Top tips and tricks for growing a company’s digital presence

by habiba_abudu | March 21, 2019 4:27 pm

By Crystal Lengua

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A website is a business’s digital storefront and should be taken seriously from a design and functionality standpoint. It works as a partner for advertising, a 24-hour sales person, and a diligent brand advocate.

More often than not, customers will have knowledge of a business long before stepping foot in the door or picking up the phone to call as a result of the website. Those businesses without a website are potentially losing customers to a competitor that has one. Today, this online presence is imperative as a website is crucial to business success. Keep in mind, there are more than a billion websites circulating[2]; therefore, it is important to create a memorable experience for visitors.

The purpose of a website is to provide digital access to a company. It is meant to guide current and potential clients through products and services and enable them to formulate an opinion based on the company’s brand and message. The beauty of a website is the business controls the content and perception that is received with each visit. From design and functionality to information and search engine optimization (SEO)—the company is in the driver’s seat.

The bones of a successful website include:

1. Reliable hosting (speed and security)

There is no sense in having a website that only loads half of the time or could potentially compromise customer information (especially if it is an e-commerce website). One can tell a site is secure by looking at the URL. The special prefix should read HTTPS versus HTTP as the ‘S’ stands for ‘secure.’

It is also proven that people have zero patience to sit and wait for a website to load. According to a study by Kissmetrics, 47 per cent of consumers expect a web page to load in two seconds or less, while 40 per cent expect it to load in three seconds. If a website takes too long to load it is pretty much guaranteed they will move along to the next option. That said, having a solid website host is imperative to customer retention online.

2. Mobile (and tablet) friendly

Websites also need to be responsive. It needs to be functional across any platform and device. Most visitors to a website are on-the-go and, in many cases, are searching using a smartphone or tablet. These visitors do not want to ‘pinch and zoom’ their way through the website to find the information they are seeking.

Just because a website loads on a smartphone does not necessarily mean it is mobile friendly. Businesses can use Google’s free mobile-friendly test service (https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly) to check the mobile compatibility of their website.

3. Content, content, content

Great content is what sets a website apart from the competition. It is what will improve a website’s SEO (organically) and essentially what will also drive the sale. Search engines favour great content, especially when it is updated frequently, which is why a blog is highly recommended for a company website. Blogs not only help position a company as a leader in the industry, but also refreshes the content on the site and serves to nudge the digital search engine bots, signaling them to rescan the site. This can give it a favourable boost in search results.

Remember, content is more than blurbs of information—it also comprises videos, images, titles, and social media. Stock imagery should be avoided when possible, as the Google bots are smart and favour original content over images that are used repeatedly across various websites.

Content comes in many forms, in addition to blogs and videos (as previously mentioned) this also includes category and product pages, ‘Frequently Asked Questions,’ images, press releases, and more.

Content quality is not measured by its length, either. It is gauged by how well it answers the audiences’ questions (i.e. how well it describes what the business offers in a way that solves a problem or alleviates potential mishaps for the company’s audience). If the website can solve a visitor’s problems or provide them with knowledge, a company can be rest assured its customers will continue to return.

4. Social links

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Together, a company’s social media channels and its website should work seamlessly to promote the online brand. Including social media buttons, widgets, and cross-platform promotion with the website are ways to streamline a company’s message and increase its overall digital visibility. A common misconception is a business’s social sites are not search engine optimized when, in fact, they are. Therefore, beefing up social media and website content and piggybacking the content with both strategies is a surefire SEO win.

Social media platforms are also integral to driving traffic to a company’s website. Link building is an important part of a SEO strategy and, even though search engines treat socially shared links differently than other types of links, they notice them, nonetheless.

 

5. Professional appearance and ease of use

Humans are not only visual creatures, but also creatures of habit. People like things to feel familiar. A company should translate this into its website to ensure the format is not overly different or ‘artistic’ (as some may put it), because the general population does not like change and they do not want to have to figure out the website. Some web designers may want to step outside the box; however, there is a reason why most websites function in a similar manner—it creates familiarity and ease of use. It is less stressful for visitors when they know how to navigate a company’s website. Creating a positive experience for visitors by using an optimal layout should be every company’s goal. It should consist of the following:

1. a) An obvious menu placed at the top of the website. This menu is most often found on the right because the company’s logo is either centred or on the left. People naturally read left to right; therefore, websites should be designed to allow one’s eye to verify the company who operates the site first via their logo, and then shift their sights to the menu on the right to begin navigating.
2. b) Ensuring the company logo in the header links back to the homepage for easy ‘click back’ by visitors.
3. c) Keeping elements in a grid rather than mish-mashing them all over the page. Each section should also be kept organized.
4. d) Avoiding clutter of elements and images on the page (less is more).
5. e) Using fonts and colours consistently.
6. f) Including navigation and contact information in the footer of the site.
7. g) Including a search bar at the top of the site.

Further, it is also important to ensure the website is visually appealing and communicates the company’s brand effectively through colours and imagery. It should also remain consistent throughout the design.

A company that is building or redesigning its website should also reach out to key people for constructive criticism. Give them an end goal and then ask them how quickly/easily they were able to come to their conclusion. Find out if they had any frustrations and where they occurred and if they would change anything. Everyone’s feedback or nit-pick design opinions do not have to be taken to heart (it is hard to please everyone), but it is a good way to gather some insightful information from people who are willing to be open and honest.

When it comes to professional appearance there are some design rules to follow that will also assist in success. Small but powerful design plans such as ‘the fold,’ staying in line with Hick’s law, and applying visual cues are all subtle ways of controlling the user’s experience.

The fold

The fold is the visible area of the website before needing to scroll. This is prime real estate for information. It is important that a website’s design packs a punch both visually and informatively in this space (using clear and descriptive headlines, call to actions, and captivating images) to grab the visitor’s attention and motivate them to scroll or click through.

Keep in mind, the fold will modify based on the device being used to view the website. This is another reason why it is important to have a responsive and mobile-friendly site.

Hick’s law

The more choices an individual has, the longer it will take them to make a decision. For example, imagine sitting down in a restaurant and opening an eight-page menu. Each page offers 10 menu choices, then sides, drinks, and substitutions. It can be very overwhelming right off the hop. This same feeling can be rendered to a company’s website. Too many options, menu items, and click-through pages can create confusion, frustration, indecisiveness, etc.

That said, it is important to know what the company’s target audience needs. What questions they will have and what answers the website should provide. The website’s job is to offer enough information to entice the customer, giving them a reason to contact or visit the business. This is where the sale will gain momentum through human interaction.

Visual cues

These can be thought of as signals or vibes, and subconsciously the brain can identify them without consciously registering it. Visual cues in web design, also known as directional cues, are the elements for drawing attention subtly to the areas of importance. This can be accomplished through the use of arrows, highlighted areas, or with the eye gaze from a model. If done correctly, the user experience can be streamlined by guiding them exactly to the place where the company wants them to go—without the visitor even realizing. Whether it is getting the visitor to sign up for a newsletter or to contact the business, the website puts the company in control of their next step.

Other website enhancements

Once the website’s bones/design has been determined, a company can turn its focus to enhancing the site in other ways. Digital marketing and web presence are evolving at a rapid pace so staying on top of trends and using the variety of apps, plug-ins, and platforms that are available will keep the website ahead of the game.

For instance, chat bots add an extra level of communication and transparency. They have become increasingly popular over the years and show no signs of disappearing from the hot seat anytime soon. There is something very reassuring to a customer, knowing they can reach an agent with the click of a button and receive that ‘instant gratification’ so many shoppers desire. Chat bots can be sent to a mobile phone allowing one to easily reply in similar fashion to a text message or e-mail.

Another tool that cannot be stressed enough when it comes to making a website work for a business is the use of analytical data. Google analytics is a free tool and there is no excuse not to reference this data.

Also, when a business uses Google’s analytic services, its website will be favoured over other sites that use a competing tracking service. Although one could get lost in Google analytics for days if they wanted to, do not get intimidated. There are surface insights available that are quite valuable from a business/sales standpoint.

The following are the top 10 most helpful (surface) Google analytic insights one can use to ensure the website is working for the business

1. The dashboard

• Upon signing in, a standard dashboard will outline the company’s website traffic, the days and times users visited, active users, and location of users (all of which can be customized to display the information a company deems important).

2. View popular pages

• This is especially helpful with digital campaigns. After creating a new page with a custom URL, Google analytics can be used to determine how well a particular campaign performed.
• It also helps one see what the company’s customers are searching for and viewing most, which should drive the business’s advertising efforts—sometimes what a company thinks should be popular is not.

3. View pages that are not very popular

• Perhaps a lot of time and energy is being invested in a new product considered to revolutionize the company but have not garnered interest. Analytic data will help give the business a tangible and reliable reason to maybe drop it and move on, or amp up its efforts and re-evaluate again at a later point.

4. Popular site content

• How long did visitors stay on the website to read certain posts? This can help a business narrow in and offer great content to keep them coming back.

5. The areas that website visitors live

• If a company just opened a new store in one area and has been hitting the ground running to promote it, it is nice to see if the visitors to the website are from that area.
• This also helps a company determine where its most interested visitors are located so unique campaigns can be tailored for them knowing it is money well spent.

6. Learn what visitors are searching for on the website

• A company will know if its website is answering the questions visitors have.
• A company will know if there is a product or service the public wants that it does not have but should get.

7. If products are sold online a company can see at what stage people abandoned their cart by creating a goal funnel

• This is especially helpful if a company has a multiple-step checkout process.

8. Acquisition

• This helps one see where the company’s website visitors are coming from. Was it an organic search or through social media? Perhaps even a link off of a distributor’s website? Knowing how visitors found the website is quite valuable because it allows a company to go back and nurture those sources.

9. Bounce rates

• Businesses can track a visitor’s click-through and see where it was they left the page and then determine
  if changes to the website need to be made.

10. Know the audience

• Google analytics allows a company to see the age, gender, location, and interests of its website audience. This helps tailor the content or angle in which to approach them. From the lingo being used to the website’s design, this information allows a business to create accurate customer personas.

A website is an ever-changing, workable document that is meant to grow and evolve with the company. It is an invaluable tool and acts like a compass to both the present and the future of the business. Websites work for all companies; they just have to be set-up for success.

[4]Crystal Lengua is the sales and marketing manager at SMP Ultralift and sits on the Pool and Hot Tub Council of Canada’s (PHTCC) national board of directors, as well as on the PHTCC’s Toronto chapter board of directors. A graduate of marketing, public relations and corporate communications, professional sales, social media marketing, and event management, she has positioned herself as a leader in digital and traditional marketing methods. Featured in Mississauga Life magazine in 2014 as a leading female entrepreneur, she is also a keynote speaker, blogger, and social media maven. She can be reached via e-mail at c.lengua@smpmetal.com[5].

Source URL: https://www.poolspamarketing.com/trade/tricks-for-growing-a-companys-digital-presence/

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