Your company’s website serves as the first impression to potential clients and customers. If they’ve reached your website, they’re looking for a solution which they expect your company’s website to provide. They might be looking for information like a phone number, an answer to a specific question, or are trying to educate themselves about your brand.
However, suppose your website is not optimized to easily communicate the most important information possible to visitors. In that case, your customers may be stuck trying to navigate through pages and links to find information or get frustrated by a poor user interface and not wish to continue. Have you ever been on a website that’s taking too long to load, is confusing, or that you simply cannot find what you’re looking for? This is why website optimization is of utmost importance.
What is Website Optimization?
Website optimization is the idea of putting user experience first. Your website should be one of your company’s best assets, and optimizing it to create a pleasant user experience that meets business objectives should be a top priority. So, why is website optimization important? Well, if your company’s goal is to receive phone calls, and the phone number is not easily clickable on the website, it’s not optimized correctly. Here are five ways to start optimizing your website for success:
1. Keyword Strategy
Keyword strategy is about building content and using keywords to match your site with consumer searches. You may be wondering, what are keywords? Keywords are industry-specific words or terms that you believe people are searching for when they have a problem and need a solution (which is hopefully your business). This comes down to incorporating these keywords into your pages, creating meaningful content, and having your titles be keyword-rich and well-written. With most searches nowadays starting on Google, it is important that your website has chosen keywords scattered throughout to expand your reach within search engines.
2. Create Meaningful Content
Having content on your site that informs consumers, invokes feelings or emotions, or fixes a problem is meaningful content. It is crucial to keep content relevant to your audience and your business when customers search the web looking for answers. When a customer has questions, you want your site to be a one-stop shop for solutions. Try creating a blog containing helpful articles, or short informational paragraphs alongside your products/services. Aside from the ‘what’ of your business, you may also touch on the ‘who’ and ‘why’ to connect with your customers on an emotional level.
3. Create a Call to Action
A call to action is meant to drive user interaction. “Shop Now” and “Learn More” are common examples. A call to action can create a lasting relationship, too, such as “Subscribe today so you’ll never miss a post.” The possibilities are endless. A good call to action can help give meaning to your content, giving consumers that little push they may need to dive in. The use of strong action words such as shop now, click here, or learn more are great to use; even if it is just a two-word phrase, users need some direction to know what to do next.
4. Optimize for Mobile First
Optimizing your website for mobile use is extremely important as most users view websites from a smart device. Taking away clutter and keeping your mobile site simple is a great first step. Images, icons, and videos should be reformed to fit a smartphone’s smaller screens, making the user experience pleasant and seamless. User navigation should also be a top priority. When designing your website for touch screens, make sure your navigation is adapted for fingers of varied sizes by keeping buttons or links large enough to use without the need for detailed zooming or intricate motions.
5. Keep it Seamless
If your website is hard to navigate or is frustrating for users, they will not be there for long. Having a seamless user experience allows users to stay on your site longer and helps create further interactions on your site. Using clean, easy navigation tools and links to take users to where they need to go instead of having them search through your site themselves helps tremendously. Your website is your business’s voice, so making sure that your landing pages are simple yet informative allows users to get their wanted information quickly and easily. Using pictures or videos rather than blocks of text is a fantastic way to do this.
Website Optimization: The GriffinWink Way
Web design and development is a skill set that reaches all areas of digital marketing. Your company’s website not only serves as a first impression to potential clients and customers but also serves as the framework from which you can build a comprehensive digital strategy. At GriffinWink we have the tools to help you achieve all this through our full-service, in-house web design process. For more information on our services or to check out our previous work, visit our website!