Websites
Let’s Get Real About Website Strategy
Oct 25 2022
When it comes to your website (like everything else) – start with strategy! What is it that you want the website to do? Why do people visit your site and what are their expectations? How should your website contribute to your strategic goals?
Many businesses focus most of their website strategy efforts on the design – does it look nice? They end up with a website that looks great but isn’t effective at driving their business.
Whether you are building a new site or improving an existing one, the following steps will help you clarify your site’s purpose and effectiveness.
Start with your objective. Your objective should be what you want your website to do for your business. While it’s obvious that you need a website, being focused on how your website can grow your business will increase your effectiveness.
Most sites have an initial objective of providing information but go deeper. For example, a business with the goal of driving word-of-mouth would create talkable content and sharing calls-to-action on the site. A dentist wanting new patients will have calls to action to book an appointment prominently on the site.
Some businesses make the mistake of assuming that customers are their target audience. In reality, most websites get far more traffic than they have customers.
Who is the audience for your site and what is important to them?
Take some time to evaluate your current website. Look at your Google Analytics to see how people are using it. Evaluate what is working and what isn’t.
Also, look for behavior that may influence your site content and design. For example, the most popular pages, the pages that people start visiting your site from, or the high-bounce pages (pages where people leave).
Determine the content needed for every stage of the buying cycle. Businesses often make the mistake of only focusing on selling or consultation. Consider who is visiting your site and their readiness for your main call to action. Identify why people visit your site and have the right content for them.
Example:
In working with a solar energy company, their only website call-to-action was to get an estimate. It was appropriate for people to be pretty interested in solar already. When discussing their cycle and audience, they found that under 5% of their website visitors were at that stage and for an estimate. They added Solar 101 content and Money Saving Calculators to reach people who were further up the funnel. This made their site more relevant to more visitors.
One of the best things about digital marketing is that you can see exactly what your competitors are doing. Check out the website of your top competitors, especially if they have invested a lot in their sites.
Determine what your value proposition is for your audience beyond the functional features of your product. Consider the benefits that drive someone to do business with you, and make sure those also come across.
Some businesses, especially consumer goods businesses that don’t sell through their sites, clutter them with promotions and ads but lose site of the value proposition for the consumer.
As you are close to finalizing your website, check that it is helpful to your customer and adds value vs. just promoting your business.
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