A website is never really finished — or at least it shouldn’t be, as web technology and your business goals change. But with the right strategy up front, you can set yourself up for success by making it more effective and easier to expand, update and manage in the future. Take it from Kymera’s Senior Developer, Nathan Hartwell, who offers these quick tips to supercharge your site.
Tip #1: Keep It Smart and Simple
Every business has different needs, but what’s consistent is the initial content that visitors tend to search for.
- Forms. From newsletter sign-ups to inquiries, put any form near the top of the page (above the fold). If visitors have to search for it, then they may lose steam and eventually leave the page altogether.
- Phone numbers. Not everyone wants to fill out a “contact us” form and wait for a response. Adding a clickable phone number makes it easy for people to reach out to you if they’re accessing your site on mobile.
- Bullet points. At least 70% of the people who visit a website or landing page will bounce (i.e., leave the site after viewing only one page). To make your web visitors the exception to the rule, help them find what they’re looking for quickly and easily. Use heading tags for better SEO and better accessibility. Also, break up your copy into bullet points so it’s easier to digest, and make the CTA clear and easily accessible. If your page is longer, place CTA buttons throughout the page.
- Show them the benefits. Keep the company-focused copy on the “About Us” page, and make your service and landing pages all about the benefits. How will your product or service specifically help the page visitor? Why should they act now?
- Videos are the most popular and effective media format. And if you can create videos that feature your team members or customers, you’ll not only grab attention but also personalize your brand and help build trust.
- Testimonials. Authenticity is key, so pull in testimonials from Google or Facebook and display them on your website and landing pages. Customers tend to trust other customers the most, and these reviews can’t be edited.
Tip #2: Test, Test and Test Again
You can spend all your time up front coming up with a site design that sizzles, but if you don’t get the “under-the-hood” components right, it isn’t going to deliver optimal results.
- Make sure your title tags, alt tags and descriptions are up to date with relevant information, and submit your site maps to Google and Bing.
- Page speed. Slow-loading pages are a real drag — for your visitors and on your SEO. Perform speed load tests to ensure pages load quickly, and use responsive design so they deliver a good experience on both desktop and mobile devices.
- Functionality. Are your forms loading? Are you getting submissions when testing? Is your site ADA compliant? It might go without saying, but be sure to test all the buttons, forms, links, etc. at the outset of a build — and periodically afterward — to make sure everything is working the way it should.
- Security. Back up all your information and code to prevent loss or hacks. It can save you from a big headache later.
Tip #3: Don’t Assume if You Build It, They Will Come
Websites don’t send traffic to themselves. So once your site is functional, add the marketing components that will help people find it. This includes PPC ads, blogs, emails, newsletters, personalized landing pages and social media marketing. “It’s really satisfying to see our clients’ sites help them drive sales and succeed,” Hartwell says. “From smaller businesses to national franchises, good web development and marketing can work together to get strong results for all kinds of brands.”
With a solid structure and strategy, your website is the nexus of all your marketing efforts. If you want expert guidance, Kymera can help build or rebuild your site for maximum performance and create a custom omnichannel marketing strategy to help attract the specific customers you seek online. Our team of experienced professionals will work closely with you to understand your unique goals and target audience — and help transform your site into a digital powerhouse, supercharged for success.
Kymera’s Website Services:
- Web development
- Website rebranding
- PPC landing pages
- ADA accessibility
- Franchise websites
- Video content
- SEO copywriting
- E-commerce
- Business blogs
Sources
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/landing-page-best-practices
https://www.hubspot.com/state-of-marketing
