Enhancing Your Online Presence

Today, technology is accessible to everyone. If you’re starting a business, several options exist to make your company present in the virtual world—custom websites, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Blogger, Wordpress, etc. And evident by the friend request I received from my grandfather, these sites are not limited to only the tech savvy; however, what if your websites are not receiving the web traffic you desire? In this post, I will be examining the issues that could be affecting your business’s online success.

Through the use of my personal learning network, I discovered an article by Lisa Barone (2011), Co-founder and Chief Branding Officer at Outspoken Media, Inc. In the article “5 reasons your website isn’t attracting leads,” Barone addresses common problems that small and medium businesses face when creating their online presence. As you continue to read, take a moment and examine your website’s strength in the following areas.

Conversion Path. Barone says that many websites don’t have a “clear conversion path for their customers.” What does that mean? Have you ever clicked on to a website and been taken immediately to a “contact us” page, instead of the homepage? That’s a problem. I completely agree with Barone. When designing a website, you must envision what the visitor’s impression will be as they first enter the homepage, then proceed to the “about us” page, then to the “products” [or “services”] page. I would compare website development to designing a home. Do you really want your guests entering through the basement? Try signing up for Google Analytics for additional information as to from where your online traffic is resulting.

Reliability. This is mostly in reference to how often your website is updated. Barone states, “You can bet that when they [customers] land on your website they’re going to kick the tires a little to see if they can trust you.” Well said. A website that was last updated in 2003 is not relevant in 2011—doesn’t matter what you’re selling.

Focus on the customer. “Customers don’t head to your site to hear how awesome you are” (Barone ¶5). A customer is someone in need of something. If they are on your website, they are in need of something you sell, so you must quit selling yourself and focus on satisfying the need of the customer.

In closing, small and medium businesses often face the challenge of establishing a presence that will reach a sizeable audience. The best tip is to become as informed as possible and use as much information as you can to create the right marketing strategy for your specific company. 

I encourage you to read Lisa Barone’s article in its entirety by clicking this link.

Source

Barone, L (2011). “5 reasons your website isn’t attracting leads.” Small Business Trends. Retrieved on February 15, 2010, from http://smallbiztrends.com/2011/01/5-reasons-your-web-site-isn’t-attracting-leads.html