Websites are the new store front. They are one of the first things customers look at before
choosing to interact with your business or not. As stated in one of our very first blogs, websites are VITAL to your company. Having a strong website will create a strong business and revenue. After all, it is basically your brands first impression to potential clients.
There are so many simple and effective ways to improve your company’s website. It doesn’t matter if your business is already getting a lot of website traffic or you are looking for more, there are always ways you can expand your site. Especially since more customers are using the web to make purchases, schedule appointments, and compare competing businesses to one another; it is more important than ever to have the best website around. Here are simple ways to improve your website AND increase traffic.
Avoid Clutter
Just like in your home, you don’t want a lot of clutter. When there are thousands of pictures, tabs, and buttons on your website, people are going to become too overwhelmed. This is going to make potential clients close out of your site, before learning about your products or services. Especially if a new or current client is looking for something specific on your website, make it easy for them to find, not like a needle in a haystack.
To avoid adding any extra clutter to your site, take a step back and start by taking out all of the unnecessary buttons, tabs, or graphics. Don’t think about what you can add, think about what you can eliminate. Leave a lot of white space around your website to help guide user focus and keep the design looking simple, as well. Always remember less is more, especially when it comes to website design.
Create Easy Navigation
A lot of people are going to be visiting your site for a specific reason, so make it easy for them to find what they are looking for. If they cannot find your contact information or a
specific product they want, chances are they’ll give up and move onto your competitors site. A normal website will be comprised of various category tabs. This can include, but is not limited to, about us, contact, products/services, and the home page. Organize your content into similar categories and always remember, a search bar is your best friend.
Call to Action Successful websites, and marketing plan for that matter, all start with some sort of call to action (CTA). Your CTAs should direct your users and get them to take a desired “action,” hence the name. There are so many different CTAs for your customers to take, so make sure you incorporate these into your site through buttons, images, or links.
Call to actions on a company’s website can include links to share on social media, a subscription button to your email list, sign-ups for anything on your site, and a “buy now” button. They are not limited to these specific features, however. Any button that requires customers to take action falls within this category. Users cannot read your company’s mind, so make sure if it easy for them to take the desired action your brand is looking for.
Mobile-Friendly Site
Since most people are buried in their smart phones, having a mobile-friendly website is necessary for any business. People are not simply texting or Instagramming, they are also surfing the web on these devices. In fact, back in 2016 viewing websites on mobile devices surpassed desktop views, 51.2% compared to 48.7%. If your company’s website isn’t mobile-friendly, then you are missing out on so many potential customers to view your site.
Google also updated their search rankings algorithm and mobile-friendly web pages are
now ranked higher in mobile searches. So if your website isn’t mobile responsive, it will not get ranked as high as mobile-friendly sites. That alone should be the incentive you need to make your company’s website easy to use on any smart phone.
Check the Speed of Your Site
People are very impatient, especially when it comes to the internet. I know this, because I find myself flustered when a web page takes more than a minute to load. Definition of first world problems. Because of this, the 59 second rule was created. According to the Nielsen Norman Group, most users close out of a website 59 seconds after they enter if it’s too slow or they don’t see what they want. So if you don’t capture their attention or create a fast enough site before one minute, you have lost a potential customer.
If your website possesses too many graphics, videos, or unnecessary junk, then chances are it’ll be very slow to load. Google offers an analysis for the speed of your page, both on the desktop and mobile devices. They will also give you ways to improve the speed of your website, which will hopefully make it faster than 59 seconds.
Update Update Update
As your business evolves and changes, your website should reflect that growth, as well. Look at it like a store front, those change every few weeks, so your website should constantly be updated. You don’t want outdated products, email addresses, or prices on your site. Not only is this misleading, customers are going to think you are lazy and don’t keep up with your website. Not to mention, your customers might think you are out of business due to all of the outdated content.
Make sure you are updating your company’s website a few times a month. This doesn’t mean constantly adding and adding, but rather, getting rid of old content and replacing it with fresh content. Make sure the only things on your website are relevant. Search engines prioritize websites based on their relevant content, so make sure the website pertains to 2019. Out with the old and in with the new!
Having a website is one of the most beneficial things your business can do, if executed the correct way. If you follow these simple guidelines on improving your website, you are golden!
Want an outside source to update your website and make it the best it can be? Infinite Marketing has you covered! Get in touch today.
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