Web Marketing: Signs of an Effective Website

Visit Us On The World Wide Web!

270net strongly believes that for almost any business to succeed in today’s economy, a professional presence (i.e., web site) on the Information Superhighway is essential. We live in a culture that (fortunately or unfortunately) assesses the strength of a business based on whether or not you can them find them on the web.  Your web site can effectively:

  • Establish your company brand
  • Provide valuable information
  • Sell your products and services

OR NOT!   To have a web site that works for you, just follow the signs.

“Private Parking” – Establish a brand.

“First impressions are important!” Your site, through its very existence, can either attract or alienate your visitors. Site visitors will tend to believe that who you are on the web − is ALL that you are. Your content, look and feel (i.e., graphics and colors), and your site navigation ALL contribute to how visitors perceive you. A professionally designed web site allows your business, regardless of its size and geographic location, to communicate that you are a knowledgeable, cutting-edge, well-established player within your industry. So, how’s your brand doing? Curious? Give yourself a check-up. 
 

“No Dumping Violators Will Be Prosecuted” – Provide valuable information.

The web is littered with information, some of it helpful, most of it not, and ALL of it VERY accessible. So, what makes your site more attractive and memorable than your competition? Hopefully, valuable information! To become a bookmarked, referred, and trusted resource, your site content must be:

  • Interesting, available, and beneficial – regardless of a visitor’s buying decision

  • Practical, instructive, and relevant to your industry – a visitor’s industry resource

  • Engaging and able to connect a visitor’s curiosity and need with your expertise

Do visitors find what they need on your site? Take a minute to check it out.
 

“Customer Parking Only” – Sell products & services.

It goes without saying that for a small business, the measure of its marketing success is sales.  However, selling products on the web is only possible if people can:

  • Find your web site. Web researchers agree that if your company is not ranked within the top 20 by a search engine – YOU SHOULD CHANGE SOMETHING – you’re probably losing business. But before you engage a “big bucks” marketing consultant promising BIG returns at BIG prices; please check out Search Engine Optimization. It is possible to get the traffic you want without giving away substantial profits up-front. Additional (i.e., paid) options that are growing rapidly in popularity are:

    • Paid inclusion: Businesses pay to be included in a search engine or directory index. CAUTION: Paid inclusion DOES NOT guarantee improved search engine rankings. It does guarantee the inclusion of pages that might have been missed by "spidering" (software program used by search engines to store URLs and index the keywords and text of web pages).

    • Paid placement: Businesses pay to have a link on a specific search results page. Normally this link is located at the top or right of the search results page and entitled “sponsored links”.

    But before signing contracts for paid advertising, confirm that your vendor has a vehicle to track your Return on Investment (ROI). The higher the marketing costs; the greater the need for detailed ROI. Paid inclusion and paid placement may be a valid use of your marketing dollars, but without reports noting, "What link brought the customer to your site?" "Did they make a purchase?" "How much did they spend?" It may be difficult to justify the costs.
     

  • See the benefits of your products (vs. the features).  A major UK web company evaluated 327 business websites. Although the survey is far from conclusive, it does illustrate the gap between website potential, and performance! Here is what they found:

    • 96.3% Web sites suffer from poor content

    • 72.4% Sites fail to mention benefits of products/services to customer

    • 47.4% Sites are aimed at a general audience but contain jargon words that only experts would understand

    These problems are particularly true of small to medium-sized local businesses – the very businesses that have the most to gain from a web presence.

  • Trust your company. Trust is built over time, however establishing trust with web site visitors doesn’t necessarily require a tremendous investment to yield tremendous results.

    • Is your company contact information (including address and phone number) prominently displayed on your web site? This legitimizes your business and shows that you exist in time and space (vs. just in cyberspace)

    • What free stuff are you giving away? The principle that has worked well in brick-and-mortar stores also works on the web. Free stuff, discounts, coupons, and trial offers attract visitors to your site and literally keep them coming back for more. The longer they linger, the more time you have to sell additional product to them. FYI: Information can be free stuff. However, it needs to be information that your visitors regard as having value. Bottom line: You help your visitor with what they need; and they may help you by purchasing from you

    • Are your policies about shipping, returns, online transactions, and information privacy displayed on your site? This legitimizes your business and gives evidence of your commitment to your customer’s well being

    So, when you sit down to evaluate your web site, will you find that it was an effective selling tool? Don't wait too long to check it out.
      

“Road Work Ahead” – Importance of  a Business/Marketing Plan.

Most entrepreneurs start with a dream that becomes a business. Yet 40 percent of small businesses fail within their first year in part because some owners don’t turn their dreams into plans. “A solid plan precisely defines your business, identifies your goals, and serves as your firm's resume. It helps you allocate resources properly, handle unforeseen complications, and make good business decisions”, according to the Small Business Administration. Your business plan should also address your competition and plans for marketing. And the launch and ONGOING development of your web site should occupy a critical role in the realization of your short and long-range business goals. Using a plan, you can avoid the three (3) major pitfalls of web site development:

  • Web site is designed with the company, not the visitor in mind

  • Web site is developed without a resource or budget allocation to ensure ongoing maintenance

  • Web site is launched without a plan to maximize its use beyond marketing and sales

Even without a formal business plan, your site content can still reflect the  critical components of such a plan. Check it out.  

“Detour” – Which Direction Will You Go?

The web has unexplored opportunity, but you know that or you wouldn’t be reading this article. A web site developed without a plan is as effective as a movie possessing no plot. In due time, both will lose their audience. To maximize the internet’s opportunity, you must be prepared to:

  • Brand your company

  • Connect with your audience, and

  • Sell your products and services to interested prospects

Your presence on the web will either help you or hurt you. So, now that you know – What will YOU do?

To discuss your web marketing strategy or for more details, contact us

Back to Top