Digital transformation has accelerated for many businesses. In 2020 companies were forced to adapt or get left behind. Having a shop front and a business card just won’t cut it anymore. However, that isn’t anything new. Business owners back in 2005 were going online. So, the question is not “do I need a website?” (the answer is yes), the question is “do I need a new website?”.
When your website was designed and built will have some contributing factors as to whether you need a new website. Yet even if it was built in the last 2 years you may still be missing out on traffic and potential customers if the site is not fully optimised.
What do we mean ‘fully optimised’?
A fully optimised website takes into account a few key elements.
- SEO
- Content
- Speed
- Devices
- Customer Experience & Journey
- Goals
Let us break these down a bit further…
SEO
Search engine optimisation is the practice of ensuring your website contains relevant information relating to popular search terms. Each page on your website must include keywords, key phrases, as well as the necessary ‘tags’. These tags talk directly to the search engine to tell it what the content on the page is about. The search engine’s job is to determine how relevant the content is to the search a user has entered. If the search engine cannot understand your website or doesn’t think it’s relevant, then your site won’t rank highly enough for users to find you.
Content
Content refers to the pieces of information you produce that gives the user information. Content can be in a variety of different formats. For example:
- Videos
- Infographics
- Text
- Guides
- Brochures
The purpose of content is to inform the user about the product or service and help answer any questions or concerns they may have. Over 80% of the buyers decision is made online, before they have even picked up the phone or emailed. It’s vital the content you’re sharing on your website is relevant, helpful and genuine.
Speed
The speed of your site can be the difference between winning a customer or not. Users want everything instantly. We live in the age of convenience and if your website is taking longer than a few seconds to load, you will lose the interest of your customers.
Devices
The majority of people access the internet via a smartphone or device. This means two things:
- Your website should load quickly on a mobile device
- Your website should be optimised for mobile
Ensuring your website is optimised for mobile means it needs to be both functional on a mobile and look good. The user should be able to easily navigate their way around, just as they would on a desktop.
Customer Experience & Journey
This is a summary of how your customer feels during and after using your website. Ask the questions:
- Does my website look fantastic?
- Can the customer easily find everything they are looking for?
- Is the website easy to use?
- Can the customer complete a purchase in 5 steps or less?
- Is the content on your website helpful, fun and engaging?
After visiting your website potential customers should feel fulfilled, happy and relaxed.
Goals
To determine a website as a success you need to define its goals. This could be:
- Sell a product or products
- Capture leads
- Increase enquiries
- Get appointment bookings
- Build trust and credibility
To learn more about building a website for specific goals, check out the infographic below.
