It used to be the case that businesses relied on print advertising and word of mouth as channels in which to grow their business. With the reliance on modern technology greater now than ever, a strong web presence is crucial for business success and long-term growth. Not all websites are created equal, either. There are some key strategies to implement when creating a website that will help both increase your online presence and continuously grow your customer base.

Use Clear, Focused Messaging and Navigation

Users visit a website for several reasons – for information, guidance, to shop, etc. No matter what, the messaging used on your website should be clearly tied to your business goals. In some cases, businesses offer goods or services for sale directly from their website. In these instances, the site should be easy to search and navigate and should contain a product catalog for users to easily find what they want to purchase. From the home page on – users need to be able to quickly identify where to purchase goods/services and to navigate to that area with ease. Sites with convoluted structures or those that take too many clicks to navigate often leave users headed to another website that is easier to navigate.

When it comes to messaging, focus on the website’s goals. If the goal is to gather email addresses for a mailing list, sites must have multiple avenues for users to input that information on all main site pages. If the goal is for users to access information, note key points by utilizing heading formatting. No matter the goal, clear and concise calls-to-actions (CTAs) help guide users through their journey.

Ensure Mobile-Friendliness

Mobile browsing has now surpassed desktop for most consumers. Websites are accessed from smartphones and tablets far more often than traditional PCs or laptops. So, when thinking about website design – design for mobile-first. Websites that don’t function or display properly on mobile often experience high bounce rates – when users leave the website before consuming content or completing a transaction.

It’s not just important that sites display properly on mobile – they must also be engaging and encourage visitors to keep browsing. Separating information into relevant chunks and incorporating images, headings, and bulleted lists will help users along as they scroll. Additionally, sites with mobile-friendly content load faster and are more likely to rank high in search engines – making them easier to find for users.

Incorporate Multiple Content Types

When used correctly with clear headings and calls-to-action, text can be a great way to get relevant information to the end-user easily. However, most consumers like to consume information in a few different ways. Images are a great way to break up text and provide visual context regarding a subject. Additionally, infographics that illustrate a process or timeline often make information more easily digested. For visual learners, having an image in addition to text content is sure to present the information in an easily absorbed manner.

Don’t shy away from video content either. Videos tend to be highly engaging when they help provide useful information, guide users through a process, or simply give a face to a name when trying to articulate an organization’s people.  Video viewership continues to increase annually and there are no signs of that slowing down. However, the use of video content requires some caveats. Videos can significantly slow down the loading time of a webpage, so using selective, optimized video is a best practice. Also, utilizing keywords across a video’s title, description and tags can boost SEO and location on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Plan for New Unique Content Over Time

An effective website is never really finished.  As organizations strive to both find and retain customers, ideally users should keep coming back to the website over time to re-enter that buying process. To accomplish this, websites should regularly update with new and relevant content that would be useful to consumers and serve as an incentive for them to revisit the site. Some ways in which to do this include:

New, Unique Blog Posts:  Blog articles are a great way to provide customers with information and industry best practices as well as spotlight product or service offerings. It’s not wise to simply re-use old articles published as “new” again. Instead, think about what information might be valuable to your audience and create posts geared towards that.

Press Releases:  Any big company news should receive a highlight in a press release published on your website. Keep your audience updated with major company changes, initiatives, and charitable work to keep them invested in your business as a whole – not just a single product or service.

New Product/Service Spotlights:  It goes without saying that new products/services need highlighting on your website. Often, they are deserving on their own unique page as well.  

Website Design and Development Services by Kustura Technologies

Our team at Kustura knows the importance of a strong online presence and both attracting the right audience and guiding them effectively through the purchasing process. With experiences across multiple industries, our team of experts is skilled in content optimization, website design, and site management. We help businesses create and maintain websites that are attractive, closely tied with business goals, and are simple to maintain and update over time.

Whether you are looking to optimize or update an existing website or start fresh, we can help generate the content, customize a design, and develop a site that works for your business and its goals for growth. We would love to help your business succeed in 2022 – contact us today to take a commanding online presence for your business and drive that growth this year and beyond.