7 Tips for a Successful Website
What makes a website successful?
Before you get a new website or even create one yourself with a website builder, I have 7 tips for a successful SME website for you
1. Concept
Forget about looks and technology. First, you need a concept. Start with your visitors. What do they expect from your website? Divide your visitors into groups. For example: new customers, existing customers, suppliers, job seekers, and consider what you can offer to each group.
Next, analyze your existing website. What are the problems? What can you do better? What do your competitors do better? If you already use Google Analytics, you also know which are your most visited pages. This is what your visitors are interested in!
2. Content
Content is king! The most important thing on your website is the content. Sounds banal, but many people think about the design first, then about the content.
Start with the homepage. What do you want to tell your visitors? Explain your company in a few sentences, perhaps illustrated with a graphic. What can your customer expect when they choose you? What sets you apart from the competitors?
Remember, nobody likes to read long texts on the internet. Even if you have a lot to say, your products are complex, and you want to describe your various services in detail, people don't have much time. The attention span may be around 10-20 seconds. If you haven't captured your visitors by then, they're gone. Keep it short and to the point, explained in a way that even someone who doesn't know you can understand, but not too short, because you need to keep an eye on your Google performance. Use the medium, under certain circumstances a short film may explain better what you can never say in a long text.
If writing is not your thing, get help from a copywriter who can explain complex things simply. Remember, your website is your shop window. Spend a lot of time on it. The homepage is extremely important for search engine optimization.
Once you know what you want to say, work on a structure. Create a content structure with all content and organize them. Then think about how your navigation structure should look like. It doesn't have to be identical. Content can be summarized, not every content necessarily needs its own page.
Your goal should be no more than 5 main menu items. Unless you're Novartis or Credit Suisse, that shouldn't be a problem.
3. Graphics/Design
Don't necessarily hire your in-house graphic designer for your new design. Graphic designers often have little idea of homepage design. They think in paper dimensions. However, a website is not a piece of paper or a brochure. Mobile first! It needs good navigation. Not flipping through pages is required, but clicking or tapping. There is no fixed size and no limitations downwards. Your in-house graphic designer can help you select the right images, create graphics, but you better leave the rest to the web designer you trust.
Website builders are great but you can also make a lot of mistakes there. It starts with typography. A beautiful typo is half the battle. Don't forget, you are neither a graphic designer, copywriter, typographer, nor web designer. These are professions with training. If you can afford it, hire professionals.
4. Technology
Even though WordPress is the most widely used CMS, it may not be the right choice for you. More important is the question, do you have the time to maintain your own website? Do you have the necessary knowledge to format graphics correctly, and are you a writer or webmaster? Normally no. In that case, WordPress won't help you either. Ask your web service provider for the best solution on how you can easily edit certain areas yourself beforehand, or leave it to someone who understands it. If you haven't understood the CMS within 30 minutes, it's not for you. Insist on standards, not exotic techniques.
5. Search Engine Optimization
Google search is the starting point. That's where potential customers look for you. 2 things that are important:
1: Google Business Listing
2: Search Result
Only 5% of all users click on the second page in Google search results. To ensure that your site is optimally indexed by Google, you need to follow a few rules. Make sure from the start that your new website is optimized for Google. Avoid the most common SEO mistakes. Search Engine Optimization is not voodoo magic. If necessary, you can use Google Ads (AdWords) to help.
6. Social Media
Be brave. You don't need to be present on every social media channel. It makes no sense to be on Instagram if you don't have pictures you want to post. You need a Facebook page so you can advertise there. An entry in LinkedIn also makes sense. Don't let them talk you into a blog if you don't like to write. Blogs that are only created for marketing purposes usually don't work.
7. Maintenance
Don't forget maintenance in your budget for the new SME website. If WordPress is your CMS of choice, it must be kept constantly up-to-date, otherwise you will quickly become a target for hackers. If you don't like technology, you can use a Managed WordPress Service.
Also, make sure that your website is content up-to-date. "Merry Christmas" at Easter is not nice. Update your content regularly. Monitor your site in Google Analytics and register it with Google Webmaster Tools. If necessary, place ads on Google Ads, post occasionally on your Facebook page, and maintain your Google Business listing. All of this takes time, if you don't have it, hire a professional who will take care of everything.
I help you do the right thing
I am a professional, in business since 1994, ran a web agency for 17 years with 800 clients. Since 2014, I have been running the zuri.net Internet Service. No agency ballast, no annoying hotline, just one competent contact person, 365 days a year.
