From setting goals to seeking feedback, how a successful website promotes a successful business.
Your website strategy will play a critical role in the success of your business. At Blackstone Agency we know exactly what it takes to drive traffic, engage with your audience and increase your conversion rate. Your marketing strategy will ultimately determine the success of your website and any business that you do online.
Effective digital marketing has to be grounded with a powerful website. Your website is your storefront for the modern age. It needs to be user friendly, organized and developed with clear purpose and goals in mind.
Whether you’ve been in business for a decade or you’re only starting to transition to the online marketplace, here are five strategies you can use to make your website more effective.
#1 Don’t Overthink The Web Design Process
In the earlier days of the internet and online business, website developers were notorious for prioritizing design over everything else. Flashy webpages attracted attention due to the relative novelty of the internet at the time. Today, the internet is a mainstream and necessary channel for conducting business. Your website doesn’t need to be flashy for it to be successful. Before you even think about design, clearly define your goals and answer some preliminary questions. What is the vision for your website? Who is your audience? How will you most effectively communicate with them?
#2 Organization Is Key
Setting goals gives you something to work towards. Asking yourself questions will also help you to keep things in perspective. Most online business models are relatively simple. Even if you offer a number of different products and services, they will usually fit into a particular niche and will be targeted towards specific demographics. Clutter has no place on a website. Your site needs to be well organized while only providing the information that is necessary. There are literally hundreds of distractions for your audience when they engage with you online. Don’t give them a reason to lose interest.
#3 Content Still Rules
You’ve probably heard that content is king. As cliché as it sounds, it remains true. Your content, whether it be text, images or other media, is what will ultimately influence your market and help them determine whether they want to do business with you. Every word is important. Every graphic must be selected for its impact and relevance. Developing strong content will increase your conversions, and it will also help to ensure your site remains ranked in search engines and relevant within your niche.
#4 User Experience Comes First
We mentioned that flashy web pages don’t necessarily translate to good web pages. An effective website strategy means creating pages where the user experience is the key motivation behind web design. Can the website be navigated without difficulty, is the information presented upfront, and can visitors find information and answers without navigating complex menus or reading through unnecessary text? The user experience will make the difference between conversions and lost opportunities, so make sure you always approach your marketing strategy with the end user in mind.
#5 Seek Feedback
One problem that you may have when creating a website is being able to objectively determine if the final result is representative of what you set out to achieve. As the creator and the business owner, you will see things differently from how your audience does. That’s why it is essential to test your site and seek feedback during development. Network with people who fit your target demographic, and invite them to take part in your website strategy. You could even use this to your advantage by extending exclusive offers to these testers, helping you to develop your reputation even before your site goes live.
How can you ensure your website has a return on investment?
Your website will often determine the difference between a successful online presence and a business that fails to meet its potential. If you want to generate leads and enjoy high conversion rates, then you will need powerful content based on an effective website strategy with modern web design that caters to your intended audience.