Most businesses know that having a website is crucial for maximizing sales since shopping, marketing, and researching are very commonly done online. But what if your website isn’t helping you reach those potential customers? What if it’s actually driving away your customers?
Unfortunately, this happens more than you’d think. Online customers want quick answers, easy finds, and not to be overwhelmed when browsing a site. It is very easy for your customers to click to another company’s site that is more user friendly, so you want to be sure that your site is inviting to potential customers.
So if you’re worried that your website isn’t bringing in as many potential customers as it could be, then this could be why:
Confusing Structure
The structure of your website has a huge impact on your customers because if they aren’t able to find what they need on your site then they aren’t going to use it. A confusing structure could be a poorly composed homepage layout, an unorganized navigational menu, or having an overload of subpages. All of these could lead to your customers not being easily directed to the answers they’re looking for on your site.
Another thing to look out for besides a confusing structure is an overwhelming home page. If you have too much going on throughout your home page (maybe a pop-up ad or music or a video that plays automatically) then your customers could be bouncing right off your site. Your users don’t want to have to find an exit or pause button if they aren’t interested in your site’s antics. A simple, well-organized homepage with your customers and target audience in mind is what will keep your customers on your site.
Here at Key Web Concepts, our designers carefully think about the structure of each and every website designed. The flow of the home page, the organization of the navigational menu, and where the call-to-action (like a “Call now” button) are placed are all well-thought-out to ensure your site creates a positive affect your customers.
Poor Content
Your website needs to be a place where future and current customers can gain information quickly and easily. So if your content is lengthy, uninformative, outdated, or poorly written, your customers could be taking their business to your competition. Poor content could also affect your google ranking as well, so it’s vital that you have updated and well-written content for SEO.
Content is huge for your website because it’s what is going to inform your customers of your products and services. Taking the time to write strong, interesting, and well-organized content will do your site (and your business) well. And if you find that you’re having trouble developing that content, it’s okay to ask for help. We have copywriters here that can provide well-written content for your site.
Another thing to consider is updating your blog or news section regularly. Of course, that is important for SEO as well, but if a customer visits a page where the last event or blog posted was in 2015, they might not trust your site’s information anymore as it will feel outdated. If you’re going to have a blog or news section (which we think you should!) be sure that you keep it up-to-date, or you hire someone to keep it up-to-date for you.
Wrong Target Audience
Your target audience is who you think will benefit from your product or service, and in turn, who will be benefiting from your site. The language, images, and overall design of your site should be geared towards your average client. Therefore, you wouldn’t want to include items that might confuse or drive away your average customer.
Creating a website around your target audience allows your site to reach maximum potential. Remember, your site is not for you but instead for your clients. Take a look at your average client and ensure that you are providing them with a website that will cater to their needs.
Knowing your target audience is crucial for not only your website but your brand as a whole. Consistent branding will help all of your marketing efforts (website, social media, and more) come together to directly influence your target audience.
These are the top three reasons why your site could be sending away business. Hopefully, you’re reading this and going “Phew, I passed that test!” But if you’re unsure, send us a message. We’d be happy to assess your site to see what is and isn’t working.
