Of course you have a website for your business, but is it little more than a static placeholder online? A digital business card or sales brochure? Or is it helping consumers find you so they can give you money?
Here are some concrete ways you can improve your website and turn it into a real working asset that represents your business 24/7.
- Give consumers an action to take.
Do you want a phone call? Do you want them to visit in person? Make an appointment? Fill out a form? Download something? Be sure that you make it VERY clear what you want your site visitors to do and then make it easy for them to do it. Put your phone number (and address) on EVERY page. You never know which page a person may land on when they decide they want to call you. Don’t make them hunt for a Contact Us page. - Drop the jargon.
Have someone who doesn’t work in your industry but could be a potential customer read through your website. If they have to ask you what certain terminology or acronyms mean, then you need to rewrite your website content for your average customer. - Be more personable.
You’re not just hanging out a shingle online, you’re trying to engage with people. So make them feel welcome and let your personality shine through. If you’re too stiff and formal, too businesslike, you may seem unapproachable. Make your visitors feel like you are speaking to them. - Add more information.
You can never have Too. Much. Content. Besides the basics about your business, you also need to provide helpful information about your industry and cover all of the frequently asked questions that consumers have. With 81% of shoppers conducting online research before they make a purchase, you need to demonstrate that you are a subject matter expert and you have the products/services they are looking for. This helps build trust. - Add photos/videos.
A picture is still worth 1,000 words, especially in the online world. Add photos and videos of you, your business, your employees, your products, in action, before-and-after and anything else that’s relevant to your target customer. Photos and images that represent your company well can make the difference between a customer choosing you over your competition.
Do you want a phone call? Do you want them to visit in person? Make an appointment? Fill out a form? Download something? Be sure that you make it VERY clear what you want your site visitors to do and then make it easy for them to do it. Put your phone number (and address) on EVERY page. You never know which page a person may land on when they decide they want to call you. Don’t make them hunt for a Contact Us page.
Have someone who doesn’t work in your industry but could be a potential customer read through your website. If they have to ask you what certain terminology or acronyms mean, then you need to rewrite your website content for your average customer.
You’re not just hanging out a shingle online, you’re trying to engage with people. So make them feel welcome and let your personality shine through. If you’re too stiff and formal, too businesslike, you may seem unapproachable. Make your visitors feel like you are speaking to them.
You can never have Too. Much. Content. Besides the basics about your business, you also need to provide helpful information about your industry and cover all of the frequently asked questions that consumers have. With 
A picture is still worth 1,000 words, especially in the online world. Add photos and videos of you, your business, your employees, your products, in action, before-and-after and anything else that’s relevant to your target customer. Photos and images that represent your company well can make the difference between a customer choosing you over your competition.For more tips on how to boost your website, these great blog posts apply to all types of service businesses:
