The New Year is often the time entrepreneurs think about updating their websites or undertaking a total redesign. You should make sure to do some careful planning before you make the first change to your site.
I addressed the 9 fundamental elements you need in this post. Today, I want to expand on that with 9 more ingredients for a kick-ass website.
Get Your Content Read by Creating Great Headlines for Everything
Writing attention-getting headlines is an art you need to master. A good headline should pique the interest of the reader without being overly sensational. It must be believable and your content must then deliver on the promise in the headline.
Which sounds better?
“I can help with social media.”,
or
“My Proven Blueprint For Marketing On Social Media.”
Practice writing headlines. Test headlines to determine what your prospects respond to. The Kick-ass Headline Generator from Sumo.com will assist you in creating the most effective headlines for your site.
Create Exceptionally Effective Calls To Action
A call to action is simply a statement that directs site visitors toward a course of action. For example, “Contact me for more information.” This is simple and straightforward.
Include a call to action in every single piece of content you publish on your website – even if you merely want someone to stay on your site and read some more. For example, “To learn more about my services, click here.” Click here would be a link to your services page.
Ideally, every post, page, article, guest blog, and opt-in form should have a call to action. Tell your visitors what to do next and help guide them through your site step by step.
“Click here to download your free report.”
“Visit my blog to subscribe.”
“Enter your name and email on the right to sign up.”
These are all clear and meaningful calls to action. Your readers will know exactly what they should do next, even if it’s just to read a blog post.
Include a Contact Page
The contact page is simple enough yet it is very important. It should include your contact information even if it’s already been published elsewhere on your site. Include your name, phone numbers, email addresses, and physical address. Also, consider including any social media links on this page.
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Your Website Needs Effective SEO
SEO is the method of optimizing a website so that it responds better to the search engines. You can make both internal and external changes to the website, or implement these methods from the start, that will increase the amount of traffic that flows to the website from search engines.
At its’ core, SEO is the process of installing systems within your website that will show the search engines that the website provides valuable information to the person who is typing in the search. The search engines rate websites by how effective the website is at providing quality information. Without the use of these methods, websites with very little real information could be viewed by the searcher, reducing his or her chances of finding the information the searcher needs to make the decision he or she desires. In other words, by using search engine optimization, you develop a website that is effective at meeting the searcher’s needs which makes the search engines direct more traffic to your website.
Analytics Will Show You How Your Website is Performing
Analytics will not only help you fine tune your SEO strategy, but it’ll also help you build stronger relationships, better understand your clients and prospects, and it will help you create highly targeted content. Analytics is essentially a program that helps track every single visitor activity on your website.
Google offers a free version of analytics software that is easy to use. You embed the code into your blog or website and then you can track your website activity. You can see which pages receive the most visits, where your visitors come from and much more. Analytics is an essential tool for any serious business owner.
Testimonials Establish Your Credibility
Testimonials are money in the bank. They’re mini sales pitches made on your behalf by a satisfied customer. Who better to promote you and sell your services than an unbiased customer? Use these testimonials wisely and place them strategically on your website.
FAQ Page Answer Your Visitors Questions
FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions. Including an FAQ page on your website helps make it more user-friendly. Create a list of the most common questions you receive and turn it into a separate page on your site. Make sure that, like all your other valuable pages, this FAQ page is easy to find and read. As you receive more questions, you can add to the page.
Also, consider occasionally linking to other important internal pages. This can accomplish two things. It can help keep your visitor on your website longer. And it can help boost the rankings for the page you’re linking to.
When you’re creating your FAQ content remember to make it valuable and easy to understand, and don’t forget to include your unique voice in the content. If you’re witty when you create blog posts then be witty when you create your FAQ page. Consistency helps strengthen your brand.
Include a List Of Awards Earned and/or Recognitions
If you or your business has been recognized for anything relevant to your industry then, by all means, make sure it’s acknowledged somewhere on your website. Awards and recognitions give you a boost in credibility.
For example, “Best of the Web” winners proudly display their award logo right on the landing page of their sites.
If you haven’t won any awards or received any relevant recognitions, that’s okay. You’re certainly not alone. Consider including a campaign to win an award in your business planning. Get involved in your industry and get acknowledged.
Top Quality Free Downloads Will Build Your List
Freebies are appreciated by just about everyone. However, they can’t be the average run of the mill freebies. Your free content needs to provide unique value to each prospect. It should solve a problem in an organized and efficient manner. Some of the best freebie downloads are simple.
For example, you might create a calendar, checklist, or even a downloadable worksheet for your prospects to fill out. Remember to brand your free downloads and use them to gently drive traffic to a sales page or the next item in your sales funnel.
