Websites, like Rome, aren’t built in a day. Even when you formally launch a site, the work isn’t done. Websites are constantly needing to adapt to new technology, customer habits, and competition. Without including modern trends such as social media integration, you run the risk of losing traffic and ultimately failing in your web marketing.
Quality web content is key on any businesses’ website, as good content means visitors are more likely to engage with your brand and ultimately patronize your company. Through our experience working with a wide variety of companies to increase their online presence, we’ve learned there are 5 key things every website needs.
Table of Contents
1. Keyword Content
Search engines are potentially one of the biggest ways to get your company website noticed. Most people who are looking for a new shoe, plumber, or house turn to Google to find options. Without fresh search engine optimized content, your listing won’t show up in the top selections.
Studies show most people rarely scroll past the second page of search results, so making sure you’re on the first is crucial. Use words frequently associated with your company or product to promote them in search engine results. The more often your searchable terms appear on your site, the higher your chance of appearing high on the list.
This doesn’t mean you should pepper your entire website with just a repeating word on each page! Keyword content should be natural, related to each page, and not overly forceful.
2. Social Media Integration
Ever get frustrated at your coworker or employee scrolling through Facebook on company time? It sure seems like people never leave social media alone for long. Social media, however, is a great tool which you can use to promote your website.
Every website in this day in age needs to have social media integration in some form, be it through links which direct users to your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool, and if you make it easy to share your business with clients’ friends and family, they’ll do it.
3. Calls-to-Action
Many websites fail to have a strong call-to-action. Think about how many websites you visit on an average day. How many of them enticed you enough to buy something, sign up for a newsletter, or just return a second time? If they managed to succeed in getting you to engage with them, they most likely used a call-to-action.
On sales pages, this can be as simple as a ‘buy now!’ button; other pages may invite users to sign up for a newsletter which periodically offers coupons or information. Without a call-to-action, your website will force too much information with no direction for the customers and they’ll leave unsatisfied.
4. Security
With all the information leaks breaking onto the news lately, security is something your website needs now more than ever. Brand-new clients and customers seek companies they feel they can trust, and having a secure site is one way to instantly boost such trust.
A public privacy notice is a positive step towards building trust, and customer reviews from fellow peers are another. SSL encryption is crucial if you handle any sales, and a badge which notifies users of your precaution is a great method of gently reminding them you care.
5. A Strong Brand
Even if you have all four of the above things above, you may fall flat without a strong brand. Identity is everything! Imagine someone looks at your site for exactly one second. What will they remember? Is it a particular color or product? Maybe your company logo? Being simple and also memorable can be a challenge, which is why many people turn to a website content expert to help them establish their footing in a competitive market. Every website needs to have a strong brand, be it through a beautiful layout or engaging content.