Did you ever think the value of your website might be worth a negative amount? In 2020, consumers live online, conducting a significant portion of their research and buying via a smartphone, tablet, or computer. It cannot be overstated, to survive in today’s marketplace a good website is a company’s best asset. So in order to ensure that your company’s website is squeezing the most out of the savvy online consumers, you need to ask some hard questions.
First, does your website contain personality? Is it on brand and consistent? A website that clearly lacks identity is not going to resonate well with online consumers — who particularly take design and appearance into forming their opinion of a company.
Second, is the website focused on converting visitors into leads/customers? After all, that’s the end goal of a website, right? It’s kind of surprising to see the number of websites that lack call to actions (CTA). But it goes further than just having a form submission at the bottom of the page… You need to analyze your sales funnel. Does the website have a clear sales process for consumers to follow? CTAs should be clear and understood, and never difficult to find.
Third, is it confusing for first-time visitors to navigate? If so, you’re shooting yourself in the foot. There’s no better way to run off a potential lead than making the site difficult to travel. A good website enhances the user experience by making navigation simple. You can’t make it hard for your webpage visitors to find what they are looking for and expect they are going to make it to the bottom of your sales funnel.
Fourth, is your website set up for mobile? Okay, let’s assume you’re not living in 2010 — a better question would be, is your website catering to mobile search? Today, the majority of web traffic comes from mobile devices. This is illustrated in the fact that in 2018 50 percent of e-commerce revenue was done on mobile. This figure is only expected to continue to grow in the coming decade. With a majority of Americans having access to a smart device, ensuring that your website provides a GREAT mobile experience is required. I’m going to say that again… it’s required.
Fifth, is the site built with SEO in mind? Let’s say your website hits all the points 1 – 4, but it lacks an SEO focus. Well, congrats, you played yourself. Jokes aside, if your website isn’t geared with an SEO strategy you’re probably seeing extremely low traffic numbers. Like middle of the night, on a Nebraska highway, traffic numbers. SEO is the engine that powers website visitor clicks. If your website experiences long load times (longer than 3 seconds), poor or no keyword targeting, outdated content, and more backend/on-page optimization issues, then the good news is — you can only go up from here.
How To Fix Your Website Issues
The problem is, often company owners often don’t know what they don’t know. Which is expected, how is an auto mechanic shop owner suppose to know that his metadata descriptions are lacking the proper local keyword phrasing? Everyone has their own niche of expertise. That’s where outside help comes in. Roughly 75 percent of marketing agencies believe a bad website is a weakness of their clients. So if you’re sitting there reading this, feeling like you’re in hot water because your website has issues, don’t worry — almost everyone’s website needs to be improved.
In 2020, it is expected that customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator for consumers. A website’s goal is to serve the customer with an experience that motivates them to buy. So as we approach 2020, and consumers seek a higher level of website satisfaction from businesses, let’s address your possible problems.
Lack of Website Personality – This issue requires your company to sit down and hammer out what you stand for, and what makes you unique. Once you have solidified who you are, then hiring a good web design company is the next step. Paying a talented web design group might be expensive upfront, but walking away with a website that has a true identity that consumers notice and appreciate, will undoubtedly be a moneymaker in the long run.
No CTAs – This fix is easier and more immediate. Incorporating several CTAs that are both calculated and enticing, will help fuel form submissions, inquiries, sales, etc. However, CTAs aren’t just throwing a “Call Now” button above the webpage fold. More thought and research is needed into what is receptive and effective with your target audience.
Poor Website Navigation – Organization and proper page indexing are vital to the success of a website. With the internet providing consumers with countless options, their attention span is short when it comes to user experience. To fix this, it boils down to having good web design that creates an easy to follow flow path for users. By properly housing pages, creating the right attention grabbers, and structuring the site in a consumer-friendly layout, you can improve the value of your site — 38 percent of people are shown to stop engaging with a website if the content and layout are unattractive.
Bad Mobile Experience – Ensuring your website visitors have a positive experience on mobile should be one of your top priorities. With the combined work of good design and a talented developer, your website can be optimized to provide mobile users with an experience that makes them want to keep returning.
Underdeveloped SEO Plan – The importance of a good SEO strategy cannot be overstated. Generating traffic is one of the most difficult aspects of a business. Leads are the lifeblood of any company, whether they are service or goods focused. Incorporating an SEO plan for your website can range in tasks, but it ultimately is hyperfocused on helping your domain climb in search engine rankings. Having a website that ranks in the top three results on page one for Google results pays major dividends.
Need Help Improving Your Website?
At Venta Marketing, we are helping businesses meet their goals head-on. As leaders in the digital marketing industry, we know what a great website looks and acts like. We understand how navigating the digital market can be overwhelming. Our mission is to help simplify the equation and connect quality leads to quality businesses. Contact us today to inquire about how we can help improve the return on your website.