Five Must-Have Tips for a Successful Website
Posted on 14. Oct, 2009 by roxanne in Web Content
More than likely you are reading this article because you want a professional website. If you have ever
been to a “bad” website, you didn’t need an expert to tell you it was a bust. Maybe you didn’t
know exactly why it was bad, but dysfunctional web sites tend to exhibit similarities that make
them unlikely success stories.
For instance, have you ever visited a site and wondered “what are they selling anyway?” I know
I have. I get frustrated with websites like these and quickly start my search again for a website
that focuses on the information I was looking for.
A well designed website can either make or break your website success. The tips below will help
you get started and to learn what works for a successful website. These tips are by no means all-inclusive;
you will also learn a lot through “trial and error” just as with any brick and mortar
business. These tips will however, help you to avoid web blunders that hinder even more
seasoned web developers and designers.
Must-Have Tip #1 – Make it clear what you do. Find a niche market and don’t try to be a “jack of
all trades” selling multiple and unrelated products, services, or information. Instead, figure out
who your target market will be, and what products and/or services you provide that will appeal to
this market. Then, stay on topic; don’t throw in a bunch of irrelevant information just to try and
lure visitors. They will resent the deception and you’ll lose customers.
Note: It is very important to note that search engine crawlers index and categorize your website
based on the text and content you provide on each page. The content on each page is also
compared to all other pages on your site, so having a cohesive set of pages that focus on your
niche product or service is always better than trying to provide too many products or services.
Must-Have Tip #2 – Do your visitors know how to contact you? You would be surprised how
many websites leave no way for a customer to contact them with questions or to order their
products and services. Think about it this way: if you stopped into a store that provided widgets,
and no one was around to help you or answer questions, how comfortable would you feel
spending money with that company? You wouldn’t, of course, because if they can’t even make
themselves available for questions before the sale, they certainly won’t take time for you after
the sale.
If you worry about getting too much spam, or receiving unwanted phone calls by leaving your
contact information on your site, make sure to add your business phone to the federal “Do Not
Call” list, and use a contact form instead of just providing your email address. This won’t
eliminate the problem of spam (what does?) but it will make it more difficult to abuse your
contact information.
Note: Always respond to email in a timely manner. Treat them as you would any business phone
call. Customers typically expect a higher-than-average response rate when shopping or doing
business on the internet; if it takes you longer than 24 hours to respond to an email you will
probably lose a customer. Even an “I received your email and will respond to your question
shortly” is better than waiting too long to get back to a customer.
Must-Have Tip #3 – Don’t use flash introductory pages. Everyone knows they are fun and
entertaining, but if your site is designed for sales, a business, or for a professional purpose, what
will they add to your site? In fact, for many, these are just another added aggravation they have
to wade through to get to the information they really want.
Note: If you must use a flash intro, be sure there is a “Skip” feature clearly marked so visitors
can bypass it if they choose.
Must-Have Tip #4 – Focus your web copy on satisfying the needs of your customer. Content can
make or break the sale, or determine whether a visitor stays or finds another site to shop. Be sure
to provide your costumers with unique and interesting words to help pique their interest and
differentiate your products and services from your competitor’s.
A well-thought through home page and a few articles that prompt a desired action, while
simultaneously provide information to help your visitors quickly (in one or two clicks max) find
and pay for products and services will keep them interested, and coming back again and again
for future information and purchases.
Note: Consider hiring a contact writer if you’re at a loss with web content. This may be a
significant investment, but the results, and the success of your site, will definitely be worth it in
the long run!
Must-Have Tip #5 – Update, update, update. This cannot be stressed enough; if you provide no
reason for visitors to show up on your site again, why would they? If the information is the same
week after week, month after month, who would want to? Even your local Wal-Mart will
provides weekly sales flyers to entice shoppers back to their store! Keep your site fresh and
updated!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
