[Times are changing and so is the way your customers and prospects surf your website. Today’s website user does not want to be sold. They want to be informed. So your website needs to provide the information your prospects are looking for to make their purchasing decisions. Your website needs to sell in a way that the reader does not realize they are being sold to. Provide information that is simple to read, quick to understand and fast to find.
The following are some basic rules to follow when creating a new website strategy:
- Keep page layouts simple: A simple design invites the reader into your site, allowing them to easily find what they are looking for. A few design tactics to keep in mind:
- Studies show that if you can deliver shocking insight or data, you will most likely engage the audience immediately and they will listen more attentively to your presentation. Be sure to back your claim with data.
- White space is your friend. Use it to break up overpowering blocks of text and to emphasize key points you need to make.
- Smaller pages versus larger pages. We estimate that visitors will wait a maximum of three seconds for a page to open. Smaller pages with smaller graphics allow a faster download time and optimal performance.
- Navigation is critical: Studies prove that website visitors prefer simple, intuitive navigation. Your goal is to make everything easy to understand and logical to navigate. Consider implementing some of the following:
- Obey the three-click rule. Anyone coming to your site needs to find what they are looking for in three clicks or fewer.
- Place a search tool prominently on your site. This will make it much easier for visitors to find what they are looking for.
- Build your site around Search: Your website is only as powerful as the traffic it can generate.
- As with your messaging strategy, your search strategy needs to be simple. Create relevant content, including white papers, blogs and other pertinent educational content that will increase your search ranking. It is more likely that your prospects are searching for educational content rather than sales content.
- Link to relevant partners and peers. Search pays particular attention to the number and quality of your backlinks. Be sure to make this a part of your website strategy.
As a result, your website will become the focal point of your marketing strategy.
