When you get into creating and managing a website, at some point you’re going to hear about Google Analytics, especially being told you need to have it on your website. Regardless if you’re a blogger, a small business owner, or a big corporate business, you do need a tool to measure your site’s progress. Google Analytics just happens to be a good one that is also free to use.
So…
The times of GeoCities are behind us, so why are there business sites that look like someone just threw whatever they thought looked good, or just thought the website did the job? It’s admirable to create your own website, but if you have specific intentions, your business needs to look like a business.
Responsive design has changed the game for a lot of website owners. In fact, more people are using smartphones and tablets for surfing and shopping. According to Nielsen, over 70% of smartphone shoppers use a store locator before going out to that store. NPD says that in America alone, over 25 million people are using Coupon apps every month. There are so many mobile stats out there that websites have to conform to the times, and that means seeking a responsive design solution.
The problem is that while there are people realizing this and even trying to implement a solution, they are doing it wrong. Responsive design isn’t just letting your site resize to the width of the end user’s browser, but to smartly design it to make it an easier experience and help direct them to where you want them to go.
Your site visitors are looking for something to fulfill a need. It may be a physical or emotional one. If your not fulfilling that need, then they won’t stay that long. The long your visitors stay, the more likely they are to: leave a comment, fill out a lead form, buy a product or service, or sign up for your website’s newsletter. You even want them to keep returning to your site. This article will let you know exactly what they want and some tips to achieving your goals.
The trainer I work with on and off at the gym is always on me about improving my core or abs. It’s her contention that strength training begins by strengthening your core, and that without a solid core you’re prone to injury. Makes sense intuitively, even though I’m not wild about more sit-ups, I do make the effort to work on my core.
What does all this have to do with your website? Well, think of your company’s value proposition as the core around which everything about your website and marketing strategy needs to be built. Without a strong value proposition the whole website doesn’t hang together the way it could. Plus, your messaging tends to lose focus and drift.
How do you convert people into customers when they visit your office or retail store?
Simple! You start a conversation with them.
Contest Winners by WonderMike
Easily one of the best ways you can drive traffic to your site and improve website conversion is to set up an online contest. Sure, most businesses cringe at the thought of managing a large scale competition of any kind, but contests are a remarkably cost effective way to generate rapid and widespread community interest, not to mention some valuable marketing data. It doesn’t take much to start out—just an idea, a prize, and someone in your company willing to handle a ton of extra email. If you’ve got a new iPhone (or related hot-ticket gizmo) and an intern who’s been spending a little too much time around the coffee machine lately, you’re all set.
Sticky Man by Tiago
Everyone knows the guy that likes to talk about himself. He drones on and on about his college football years or his recent ingrown toenail removal. For those of us not clever enough to fake a conversation-stopping seizure, social protocol demands we make a polite excuse and edge away slowly. If your business website is dull, it receives no such courtesy. Visitors, bored with your generic ‘About Us’ page and malfunctioning contact form, simply close the tab. You have to be sticky.
Internet Retailer Magazine recently (July 15, 2009) reported a study of retailer’s list of planned improvements for the rest of the year.
When a visitor comes to your site, they come there with a specific purpose in mind. Even though it would be fun to just surf around the internet finding new and interesting sites, most of us have pretty severe time constraints. Visitors need to know right away if your site is the place where they can buy the product they want, answer their question(s), or get them the information they need.