Website Success: 5 Tips To Improve Your Site
Launching your new business website is very exciting, and a lot of work. After all those hours preparing your site, the big launch day is always a great achievement. Now you can just sit back and wait for the sales to come. Or can you?
A lot of business owners make the same mistake when they build their first website, or they add a significant new feature like a shopping cart – they think their website will immediately start to get visitors and sales. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really work like that. Websites should be treated as almost a living entity – they need ongoing care and maintenance if you’re going to achieve your goals.
5 Tips for Website Success
Keep it Simple. This means not too many graphics, no flashing images, no cutesy cartoons or music (almost everyone I ask say they hate music on websites, but many still include it). Your website should present a clean and professional image, be easy to navigate and generally make the user experience a positive one.
Don’t Wait for It. A lot of website owners build their website and wait for traffic. This isn’t a good strategy. Instead go out and get your traffic. Complete some simple keyword research, and then write a few articles and distribute them to the article directories. This will help you get one-way incoming links which the search engines love. Participate in related forums and provide valuable content and input in exchange for a link back to your website. Your posts should provide genuine content and assistance – don’t spam.
On-Page SEO. Of course, you’ll also want to make sure that all of your website pages are search engine friendly, that your website has a user-friendly and search-engine friendly navigation structure and that you provide quality content for your visitors. Pay attention to your keywords when creating on-page content too.
Be a Real Person. People are sceptical and when doing business on the web, they’re going to opt for websites which appear professional and also reassure them that there is indeed a real person behind the website. Be sure to include an about us section on your website. A nice professional picture of you and your team (if you have one) is a nice touch as well. Share a little about your business and let them know you are there to help them.
Be Easy to Contact. Some customers may have questions before they’re ready to purchase from you. Others may need to contact you about a problem, or even want to share their great experience with your product. Make sure you have a contact us link clearly visible on your site, and if you find yourself getting the same questions over and over, think about creating an FAQ area. The customer gets their question answered quickly, and you have automated a part of your business – it’s a win/win.
Website success is within your reach. It takes a few simple steps, but can make all the difference to your business success. This means, making sure people can find the information they need, making the user experience enjoyable (professional website, good navigation structure), and finally being personable and letting your customers know that you are there to help.
