There are five basic questions that must be answered before starting a new Website design project or trying to improve a Websites performance….
- Are you using words and phrases on your web pages that your target is audience is typing into search queries?
- How do people benefit from visiting your web site without having to spend any money?
- Why should people return to your web site?
- When people arrive at your web site, what do you want them to do?
- What separates you from your competition?
Are you using words and phrases on your web pages that your target is audience is typing into search queries?
To be successful with search engine visibility, you must use words and phrases that your target audience is typing into search queries. These keyword phrases must appear prominently on your web pages but, not so frequently that it appears to be spam.
Do not begin writing web page content without first doing quality keyword research!
How do people benefit from visiting your web site without having to spend any money?
Obtaining information is the #1 reason that people visit web sites. If you provide information for people such as free marketing tips, price comparisons, product evaluations, a how-to section, a glossary or dictionary, or tips for buying your product or service, you have given a benefit for visiting your site.
Always try to communicate “look what we can do for you” rather than “look how wonderful we are.” Potential customers will remember you because you are looking out for their best interests
Why should people return to your web site?
Visitors don’t always make impulse purchases, especially if your products cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Often, people usually won’t purchase from your site until they visit it at least 4-5 times. So always give people a reason to return to your site.
Updating product or service information, timely how-to tips, and special sales and discounts are good reasons for people to return to your site or maybe even bookmark it.
It’s always a good idea to regularly update your site. Microsoft does not show the same commercial year after year after year because people will get bored with the same commercial. Nor should anyone show the exact same web site month after month after month. A site should be updated at least every 1 to 3 months, even if the changes are minimal.
Extra benefit? Search engines do learn how frequently you update your site and respond accordingly.
When people arrive at your web site, what do you want them to do?
It’s one thing to get people to come to your site. It’s another thing to get them to convert.
So every page on your site, ask the question, “What do you want people to do?” Subscribe to a newsletter? Place item in a shopping cart? Pick up the phone and call? Make those calls to action obvious.
And whenever possible, use keywords in your calls to action. If your target audience typed those words into a search query, they are looking for those words on your pages. Keep ’em close to your calls to action.
What separates you from your competition?
I want to know company’s unique selling proposition (USP) and try to design and market the site based on this information. All sites should have unique selling propositions.
I often hear the “best customer service” and the “lowest prices” together. From my standpoint, if you want to hire a really talented customer service staff, you have to pay them well. That will affect your overhead and, thus, your prices. Also, the lowest prices do not guarantee the best quality. So be prepared to address those issues of you have both of these unique selling propositions.
Your unique selling propositions should be obvious to your site’s visitors. A focus group, or even just taking a phone survey from some of your customers, can tell you if your USP is on your web site.