Why do you want to build a powerful website?
This is one of the first questions we always ask when working with a new client. And very often, we receive some really great answers. For example, you might want to build a website to…
- Make sure your business is visible in the Google search results.
- Offer your audience an easily accessible hub of information about your organisation.
- Create trust and credibility among your visitors.
…and so on!
But ultimately, all of these things are really just a means to an end, aren’t they? Being visible in the search engine results pages (SERPs) isn’t your goal. You want to be visible for a reason. You don’t want to just inform visitors; you want to inform them for a reason. And creating trust and credibility isn’t something you’re doing for fun. Once again, you’re doing it for a specific reason.
And that reason is to generate leads.
So although there may be many things you’d like your website to be able to do for you, there’s really just one reason why you’re focusing on developing a strong online presence, isn’t there? To capture the attention of audiences, and transform casual visitors into qualified leads and paying customers.
That’s why your business website has got to be a lead-generating machine!
The big question is… how do you do it?
It’s actually much easier than you may think to figure out some good ideas. I mean, we’ve all looked at business websites before, haven’t we? And most of us have made an online purchase. So what is it that takes us from being an ‘outsider’ to feeling confident in moving forward and taking action?
Personally, I think it all comes down to three things. We’ve got to…
- Know that a business exists.
- Like what the business does.
- Trust that they’re the right fit for us.
I’ve been building – and enhancing – business websites for the past decade. And this Know-Like-Trust pattern keeps emerging over and over. So this has now become much more than a personal belief; it’s professional insight. And when we use this pattern, we can easily identify some simple yet effective ways to use a business website as a way to engage more closely, and generate more leads.
Here are my 10 top tips:
1. Spell it out
Have you ever visited a website, scrolled through the homepage, and emerged none the wiser as to what that business actually does? Me too. And straight away it makes me want to leave. We’re all busy, and none of us has the time or energy to try and figure it out. Visitors should know within seconds whether you can offer them what they need. So don’t try to be mysterious or ‘clever’. Be open. Be clear. Be transparent. Spell it out. Make sure it’s obvious who you are, and what you do.
2. Publish purposeful content
We’re often told that content is critical to success. But simply publishing any old content for the sake of it isn’t going to do anything to convince casual readers to stick around and take action. Every single piece of content on your website – from blog posts to product descriptions to contact details – has to have a purpose. It has to do something to benefit your audience and take them in the right direction. I wholeheartedly recommend using a content writing service to help with this.
3. Make it personal
Let’s be honest. What you do is unlikely to be unique. There’s always going to be another business that offers a similar sort of product. Or a similar service. Or similar pricing. But do you know what is unique? You. You are your business’s biggest and most powerful differentiator. So use that. Use your website to share your own face, and your own voice. Use it to build a personal connection with your audience based on characteristics and personality traits that other organisations can’t replicate.
4. Segment your products/services
Every visitor who lands on your website will be looking for something a little different. So trying to group everything you do together onto one page isn’t going to work. Imagine you’re interested in booking breakfast at a local restaurant. If everything you’re reading is about the dinner service, and you’ve got to really work to find the information about breakfast, you’re going to get frustrated, right? Separate the different parts of your business for clarity.
5. Create an amazing ‘About’ page
The ‘about’ page is one of those elements of a website that many businesses overlook. It’s something that’s often seen as being not quite as important as more sales-related pages, like product or service pages. But it can be your secret weapon when it comes to lead generation. At a time when customers don’t want to buy from businesses, but from the people behind them, your ‘about’ page is an opportunity to share not only who you are and what you do, but why you do it.
6. Prove it
Anyone can say anything online. There’s no verification process. I could add a page to my website that says I’m a qualified commercial pilot. I’m not, of course. But who’s to say whether I’m telling the truth? Your visitors have got to be able to trust that you can do what you say you can. So you need to back up everything you say with proof. And that comes from sharing your work. Using case studies, you can show what you’re capable of, and help visitors visualise how you can help them.
7. Prove your proof
So you’ve proven your skills by publishing case studies. Great! But customers are becoming increasingly savvy; they’re (quite rightly) questioning everything before deciding to part with their hard-earned cash. So it’s not enough to just prove it; you need your customers to back you up. Fortunately, this can be quite simple to achieve by using reviews and testimonials. You can even get plugins that collect customer feedback for you, and automatically publish to your website.
8. Focus on relationships
Sometimes, you’ll get those visitors who transition through the funnel in a single session. But in most cases, it takes a lot longer. It’s messy. Audiences will jump forward and backward through the funnel. They’ll go to competitor websites. They’ll visit third-party review sites. They’ll chat with friends. What’s important is that you’re able to keep them coming back in between these activities; that you’re building a long-term relationship that results in a conversion. How? Through regular blogging.
9. Say what you want
While it may sound strange, I think many businesses have a lot more qualified leads than they realise. That’s because some websites do everything right – they get the visitor to a point where they’re ready and excited to take action – but then don’t make it clear what that visitor is supposed to do next. These visitors want to move forward, but can’t. So every good lead-generating website should have a clear call to action (CTA) which plainly tells visitors what you want them to do next.
10. Offer a great experience
I’ve saved the best for last. Above, I’ve briefly touched upon 9 of the most important things every business owner should do to generate more leads from their website. But ultimately, the most crucial thing is simply to ensure your website offers a fantastic online experience. Never underestimate the power of a website that’s easy to navigate and easy to use. Straight away – without having done anything else – you’re already grabbing potential leads away from clunky, frustrating websites.
It’s time your website was working harder.
It’s no secret that the current business landscape is vulnerable. With so much having happened over the last few years, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to win new customers. I think we’re all having to work that little bit harder to see the same results, aren’t we? But the responsibility doesn’t fall solely on you; your website should be pulling its weight.
I believe that websites can – and should be – working harder. And that’s what I’m here for. Get in touch or book a call to find out more.
