Your business needs a home online. Whether your business is a product based brand or a service, you need a website. Don't just take our word for it. Forbes cites having a site as a top marker for credibility in the modern marketplace. If you want to start making sales and closing deals it's time take up your digital real estate. In this post, we'll look at why consumers expect a good website for your business and what you can do to meet some of those demands.
Photo by Aryan Dhiman on Unsplash
Why You Need a Website:
Your business needs a website to build credibility and capture leads. A 2023 study forecast 218.8 million 'digital buyers'. While consumers are ordering online more than ever before, they are also some of the most informed and critical shoppers.
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
According to one survey, 75% of consumers judge a business on the usability of the website. In another study, 69% of respondents 'trusted' a business that had its own website compared to 24% who trusted a business with just a social media presence. What do these figures tell us? Your website design and how potential leads can navigate the website affect how it is perceived against competition. So it's time to get clear about what your website needs.
What Your Website Needs:
Whether you are designing your own website or outsourcing the task, consider prioritizing these three features: clarity of vision, the Call to Action (CTA) and lead capture. The average person spends 53 seconds a website page. Your website should make a splash to keep their eyes on your screens as long as possible.
Clarity of Vision:
Your 'landing page', or the first page visitors click on, should communicate immediately what you do. Your logo should be top of the page, with a short -- oftentimes one or two lines of text -- distillation of the company purpose. A plumber for instance might say: 'We flush for a living.' Or a bakery might say: 'Baked fresh for every occasion.' Pair this with a professional photograph of your product or service and you're off to a great start. This is more a brand strategy question than purely marketing. When you're designing your site don't be afraid to go to the root of it with: What does your business sell or provide? How can you convey that in one pop?
Photo by Igor Miske on Unsplash
There's time and place for brand story and featuring products or services, of course. But those should have their own dedicated pages in the 'navigation', or search bar, of your site. Keep your front page clean and clear so that visitors don't have to wonder what they should do next, they just will.
Call to Action:
What is it that you want visitors to do when they are on your website? This is called the 'Call to Action', or CTA, of your design. If you want them to shop you might make sure that the first 'block' after your headline which establishes your business is a product feature with a clear button which when clicked will take users to the shopping page you'd like them to visit. Or if you'd like them to get in touch to arrange a call about your service you might employ a 'Get in touch' form where visitors can leave their details for you to follow up.
Photo by Ryan Snaadt on Unsplash
Your website can and should service as a virtual brochure for your business. Be clear about what you want visitors to do and help them accomplish that with the right 'User Design', or UX.
Lead Capture:
Don't be shy about asking visitors to leave their name and email. Getting your leads into a successful 'Welcome' flow is one of the best ways to increase conversion. Whether you choose to utilize a pop up, or a window which is set on a timer to appear 'above' your website page, or a lead capture form like the 'sign up here' boxes you'll often find at the footer of websites, you should have a strategy in place for collecting visitor details.
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
Imagine you're running a Brick & Mortar (B&M) business. You'd greet every customer that comes through the door with a smile, regardless of if they're going to buy something or not. Because of the chance that they will. Consider your website a shopfront for your business which is open 24/7. If that's not exciting, you're not doing it right yet.
Summary:
There you have just some of the reasons why consumers inspect a website and what they expect from the experience. Remember to focus on your vision, your desired client action, and your lead capture methodology for a good start.
Get In Touch
Something here spark your website imagination? We can help turn it into reality! Send us an email: liz@litirmarketing.com
Comments