Tip No. 1 - Does your website content clearly explain what you do? 

This is my number one tip to help you to understand whether your website clearly conveys what you do. 

Approach a stranger, a friend of a friend for example, someone you don’t know and isn’t in the same industry as you and ask them to review your website for 3 minutes. After that time then ask them these 3 questions:

•   What is it that your business does?
•   Who do you do it for?
•  Why should someone use your product or service?

If after 3 minutes they cannot answer those three questions clearly and concisely, the chances are that no one else will be able to either.  

If this is the case then you need to drastically overhaul the content on your website and make it much clearer. You should consider employing a professional copywriter and if your website is difficult to update then maybe a new website is required.

A word of caution, don’t waffle, less is definitely more. People consume information online differently than they do verbally or in a book or a brochure etc. 



Tip No. 2 - Does your website answer the most common concerns and questions

Speak to your sales team and ask them what questions they get asked during the sales process. Does your website answer these questions? Many people won’t ask questions for fear of looking stupid. They would rather stay in a state of confusion and confused people won’t purchase from you, or even get in touch.   

Also look at the complaints or returns you get. What are the reasons for these? Make sure you address them on your website.

Having an FAQ section on one or more pages is a fantastic SEO tool. This is because people type questions into Google not answers. Think back, when was the last time you typed an answer into Google? If your FAQs match the questions your customers ask, then not only is your content going to be valuable to them it is going to have a positive effect on your search engine optimisation.



Tip No. 3 – Do your customers know what you want them to do?

Ok, so now you have clearly and concisely communicated what you do and why people should buy your product or service, you have addressed all of those nagging doubts in your customers minds with your FAQs. Now what?

What do you want your customer to do? You may think it is obvious, but it may not be clear to your customers. You need to tell them what you want them to do. In digital marketing speak we call this a Call to Action (CTA). Make sure you have plenty of CTAs on your website so that no matter where the visitor is they can know what action you want them to take and it is easy to take.

Also remember that different people will be at different stages in the sales cycle. The ultimate goal will invariably be for a website visitor to get in touch, book an appointment or purchase a product. However, there are various stages that each customer goes through before they actually make that commitment of time or money. Make sure that you have different calls to action that are appropriate for each stage of the sales cycle.

Conclusion

As the saying goes 'when you assume, you make an ass out of u and me'.  Don't assume that your customers know what you or what you want them to do.  Write the content on your website as if you are explaining what you do to someone who has never heard of you before (usually they haven't) and doesn't know how your business operates (they don't).

Importantly don't judge the quality of your website content yourself.  Get someone else who will give you an honest upfront, no holds barred, appraisal of your website.  Even better get half a dozen people to do this.

It may be that you will have to rewrite large sections of your website content.  But that is just the start, nothing stands still, your business will evolve, the market will change and with it your customer demographic will also change.  So, you need to keep your website content under review and update it regularly.

 Hopefully your website is easy to update but if not it may mean that you need to get a new website on a modern platform that has an east to use Content Management System (CMS).

About Overt Digital Media

Overt Digital Media are a digital marketing agency based in Christchurch between The New Forest and Bournemouth.  We specialise in helping small business owners grow their business online with affordable modern websites, mobile apps and social media marketing.  In addition we are also experts at driving traffic to your website with affordable search engine optimisation packages.