Six Ways You Are Underutilizing Your Website or Online Presence
Having a strong web presence for your company is very important if you plan to be successful. It helps you reach more people, create credibility, and establish your brand in a competitive industry. Many business owners spend a couple of hours and a lot of money to create a website and then just leave it like that, underutilizing all of the advantages of an online presence.
If you want to stand apart and increase your brand voice without spending a ton of money, there is no better way of doing it than crafting a strong web presence.
1. Not Having Your Website SEO Optimized
93% of online experiences begin with a search engine, and 47% of people click on one of the first three listings. (SEJ, 2016)
Competing in this world without a proper website is like chasing a rabbit. It does not have to be fancy or complicated. All you need is a simple website with pages that showcase your work, bio, contact information, customer reviews and testimonials, and a blog where you can share your voice.
Whether you are starting from scratch or updating an existing website, make sure it is mobile friendly and fast. A website that loads quickly is visited more often. Use correct title tags and meta tags on your titles and descriptions, add relevant images with alt tags, and write content around topics your readers actually care about instead of chasing trending keywords.
2. Not Creating an Email List
Persuade your website visitors to opt in to your email list by offering something free: a guide, an e-book, a white paper, or a useful video. That is what marketers call a lead magnet. The key is to provide real value for free. It is how you build trust and get people to come back.
- Configure pop-over forms to display once, or once per number of visitors or period, not every single time.
- Trigger forms based on a visitor's action or intent, not the instant a page opens.
- Give every pop-over a clear, visible close button.
- Coupons and offers inside the form grab attention fastest.
3. Not Utilizing New Social Networks
96% of small and medium businesses use social media in their marketing strategy, and roughly 75% say it has increased their traffic.
Relying on Facebook alone is not enough anymore. If your audience includes millennials, build a presence on Instagram, where a third of users fall in that group. Start with followership: share tips and useful content related to your industry, not random pictures. Keep your visual style consistent so fans recognize your posts as they scroll.
Pinterest works well for blogging, beauty, health and fitness, home decor, jewelry, and architecture. Research trending hashtags, join collaborative boards, post original images, and stay active by tagging and commenting on other popular pins.
4. Not Creating Segmented Landing Pages
You need a landing page tailored to who is actually visiting: demographics, traffic source, device, keyword, browser. Send everyone to the same page and you lose the people it was not built for. Understand your audience first, then design pages specific to what they are looking for. It moves your conversion rate.
5. Not Using Consumer Insights
Analytics let you identify who your customers are and how they found you, which builds a more targeted list and shows you how your ads and social campaigns actually affect your brand. Surveys add the qualitative side: what customers need and prefer, which can reshape your existing offering or point to a new one.
6. Online Customer Service
A website is an easier way to connect with customers. A clear FAQ page answers what people usually ask, and visible testimonials build credibility. Use your site as much as it is capable of being used. A great website leads to a happy customer, which leads to more sales.
