Acting as your brand’s virtual storefront, your website is the hub of your organization’s online presence. It is a powerful tool for conversion on a number of levels. A well-functioning website can effectively communicate your brand message, attract prospects, generate leads and sales, and build long-term advocacy. In fact, it’s more than powerful; it’s vital.
Below are the key components of a website built for C-O-N-V-E-R-S-I-O-N:
Compelling – Your website should encapsulate the best of your brand, merging crisp visuals with concise, well-written copy that promotes your unique value proposition. Your site must do more than give out information about your products and services – it must successfully make the case why people should consider, or continue, working with you.
Original – Be transparent, and be yourself. Share testimonials, case studies, and/or samples of your work; if you’re a start-up, emphasize your vision and values. Humanize your brand with an About Us page that tells your brand story, ideally with pictures and videos. Show your face: familiarity builds trust and fosters brand affinity.
Navigable – The navigation system (site map) is one of the most important elements of your company’s website. Clear navigation tells the user where they are on your site at any given time. Give hierarchy to navigation in order to clarify what the site contains and where the user should go next. If the route through the website isn’t clear, it’s more likely your user will feel confused and leave.
Versatile – Make sure your website messaging and content reflect the multidimensional nature of your brand. Don’t shy away from audio and visual content. Try new things, and put in some honest effort. Think of your website as your online storefront; put as much thought into the online experience as you would the in-store or in-office experience.
Educational – Many people are coming to your site for information; they’re trying to resolve a want or a need or gain a better understanding of what it is you do or what you have to offer. Don’t disappoint. Blogs, ebooks, infographics, and videos are great educational tools.
Reliable – Stability and reliability breed trust. In the online world, this begins with consistent web-based messaging and formatting. Do what you say, and say what you do. Make sure your website is as reliable for search engines as it is for people. Index your site with the major search engines, and delete redundant copy and duplicate pages. Make sure your brand’s message, content, look, and feel are consistent over all media.
Simple – People are coming to your site for a reason. Help them, don’t hinder them. Create a clear site structure and layout for an exceptional user experience. If relevant, provide a clear path to the sale with calls-to-action (CTAs) or hyperlinks to online checkouts or bottom-of-the-funnel (BOFU) offer landing pages.
Integrated – This is an Integrated Digital Marketing strategy, isn’t it? Sync your website with other elements of your digital presence, especially social media platforms. Embed social share buttons in relevant site pages and other web-based content assets such as ebooks and infographics. Bolster your email campaigns with links to dynamic web and social content. Above all else, make sure your messaging is integrated over all digital platforms.
Optimized – As we’ve discussed in previous chapters, the growth of mobile necessitates that your brand is optimized for devices of all shapes and sizes. A responsive web design (RWD) eliminates the need to create a separate mobile site, saving time and money. It also provides users with a seamless experience across devices and access to the same information no matter how they access your site. This helps companies maintain brand integrity by delivering consistent messaging to any web user and creates an experience focused on people rather than on devices.
Nurturing – If your business is like most others, you are probably selling some type of product or service. If so, your website should also function as your top online sales rep.