The internet is an incredible marketing tool if used correctly. To really take advantage of your web presence, your website must do these three things.
1. Get Found By Your Target Market
You can have the best looking website on the web, but that doesn't matter if no one else is going to it! Be sure to have a strategy for your website. I personally recommend asking people that you have a business relationship with what they are doing to get traffic to their site. A few easy ways to keep people going to your site is:
a. Keep Active In Social Media
- With a majority of Americans on Facebook (daily), there is a great opportunity to have your family, family, and customers help you spread the word about your business and website!
b. Start A Mailing List
- This is a more old fashioned route to website traffic, but it can still work if you find people interested enough to subscribe to your emails!
If you are looking for a more direct website-related marketing, please look at my internet marketing and search engine optimization services. I can get your website ranked #1 in Google and other search engines so that your target market can find you with a click of a button!
2. Convert Visitors Into Leads and Customers
To make the most of the traffic on your website, it is important to analyze results and statistics to see what you can do to convert the maximum amount of visitors into leads and customers. When it comes down to it, this is determined by something called the "User Experience" which consists of these things:
a. Design - Your website needs to be intuitive, and easy for visitors to find what they are looking for. Statistics say it takes about 3 seconds for someone to visit your site and decide whether they want to stay or leave. Having an outdated design or have a very confusing site will only drive the visitor away from your site.
b. Functionality - Your website should stay up to date, with no "dead links." It is important to keep your website as updated as possible so that it accurately reflects what your business is in the present, so people know what to expect when they contact you. Make sure all aspects of your website are working correctly so that you don't frustrate visitors and make them leave.
c. Valuable Content - Give someone a reason to go to your site. If you have useful content and a valuable product/service, people will be more likely to stay on your site to read more about it - which will more likely result in a lead or customer.
3. Update It Yourself!
If you don't currently have a Content Management System, there's a good chance that it's time for a redesign! I have heard many stories about people being overcharged for pesky monthly update fees, or even being charged $50 to change 2 words on their website! By implementing a content management system, you can get rid of those monthly charges and update your own website immediately without the hassle of waiting! With Content Management Systems like Joomla and Wordpress, you can simply select the page you want to edit, make your required changes, and save!
If you incorporate these three things from the start of your website building project, you are insuring that it will be a great marketing tool and will be a useful "salesman" for you for a much longer period of time.
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