If you neglect your business website, it could seriously harm your company’s reputation. Even with the pressures of time and limited resources, your website should be updated every so often. It is, after all, an integral part of your business. By making a few minor, inexpensive adjustments to your website, you can add real value to your company.
People are more likely to buy from people they like. Include some content that reveals the human side to your organization. Consider including biography pages of yourself and key members of your team. Many visitors want to learn more about your company before they do anything else, so an “About Us” page with information about the real people behind your website is key to establishing a good relationship with potential customers.
Many businesses still make the fundamental mistake of not publishing the actual prices of their products or services online. Research has shown that this only frustrates potential customers, and they’ll go elsewhere to find the information they need. Transparency is crucial in today’s marketplace. If a consumer can quickly find the relevant information, they’re more likely to take further positive action.
Consider uploading more videos to your site. Consumers are more comfortable than ever before with visual communication. If your team is constantly being asked a particular question, make a video to address the problem. When you’re introducing a new product, service, or special deal, put it on video to grab the attention of visitors. With links to a YouTube channel, you can tag and index each video to optimize your website for Google and other major search engines.
Creating a business blog is another powerful way to enhance your website for visitors and the search engines. Blogs can generate more traffic to your website and ensure that visitors return to your site in the future. As well as improving the experience for visitors, a blog is an easy way to add fresh content, which should increase your SEO power.
Make it even easier for people to come back to your website by providing a bookmark link. People can then find your site more quickly and share relevant content with others. Having a presence on Facebook or Twitter can also generate more leads. Once you’ve created an account, don’t forget to include a link to these social networking sites on your website.
Instead of having one page for testimonials (which people may ignore), include a brief testimonial on every page of your site. This can be a more effective way to motivate prospects to take action. Whenever you receive a compliment from a customer, ask for a testimonial. Video testimonials are also a powerful way to build confidence in your company.
To make your pages appear more professional, try incorporating icons into your primary content. An eye-catching button can be a compelling call to action. Explore sites such as iStockphoto for icons that will make your links more powerful than simple text.
One of the biggest mistakes made by businesses is making it hard to find contact information. Check your navigational structure to ensure your phone number, email address, and physical address can be easily found. Even better, include your contact details on every page of your site. Remember that people can enter your site on any page.
Make sure your strongest content is in the upper left-hand portion of each page. Studies have shown that people tend to look there first. Putting all your important content and navigational links above the fold (before the user has to scroll down) will improve your website’s usability and help to keep visitors on your site.
If you don’t have a search box yet, it’s worth considering adding one to your site. If your website has many pages, a search box can make it so much easier to find the relevant information. Similarly, a breadcrumb trail and a site map will also enhance the usability of your site.
There are numerous ways to enhance your website for the benefit of consumers and the search engines. As well as implementing some of these suggestions, listen to what customers have to say about your site by asking them directly. And then take action. Keeping your website up-to-date and relevant to your target audience is important to the success of any business.
