Is your website an asset to your business? Does it contribute in a quantitative or qualitative way to your bottom line?
Whether you have just launched your website or have been enjoying the results of your site for a year or more, you should be conducting periodic audits of the site to guide both ongoing improvements and to build a foundation for a redesign when the time comes. The word “audit” sounds daunting, but, when broken down, the process is simply a review of your site from two perspectives: your visitors’ and yours. Here are a few key considerations that should be reviewed when you evaluate your website:
(1) Does your content engage your visitors and forge a connection?
For prospective clients who have not met you in person, the website is the first impression gained of your business. The challenge of such a first impression is that of making a human connection in a virtual environment. In this case, the content, both in terms of selection and tone, acts as your handshake. Consider, for example, a first encounter with a new prospect. You don’t tell someone every detail about what you offer; instead, you address key information about how your products or services can solve a need. Because your time is usually limited, you must be selective about how you position yourself, establish credibility, and offer solutions.
(2) Does your website speak to each of your target markets? How do you segment your client base? Who are the different potential buyers for each aspect of your products and services?
By considering your client base and whether your Web audience differs from your traditional markets, you can create a strategy to engage each group. Your visitor’s attention span is short, so your content must be engaging and concisely outline your competitive advantage. Of course, some businesses are complex enough that extensive detail is necessary, requiring innovative solutions to keep visitors on your site. For example, detailed information can be stored in a downloadable PDF. Technical information, including data sheets and case studies, can be segmented and placed in sidebars. Bulleted information provides a quick, easy read and keeps pages clean and easy to navigate, all of which translates into being “more likely to be read." The key is to anticipate visitors’ informational needs without overwhelming them with content. How do you segment your client base? Who are the different potential buyers for each aspect of your products and services? By considering your client base, and whether your Web audience differs from your traditional markets, you can create a strategy to engage each group.
(3) Have you positioned yourself as an expert in your industry?
Spotlighting your expertise not only builds your credibility, it increases your exposure on the Internet. One of the most effective means of gaining exposure is to publish articles, ebooks, white papers, or provide podcasts on your site. These are great options if you can comment on the latest developments in your industry and how they benefit your clients. These are also good methods for communicating ways in which your clients can extract additional value from your products and services.
Gain the most benefit out of e-tools by including printer-friendly and send-to-a-friend options on your site. Remember that articles, podcasts, and other online media must be kept current for your site to be an ongoing resource to clients and prospects alike.
(4) Are your claims substantiated?
If you claim that your products or services achieve results, do you have clear examples on your site that substantiate this? Case studies, client lists, and testimonials can be posted on your website to prove efficacy of service.
Third party endorsements create more impact and credibility than promotional text; they should not be relegated to separate (and rarely visited) ”testimonials” pages. Instead, consider that visitors often go directly to the pages for products and services that they are interested in. Having a testimonial specific to that product or service on the same page confirms for the visitor that you have successfully delivered on your claim.
(5) Is your site making the best use of available technologies?
Many industries increasingly have standard online tools to benefit their clients. For example, online money management has become standard in the finance industry. Does your site incorporate such online tools and value-added services? What technologies have your competitors provided on their websites? By incorporating current technologies, you add additional reasons for visitors to return to your site often; additionally, a lack of such technologies can reflect negatively on your credibility. For example, a bank that did not offer online banking would appear to be behind the times.
(6) Do you have a call to action?
What is the action that you want each of your target markets to take? Is it to make a purchase online? To schedule an appointment? Complete an application? Whatever your desired action may be, you must ask for it! By making a clear, visible request for action, you invite your prospects to interact with you as well as provide an obvious path from visiting your site to becoming a client.
(7) Does your site support your offline promotional efforts?
If you are directing visitors to your website through offline promotional ad campaigns, it’s essential that the spotlighted offer is the first thing visitors see. Your greatest hurdle is getting prospects to your site; you don’t want to make them work once they arrive. Welcome them at the door with the promotion that directed them to your site in the first place.
(8) Does the current usage of your website align with your objectives?
To measure the effectiveness of your site’s usage, you must have a clear picture of how your website is being used. Website statistics are a key indicator of the volume of traffic you receive, where the traffic originates, and the paths visitors take through your site. Website traffic analysis is your indicator of what is working and what is not. Without it, you are shooting in the dark! If you are not confident about interpreting your website traffic, involve your web developer. Web firms are delighted to help their clients understand website statistics—after all, this is one indicator of the results you receive.
We have passed the point when any web placard is an adequate representation of a business online. Web savvy clients and prospects have come to expect that websites will represent a business fully: it’s corporate culture, objectives, services, and staff. By creating a comprehensive plan for your website’s design, and continuously reviewing, updating, and reevaluating your website, you can create an online presence that meets and exceeds your business goals.