Website Strategy: Get it Right
It’s interesting to look at the process companies go through when thinking about a website strategy for their online presence. Once they decide they need a website they begin to think about what content they think they need . Most of the companies believe they need a page that talks about them so they add an “About Us” page to their site.
Secondly they would like to talk about their products or services so they add a “Products” or “Services” page on their site.
The most important part to the new website is allowing visitors the ability to contact the company to do business or make inquiries which is where the infamous “Contact Us” page comes from.
I am sure you’ve seen these types of pages on almost every website you’ve ever been to . When you made the decision to get your first website online you surely had the dream of increasing your business by tapping into the “treasure chest” the Internet makes available to us all. That’s the main motivation behind most websites . The stumbling block with this process of web development is that it’s absolutely wrong. That is not to say a company won’t make money or receive any phone calls by structuring their website in this manner. But most likely you are limiting the potential revenue of your site by doing it, and you could do much better.
The first issue with this tired old navigation structure is that it doesn’t offer any value to your potential clients and, if you don’t provide value for your customers, it’s very easy for them to go to a different site that does. These visitors don’t care about anything except what’s in it for them! If that’s the case, why would you spend even two seconds creating a website that goes on and on about your company, products, services and then provide them with a page so they can contact you? Or rather, why would you do that and expect any level of online success?
If your goal is to have a user get to your website, absorb the content , and end up making the decision to do business with your company instead of the competition, you need to prove you are worthy!
The best way for you to impress visitors to your website is to provide extra value before you ask them to buy your products or services. You can provide this value by providing a free report, or perhaps a coupon or code for a special price on your offerings. If you’d really like to stand out in the crowd, you could include a section on your website dedicated to educating your potential customers.
Every person looking for a product has the question in their mind, “Why should I buy from you?” when they visit your website. It is your job to answer that question. Buyers want to work with a company who is knowledgeable about the products they are looking for in order to make smart choices in regards to their situations.
If a user happens to go through information on your website which relates to a familiar situation, and it’s obvious that the person who wrote it is very knowledgeable, there is a much higher probability that the visitor will become your customer. The chances that they will remain on your site are drastically increased, and they won’t feel the need to visit your competitor’s website (and even if they do visit your competitors, they will see that you offer more value).
Regardless of the business you’re in, having a website and some visitors doesn’t mean that you have done enough to turn them into a customer. You need to use that website as a showcase to prove your authority, and once you have, make it easy for them to do business with you. You will dramatically increase your chances for online success!