font, but seniors prefer a bigger font with simple navigation menus.
Your website copy should appeal to your customers. Your website also needs to deal with potential problems your possible customers may have.
3. Hire a profession and business-minded web design company
According to a study conducted by Standford University, about 50% of web sales are lost because of an "unprofessional look and feel of the website." An unprofessional look and feel immediately gives your business a poor image. When you hire a web design company, be careful not to hire a company who decorates a website with heavy graphic images and flash movies just to impress you at the first look. Designing a website is not art you can hang on your living room wall. You should hire a web design company that can help your business grow by making effective website. Check out How to choose a web design company.
4. Provide useful information and give your visitors a reason to come back
A person will visit your website 3 to 7 times before they become your customer. Don't just post meaningless marketing slogans like, "We are #1 provider of …" and "We will provide excellent service for you …" People are tired of these meaningless marketing messages. Instead of self-proclaiming campaigns, give your website visitors something valuable, such as tips for smart buying decisions or free online consultation.
5. Update content and monitor performance to improve your website
Keep your website up-to-date. If your website is outdated, visitors may believe you're out of business, or simply that you've abandoned your own website. Try to update your content regularly and measure your website performance. You will know what works and what doesn't. A simple headline change could produce 10 times more sales or leads. Adding a simple image could make 20% more people click. If you need more tips on how to measure website performance, check out A Complete Guide To Web Analytics Solutions.
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