In order that we can turn your website into a sales machine a full appraisal of your current website will be required. This involves checking our key parameters are in place/or can be put in place (if relevant) – these items are absolutely KEY in order to make sure your website generates the visitors, keeps them interested and motivates them to take action. There are 6 broad categories: -
MetaTags
The tags within the head section of a web page are NOT seen by your visitor but are necessary for the search engines. The most valuable aspect of Meta TAGS is that they offer some control over how some search engines index and describe your website. The most vital meta tag is the TITLE tag which is shown in the browser bar at the top of every page. The text used in a title is also used in many of the search engine listings to describe your page. There are a good number of other meta tags which indirectly affect how many visitors you will receive. As part of the appraisal all the tags will need to be checked and verified.
Content
There is no way around how vital unique high quality content is to your websites success. It is the single most important step to getting noticed and being shown in search engines. Don’t worry we will help you to improve the text content of your Website, we can offer a content writing service. When search engines index your Website, they are looking for a number of things, but most important is that your site has quality content that matches their visitors search. For example, if I wanted to attract more business in Cambridge for my car rental business I would have the word, Cambridge and car rental in my site content, and I would try to provide useful information for Companies or individuals in Cambridge. This is one step to search engine positioning that must never be skipped.
Navigation
Web site navigation is the science and skill that is applied to a web site to help visitors move from one page to another. Ideally, a visitor would like to get to the information required in 2 clicks or less – if it takes longer then your site is not performing as well as it should. Navigation is also important to the search engines – they need to be able to find ALL your pages so that they can be indexed and shown in their search results.
Pages
Your website pages need to load quickly, not too many big pictures or fancy gimmicks such as video, javascript, pop ups etc. It’s essential to have readily available methods of being contacted, include a small email opt in form, a contact telephone number, an email address or other email contact method, have you got a chat box? Include a terms and conditions or legals page, a sitemap, an about us page – all these things make your site look and feel more professional to the visitor, and give you stickiness, they also delight the search bots! Do your external links go to relevant, interesting sites, obviously you don’t want links to direct competitors, but what about closely related or supplementary businesses to yours?
Search Engines
Has your site been submitted to all the search engines, this isn’t imperative in some cases as a well designed and interesting site will, in time, be properly indexed by the major search engines. Don’t over submit, the search engines don’t like that and can penalise your site is they think you are “spamming” them. On the web today back links (links from third party websites to your website) are vital to climbing the organic search hierarchies, links from high PR sites, including sites that are in similar business to you are great for your credibility. Add your website link to good directories, blog sites, speak on forums, write interesting articles and deposit on the many article directories – these all help.
Creative
Video can be a great method of introducing your company and telling the world about how you can help them, put them on youtube. Make your video honest, be the star of the show, people will usually trust you more if they can see who they are dealing with. Keep it fairly short, about 1 to 2 minutes maximum. Make sure you get your key sales message nearer the start i.e before your visitor goes elsewhere! If your product generates real interest how about a forum where people can interact directly, or a small chatbox on each page so they can ask questions or perhaps a blog where you can pass on relevant information, offers, updates and news - make it informal and fun.
Once your website has been appraised we’ll offer a short report detailing how we could make your website work smarter.
Get in touch today and start the ball rolling.
