Better Business
Feature – How to create a website that delivers business growth
Getting your website right is key to driving traffic and attracting interest says Jeff Knight managing director of Tonic Marketing
I remember 1994, not for the launch of the National Lottery or the OJ Simpson chase, but as the year the Internet hit my radar. I could see then that it would revolutionise the way we work, although I was not quite sure how. Yet my instinct told me it would and it will continue to do so in the future, which is why having a good website is vital for intermediaries.
So here are some basic tips to help achieve this:
Tip One – Have a website
Mortgage Brain recently claimed that the majority of intermediaries have no website. You can probably get by without a website. For now, at least. But without a website you will be missing out on business, word of mouth business or otherwise. So tip one is get a website, because a good website is like having an extra member of staff.
Tip Two – Find a compatible agency
There are 1000s of website designers out there. Choose wisely. Don’t go for the cheapest and don’t get tricked into spending a fortune either. Choose one with whom you click and one that understands your business and provides on-going support and help and not leave you to your own devises once the site is live.
Tip Three – Work Within Your Budget
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For many intermediaries, budgets are tight. But that does not mean you have to compromise on quality. Creating a cheap looking website will do more harm than good. You’re better off having no website than a bad one. So, if budgets are tight, focus on having less content and more quality, rather than the other way round.
Tip Four – Plan It
Know what you want your site to do, say and achieve. Take time to think how your site will be laid out, rather than rush ahead with its construction. This will minimise changes and save you money.
Tip Five – The Four Second Rule
When someone firsts visits your site, in just four seconds they will decide to read on or click away. As they say, first impressions count so your home page is crucial for grabbing attention. Avoid too much text but clearly and concisely get across what you do and how you do it. Also avoid big files which cause the site to load slowly and visitors to give up.
Tip Six – Make it easy to use
Good navigation is the most important part of a website. You must make it easy for people to find the information they require, in as few clicks as possible. Always make it easy for the user to go back to the home page, so avoid building your site in Flash, as it is bad for SEO and bad for navigation.
Tip Seven – Make it engaging
Don’t just inform, use words and imagery that engage with your audience. This is where I think SEO companies are damaging the structure of websites, because they convince people to fill their sites with lots of key words making sites too wordy and uninspiring. Sell yourself and your expertise; consider writing blogs and linking to these from your site. As intermediaries sell a service, and not a tangible product, it is vital that you have a photo of you and on your site. This brings you and your site to life and is much better than stock photos. And use a professional photographer for this, which should not cost more than £80 to £100.
Tip Eight – It’s got to sell
Your website is not just about letting people know who you are, what you do and where you are located. It has got to deliver business. First create some interest and then ensure visitors have a desire to make contact. You must capture them so make it easy for this to happen by having contact details on every page and include a contact form, if you can on your home page.
Tip Nine – Take control and keep it fresh
Learn how to make changes to your website, rather than rely on your agency to do this. Then make regular changes to keep it up-to-date, which is good for SEO purposes if nothing else. Diarise six monthly reviews of the site. When you make changes and additions, the site can become what I classify as “layered” and means Tip Six is no longer true. So take a step back and look at your site objectively, from a client perspective. Better still, find a friend to do this.
Tip Ten – Review, Measure & Refine
Sign up for Google analytics and assess how much traffic is coming to your site and which pages are being visited. Establish how many visitors you’ve had compared to actual enquiries and find a way to increase this. Moreover, speak to new clients about what they thought of your website and make changes where necessary.