A Tough Year

Many businesses over the past few months have been reviewing their marketing and services in order to adjust to the changes caused by the pandemic. Subsequently, we have had a number of requests from businesses saying they want to refresh their website. When we started to review each client it became clear that for some of them a redesign was indeed overdue but for some it was simply that the website hadn’t kept up with the evolution of the business.

With this in mind, here are some ideas as to how you can check your website is fit for your business in 2021.

Your Shop Window

It’s a cliché but your website is your shop window. When potential customers want to know more about what you offer, they will visit your website, irrelevant of the size or nature of your business. It is a touchpoint that reveals so much, so it is vital that it creates the right impression, otherwise you risk losing business and the reality is that you may never know just how much you have lost.

Be Individual and Stand Out

Being individual is the key to standing out. How can you shine if you look the same as everyone else?

Your website is one of the few places digitally where you can still be individual. Social media is a must in today’s world but you’re still working within the confines of your chosen platforms. Your website’s design is fully in your control and when used in conjunction with your social media it can be a very powerful and cost-effective partnership.

Different Pages, Different Objectives

The most important page in your site is the primary landing page. This will probably be the home page but, depending on your needs, not necessarily. A home page needs to accomplish two things: • Firstly, when a visitor arrives they want to make a decision. They will only spend a few seconds to come to a conclusion. Am I in the right place or not? • Secondly, they are looking for what to do next. This will depend on your business but it is likely to be a link to another part of your website to take them on their client journey. Your home page has done its job. The goal now should be assisting them as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Put the customer first You know your product or service inside out but your visitors don’t necessarily have this advantage. Put yourself in their shoes and have clear paths for them to follow. An effective website embraces this concept and focuses on engaging with visitors. Draw them in, rather than talking at them. Weave your sales proposition into your engagement. This way you lead people to buying from you rather than you selling to them. Great for long term and mutually beneficial relationships.

Calls to Action

When they find what they are looking for, you must have a clear call to action indicating what they should do next in the process of doing business with you. Unless your website is an online shop, the primary goal of most websites is to generate an enquiry. You can give your customers an opportunity to do this in several ways for example, by email, telephone, forms or via a chat system.

Your Website is an Ongoing Project

Change is constant. In six months, your business will be different to what it is today. Six months later it will be different again. Make sure your website keeps up with the pace and changes that will occur.

It is common for a website to be seen as a one-off project. It is built and launched with good intentions around content management but unfortunately businesses often struggle to maintain the momentum. When this happens, the event of a new website slips behind the natural process of business evolution.

See your website as a process that creates a platform that can be built upon. Don’t fall out of love with your website and more importantly don’t let your customers fall out of love with it either.

If you need help with a web project for your business, then please get in touch for a free consultation.