Is Your Website Generating New Business
It wasn’t that long ago that most websites were simply electronic brochures. They listed the who, what and where of the business but times have certainly changed.
Back then, converting your corporate brochure into an online brochure was a logical progression. The internet and search engine optimization were in their infancy and the most important thing was to have a web presence. Unfortunately, these types of websites no longer cut the mustard and with the evolution of the internet we have also seen a change in consumer behaviour. People now buy goods and services online including cars, holidays and whitegoods and to capitalise on this behavioural shift you need to upgrade your website from an ‘electronic brochure’ to a lead generation website.
Your prospective customers now turn to Google, your website and social media for answers. They start their buying journey browsing websites and gathering information, looking for educational content to help them make an informed buying decision. If your website content includes e-books, whitepapers, videos, infographics, cheat sheets, checklists, research or presentations you’re on the right track. By educating your prospects you’re effectively building trust in your brand and also positioning your website as a valuable resource centre. In the process you’re moving your prospects closer to a sale.
If your website is still an electronic brochure full of bullet points that list your products and services here’s an important message - the next generation of customers and clients expect more. They don’t care about when you started the business, your promise of great service or your convenient location. They only care about whether you understand their pain and how you can solve their problem. Ideally, they want proof that you’ve helped people with similar issues and your solution is simpler and more effective than your competitors. The features, benefits and finer details of your business, your services and your products are really just ‘fillers’.
Today’s consumers are impatient. You only have a few seconds to prove that your business has the answers, the solution or the fix they are looking for. You want the standout website in your industry and it needs to send a clear message, be easy to navigate and provide calls to action so you guide the prospect to the next stage of the buying process. Have a look at your home page right now, does it tell your prospects what to do next? Call for a free consultation? Click here to download our free guide? Fill in the box for a free sample?
Content is king and you need to understand what your prospects are searching for in your industry. Tailor your content to their search terms, provide relevant information in your blogs, videos and FAQs. Identify the questions that your prospects are asking during the research stage and then create pages on your website that answer those questions. It’s strategic and you’ll probably find you include the important keywords in the process. Make sure you embed calls to action on those pages as well so should they be ‘sold’ on your information or answers they are only a click away from your cash register. Google craves fresh, original content so you need to keep adding content to your site. The truth is, your website is never ‘done’ and it will always be a work in progress.
Click HERE to download the full edition of The Business Accelerator Magazine for March 2017.
Other articles in this edition:
- Do You Really Need A Website?
- Get To Know Your Profit Margins
- Business Start Up Corner - How To Get Off To A Flying Start
- Buying Or Selling A Business? Make Sure It's A "Going Concern"
- Business Builders - Targeting Your Ideal Customer
- 7 Ways To Increase Your Email Marketing Success Rate
- Quick Tips For Social Media