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Can you afford to have a website that doesn’t play nice with Google? Or one that puts your customers off?
Of course, that’s never the intention when you and a web developer sit down to plan the layout of what will essentially be one of your most significant investments this side of the century. Alternatively, you may have created a DIY website at the fledgeling stages of your brand’s journey, and you’ve drastically outgrown it.
Fear not, there’s a lot you can do to optimise the functionality of your website – but it will require some effort, expertise and consistency. Reviewing and improving your web pages regularly should be one of your top priorities when it comes to digital marketing.
Be a ceaseless scholar
The career path of a marketer is one of lifelong learning. Due to the nature of the industry and its integral digital aspects, there will always be an element of continuous evolution.
Search engines and social media platforms have created channels through which your business can reach a broader, more targeted audience. Making sure that your website appears at the top of searches and is geared for lead generation will help your business to grow much faster.
Managing your website’s functionality shouldn’t have stopped the minute you launched it … back in 2006. It’s your job to keep up with tech and SEO trends, but also to discern what is worthwhile for your business to implement and what is just a flash in the pan.
Reading relevant blogs, attending industry networking events and keeping an eye on competitors will help you to stay abreast of changes and new tools on the market. Of course, not every new integration will be suitable for your website, but it’s paramount to construct your digital assets with future optimisation in mind.
Take a look at the Growth-Driven Design approach and download your guide
Let’s start at the beginning
That conversation you had with the developer when you embarked on this crazy cyber-journey – Was it a bit patronising? Was it a bit pricey? Was there too much technical jargon? Or, if you built the website using a template, did you simply stick in whatever the service provider suggested as must-have plugins (for a ‘discounted’ fee) and hoped for the best?
And where are you at with things now? Do you need to get hold of your developer every time something needs updating? Does it take ages for them to get back to you? Does your DIY website convert any leads?
You should have access to your website and the ability to make simple updates without a gatekeeper. If you’ve spent the money using a developer, they should have taken the time to set you up with some kind of autonomy, especially when it comes to small but crucial, every-day alterations. Of course, you could fully outsource those kinds of tasks to designated marketing companies – really handy if you’d rather focus on other essential areas of your business – but you must be clear about what you are able to allocate budget to.
Having a website with loads of features requires a certain degree of time and effort, so you and the developer must have an agreement as to who will service the site and how often. If you’re not yet at the stage where you can afford that kind of support, then choose something that will be easy for you and your team to work around.
Equally, when choosing your web developer, have a good snoop through their previous work. Are they creating the kind of websites that you could see your business being happy with?
7 tips to optimise what you already have
1. Spring clean
Get rid of any content or imagery that no longer aligns with your core messaging or that makes your website look dated. Old, broken links, low-res images, poorly written product descriptions, off-topic blogs and headings need to go.
2. Show your socials
If you want your content to travel beyond the limits of your website, include social share and follow buttons to encourage users to spread the word about your products and services. This will help to build your online community.
3. Review your calls to action
The actions you may have wanted users to take last year may be entirely different this year. If customers land on your website and are redirected to irrelevant landing pages or offers, they won’t hang around for long. Make the next step evident and easy to follow for your audience.
4. Recalibrate your navigation
Your navigation bar needs to be streamlined. Organise your website so that it’s easy to browse and pages follow a logical sequence. If you make it difficult for visitors to find what they are looking for, they will simply leave.
5. Keep it zen
White space is good; it gives your visitor a chance to rest the eye and focus on the key elements of your website. Another fantastic way to keep visitors engaged is by dividing your home page into sections that prompt the user to scroll through your content seamlessly.
6. Be mobile ready
If you haven’t already, you need to make sure that your website is optimised for mobile browsing. Many of your customers will search for you on a mobile device; so ensure that their experience is as comfortable as it would be for a desktop user.
7. Tailor your content to your buyer personas
Things may have changed a little bit since you last updated your website. Your target audience may have slightly shifted, or you may have realised that your initial approach was ineffective. Edit your content to speak directly to your desired customer. This also means you will have to create content to nurture the visitor through the stages of your sales funnel.
It’s never too late to review your website and optimise it’s functionality – in fact, it’s best practice to do so. At SpotDev, we have the tools and expertise to help your business grow, no matter where you’re at in your marketing journey. Give us a call to find out how we can turn your website into a lead generating asset for your business.
