Back to news | Category: Press Releases | Date: 24th Sep 2009
Stephen Alexander, managing director of First Internet, the Manchester-based new-media-solutions agency, firmly believes that there's little value in spending time and effort on search engine optimisation for your website if the site itself is not attractive and compelling to visitors. Here, Stephen offers his tips on making a website appealing and usable to ensure that visitors will have their mouse poised to add it to their favourites list.
"As an e-tailer, or simply a business that has tapped into the huge potential of online marketing, it's crucial that you don't spend valuable resources drawing prospective customers to your website if it doesn't then offer an experience that exceeds expectations and encourages them to browse, with the ultimate goal of purchasing, and becoming a loyal customer.
"If you've carefully researched keywords that attract finely targeted visitors to your site make canny use of them. But, instead of becoming bogged down by keyword density - which can make your site read like it is written by a robot - concentrate on including fresh, constantly updated information that is relevant and interesting to your website visitors.
"Think about your visitors' needs: if, for example, you're selling leather accessories, consider adding a leather care guide. Tap into your customers' mentality - might they be interested in which A-lister is toting the latest IT bag? Then be the ones to keep them in the know, so you'll become the go-to site for all their fashion fixes.
"There's no greater turn off to a website visitor than a site that looks stale and unloved. Inject some dynamism into your site, with a stream of new content.
"At the very least, update your homepage regularly: fresh imagery, offers, and news give the site an instant facelift and will encourage visitors to stick around. The average website is given only four seconds to make an impact to visitors - so make the right first impressions. If you lose an online customer, it's likely you've lost them for life - there are no second chances on the web!
"Remember, though, that each and every page offers the opportunity to engage the customer, so don't let the site fizzle to nothing after the homepage. Relevance is king, so keep your offering targeted and to the point.
"Out of date news snippets, offers that have closed and events that have long passed are discouraging to the online customer and don't inspire confidence in the site, so be vigilant and remove any content that instantly ‘dates' your site.
"Everyone loves a free lunch, so draw in visitors with the offer of a freebie. If you're in the service industry, for example, use the carrot of a free initial consultation, to capture data and sign up visitors to your e-newsletter.
"Canny use of these offers will encourage trial but leave visitors wanting more - so they quickly convert to paying customers.
"A resources area on the site can be really helpful, so consider adding downloadable white papers on relevant issues, or for consumer sites - say a camping website, offer details of beautiful walks in the vicinity.
"Build loyalty by engaging visitors with your brand. This is much easier if you offer a real insight into your company's ethos and team online. Your website is a portal into your brand personality. So, ensure the ‘about us' page provides totally transparent information about who is behind the business.
"Why not put a spotlight on a different member of the team each month? Make the site multi-dimensional by including podcasts from key company spokespeople, add links to your social media profiles - such as Twitter and Facebook. Blogs are time-consuming and a commitment that's not to be taken lightly, but well worth the effort. Ensure that the content is dense, not too dry and includes a human element.
"Whether you operate in the B2B or consumer realm, creating a sense of community and engaging the website visitor on a personal level is a key element of a successful and ‘sticky' website.
"Web 2.0 has made the internet a truly interactive experience. Consider including a forum, a live questions and answers section, and plenty of directions to your online networking sites.
"By providing the web visitor with the sense that your site is regularly refreshed, it provides them with a real reason to visit again and again - offering you the chance to promote your products to them and cross sell services. View your website as a profit centre rather than simply an overhead and it won't let you down!"
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