Planning a New Website
When planning a new website,
here are a six things about web design you should keep in mind.
1. Be on Page One in a Google Search
Your website needs to be quickly found in a search. Being on page one is important. To do this, your website must follow the rules of good Search Engine Optimization known as SEO.
In the past people would try to game the system of Search Engine Optimization. Stuffing keywords, creating landing pages with no real value, just a bunch of keywords. Like all things in the digital world things are constantly changing and the approach to Search Engine Optimization is much more focused on good content and the results are designed to bring more value to people doing the search.
Having an SEO strategy will help you reach page one and bring a higher quality of traffic to your website. Here are few important rules to follow.
- Do keyword research to identify what keywords are important to your target audience
- If you have a WordPress website, use a tool like Yoast SEO and optimize every page
- If you're trying to get targeted leads, identify topics that are relevant to your targeted audience
- Create content regularly such as Blog posts, Guest Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Images, white paper downloads
- Link to and from influencers
2. Tell Your Clients Exactly What You Do.
A clear message will help you connect to the right audience.
- Determine who your audience is.
- What questions are they asking?
- What do you need them to know about your business?
Without a clear compelling message people won't bother to learn about you. Being consistent with your message helps your business perform better, because your team is on the same page and a consistent message helps you create a strong brand identity with your audience.
3. Make Contact Information Easy to Find
This sounds simple, but many websites don't make it easy for visitors to contact them. If you have a business that people visit or call, the phone number and location are two big reasons why people will return to your website.
Start with the header. It's always good to have contact information at the top and bottom of every page.
4. Have a Clear Call to Action that Engages Your Visitors
There are many different types of Calls to Action that can be found on websites. A popup offer, for example, can help you build your email list so you can reconnect to your visitors. Educational info, time sensitive offers and coupons are all great ways to get people to leave their email address.
5. Keep It Fresh
Give people a reason to return to your website. A blog with consistent posts is a great way to build authority as a business or organization.
6. Give Your Visitors a Great Experience
Your website should be well designed, have good photos and a well written story. Good design is about more than looking good. It's about understanding how to visually communicate the right message in a way that connects to the right audience in an organized manner. The principals of design are learned through time and experience. Put your trust in a seasoned designer who takes the time to understand your business or organization and has a proven track record. Making the investment for a well designed website will result in a higher ROI paying dividends over the life of your website.