5 East Fixes to Improve Your Website Traffic
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Since it's usually the first introduction the world has to your company, a good website is critical to your business. Here's how to make it not only good lookin', but functional - for you and your audience.
A strong online presence begins with design and clarity. A beautiful and clear website is one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways to generate leads for your business, especially if it’s built and marketed properly. On the other hand, a poorly designed site will create lost business opportunities.
Here are the top five fixes that will set you up for online success!
1. GRAMMAR + SPELLING
Seems obvious, but we have all been to websites that could use some work in the grammar and spelling departments. Where the unspoken acceptance of weak editing + proofreading in digital publishing came from is up for debate, but it definitely reflects your company's credibility and professionalism. And it sends your customers searching elsewhere. Remember to spell check + proofread before publishing!
2. RESPONSIVE DESIGN A.K.A. MOBILE FRIENDLY
Responsive design is a website design feature that allows the site to grow and shrink depending on the size of the screen it’s displayed on. You should want your website to be accessible and consistent with equal ease via smartphone, tablet or computer. If you care about getting your message across to your customers, you can't afford to have anything less than a responsive website.
Today, responsive website design is the standard for all websites, so if your business isn't offering mobile-friendly experiences for your customers, you’ve lost more than half of the opportunities for new business right off the bat. That’s the bottom line.
3. USER BEHAVIOR METRICS
I hate to break it to you, but as a business owner, it's your responsibility to know how browsers behave on your website - this is vital data you need to grow your online business. As essential as having an attractive, responsive, professional site is, it’s only half of the equation.
There is a simple, easy-to-use tool called Google Analytics to help you monitor behavior on your site, which helps you fine-tune and tweak your site performance.
Set a reminder on your calendar to review your analytics at least once a month.
4. CONCISE MESSAGING
There’s a different mindset and level of attention when reading a website as compared to print. Nothing can turn a customer off more than "loooo-ng" blocks of text with small print. Use attention grabbing images to make text blocks scan-able.
Don't make users try to figure out important information about your company. That will only make them shop elsewhere. They need to know:
- Why should they make a purchase from your site?
- Is there free shipping?
- A special offer?
We have a download to help with this part. Grab "101+ Key Questions Website Visitors Will Never Ask But Expect You To Answer" to help you focus on the MOST important details about your brand.
5. FRESH CONTENT
Just like a fabulous boutique changes its window display and adds new inventory every month, you should add fresh content and opt-ins to foster website traffic and lead generation.
The days of keyword stuffing, fluff and filler are so 2012. If you want your customer's attention, and their money, then you better provide information they find useful.
It’s also important to give your visitors the ability to comment about and share your content. This allows them to become your marketing ambassadors. And their sharing helps your SEO.