As a SEO Marketing Strategist, my clients are looking for success from their websites. They want ROI – Return on Investment and frankly, so do I. Here are 7 things that I work diligently to educate my clients about their web marketing experience.
1.) Do you know why you have a website?
Understand for yourself, why you are choosing to have a website – are you collecting leads, selling online, online brochure or just trying to outshine your brother-in-law’s website.
Was it designed to do the purpose you intended?
How well is it performing that purpose?
2.) It is not about traffic, it is about conversion.
Traffic tells us how many “hits” or “visitors” our websites have. Conversion tells us how many take our desired actions.
If your website receives 100 visitors a week and 2 visitors request more information your weekly conversion ratio is 2%
If your website receives 100 visitors a day and you sell 1 order per day, your daily conversion ratio is 1%
It is the number of actions that bring sales to your company – not the number of visitors.
In terms of Sales Revenue – 1,000 visitors who take ZERO action are probably worth less than 10 qualified visitors who take the DESIRED ACTION on your website.
In simple math: 1,000 x 0 = ZERO … 10 X 5 = $50 (assuming that action was worth only $5 to you)
3.) Know what you sell
As you are developing your site – you do need to know what it is you sell – and incorporate those products and services as keywords on your website. And be specific.
For example: If you are a Plumber, don’t just include the words plumbing and plumber, you will also want to include clogged drain repair, or toilet installation. If you are a financial advisor – perhaps your niche is retirement planning or 401K Rollovers.
4.) Know what your customer is buying
That seems simple, right? Not always. Many industries use cryptic abbreviations, industry terms and code words that ONLY other people in that industry understands. Treat your website as if you are explaining your services to 12 years olds. You are not trying to impress the customer with how smart you are, but how good you are at the products or services you offer. People buy promos and imprinted pens, not specialty advertising.
5.) Give them what they need
Create a flow that allows QUALIFIED customers the ability to decide to do business with you. Provide information, give great data, ask for their info, give them a way to CONTACT YOU. Make it simpler for them and they will give you more of their business.
(Side Note: If you currently have a 1% conversion ratio on the web – and can take that to 2% – you will DOUBLE your results). In other words if 2 people sign up out of 100 instead of the original 1 – that is twice as many opportunities for sales. ) A 100% increase – not a 1% increase.
Remove roadblocks that keep them from doing business with you.
6.) Answer their questions
This can be done in two ways – first, have great Frequently Asked Questions with answers on the site / service / product page and second and more importantly – when they call you or send you and email or fill out your online form – RESPOND FAST! The early bird gets the worm is in the past – now its the fastest bird.
7.) Build your website to attract and convert customers – not win design awards.
Don’t get me wrong – a website should look good, credible and reputable – but that should NEVER come at the expense of the ability to attract and convert customers – EVER. If it is beautiful and no one ever sees it, it really doesn’t matter that its there. If it has amazing colors and fantastic design elements that match perfectly with your letterhead – YAH – but if it does not drive customers / sales – it really is nothing more than a billboard at the North Pole.
Sometimes I butt heads with great designers on this, but sales and profits trump pretty and branding.
So that’s it – to me it is really that simple. Know what they want and build a website that attracts and convinces them to take the next step to do business with you. AND NO… this is not just about online retail. It works for Dentists, Lawyers, Restaurants, E-Commerce, Consultants, Plumbers, Marketing Agencies, all of them.
Want to know more ? I’d love to come and present this to your group, corporation or students. Lets continue the conversation – drop me an email at michelle [at] redhawkstrategies.com