Let's assume that you have a service that people want, and you have identified your ideal clients. You're ready for that new website, or it's time to revamp an old one.
Here are a few points to be aware of; they can sabotage the usefulness of your website, no matter what type of business you're promoting.
Too much emphasis on search engines.There's nothing wrong with getting to the top of Google, or anywhere on the first page for that matter but that's only the beginning. How many of those who click through to your site take action? Once they get there via Google or some other search engine, your content has to entice them to take the next step.
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Anaemic website content that doesn't compel your visitors to action. Does your site content convey your core marketing message that lets visitors know you have the best solution to their problems? If not, then beautiful design and excellent search engine optimization are wasted. Too often, site owners spend a lot of money getting visitors to their site and give no thought as to how to engage them so they stay long enough to find out more and act upon the information they find.
Too much focus on flash, glitz and sophisticated graphics so they overwhelm the content. The best sites are those where website design and content work together to project a harmonious feeling about your business and to underscore the purpose of the website.
The key here is that the website content - your message - matters as much as the technology and design. Effective design helps project professionalism and create a level of comfort with your business. Technology makes the site easy to use.
But the words do the heavy lifting when it comes to selling your services.
Time and money spent refining your message pay off because then visitors know why you are the best person to help solve their problems.
Unless they gain that insight from your content, nothing happens.
Copyright 2010-2012 Maggie Dennison. All rights reserved.
