A website should be one of the cornerstones of your marketing plans, whether you use it to develop sales or simply to give potential customers more information about your business. With new domain names being made available, it could be the right time to consider whether your current one is as easy to use as you would like.
To help visitors, the URL should be easy to spell and be memorable. If you like your current design, you can easily change domain without needing to completely redo the website. On the other hand, you could take the opportunity to rebrand and give visitors the best possible experience.
The best websites provide information, let customers find out more about the aims and beliefs of the business, and communicate the true value of working with you. If you think your website isn’t doing this affectively enough for you, the following checklist can help you to decide which changes you need.
- How clear is it what your business offers? Your website should explain exactly what services you provide and the value customers will receive by working with you.
- How simple is the site to navigate? Nobody wants to visit a website where it takes a long time to find the information they need. A sitemap is essential and you should ensure that all pages can easily be reached.
- Is the content useful and free from errors? You should keep content regularly updated and take care when posting anything to make sure it is appropriate.
- Is contact information easy to find? A call to arms is important to ensure that visitors make the next step and take action after visiting the site. Contact details should be easy to find and you might also want to include a chat or message feature to the website itself.
- Is important information (such as opening times and dates) clearly posted? Nothing is more frustrating than browsing a website only to find the company is not available when you need them.
- Is your branding clear, eye-catching and memorable? An easily identifiable brand is essential if you want to build an online presence.
- Does your website allow feedback? One of the biggest failings people have with their websites is not giving visitors the chance to leave testimonials and reviews. You should take advantage of the positive feedback you receive and let other guests to your site have the chance to learn what its like to work with you.
- Are you making the most of your social media? A big must is to integrate your website and social media presence. These should both support each other and provide the kind of benefits you are looking for.