“I don’t get it. The people who built my website did SEO and said I’d be all set, but I’m not getting any sales!”
It’s a common complaint.
Most small businesses hire someone to build a website for them. A few do it themselves or have a relative build one.
Eventually, it is launched, and the business braces itself for an onslaught of customers—only to end up playing solitaire.
What happened?
Simply put, they didn’t understand how internet marketing works.
It’s understandable. You are in business to do what you do, not become an internet marketing expert. Besides, unlike retail marketing, internet marketing is a new phenomenon that experts have not yet completely figured out. So, it’s understandable that any given businessperson is bewildered.
That’s the point of this article – to give you an overview of the basics.
Everyone has heard of SEO. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is the discipline that tracks what search engines are looking for on a website (and then ensures that crucial information is available to rank your website as high as possible). This is a tricky discipline. Search engines continually reevaluate their criteria because people find loopholes and attempt to exploit the system.
Oh, and SEO goes further than what the person who built your website originally could do—even if nothing ever changed. Local business websites have specific SEO needs that must be addressed to be successful!
The critical point is that potential customers can find your website when SEO is done well.
Yay!
Right?
Well, sort of.
SEO only brings visitors to your virtual doorstep. It cannot engage them when they click on your link or even encourage them to click on it.
That’s where UX comes in. UX stands for User Experience. This discipline studies what information visitors seek when they engage with your website. And in what order? It looks at issues of site speed, mobile friendliness, accessibility, and navigation.
Think of it this way. You are in a new town, browsing Main Street. You come to two stores side by side. Both have signs promising precisely what you are looking for, but one is more enticing. “Okay,” you think. “But maybe I’ll check out both anyway. After all, I’m a careful shopper.” Still, you swerve toward the more enticing of the two first and go in and find a carefully laid out shop that makes it easy for you to find the product you were looking for.
In addition, the sales personnel are friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful.
Dutifully, you go next door, but the first door you try is locked. You try another and step into a store that looks more like the home of a hoarder. While there must be a shopkeeper, you can’t find them or the products.
I don’t need to point out which store would get your business.
But, you object. My website doesn’t look like a hoarder’s house!
Most don’t, but they often fail to provide the information the web surfer wants in the order they want. And that results in visitors hitting the back button and going to your competitor’s site.
This is why website content auditors like myself focus on SEO and UX. SEO gets visitors to your website, and UX helps visitors looking for the solutions you provide realize that you offer their solutions.
For me, though, one more discipline goes hand in hand with UX.
That is Branding. Branding is the discipline that sets you apart from your competitors. It’s not the artwork you choose; it’s the core of your service or products.
Not every hammer is equal, and not every dentist provides the same services. Some focus on creating a family atmosphere, some emphasize the latest technology, and others specialize in making patients as pain-free as possible. And so on. No, your product or service might not be totally unique, but the more you can communicate through your branding the emphasis of your product or service, the more likely you end up with customers who value what you offer. And that results in more happy clients.
Are you struggling to turn your website visitors into customers? Don’t let your online presence go to waste. I offer free web content consultations (link takes you to my homepage, then click on “Schedule my free initial consult now!”) to help businesses like yours determine if a comprehensive web content audit could be the key to unlocking your website’s full potential. During our consultation, we’ll discuss your current website performance, identify potential areas for improvement, and explore how a tailored approach to SEO, UX, and branding could transform your online presence. Don’t leave your success to chance – contact me today to schedule your free consultation and take the first step towards a website that truly works for your business.