As a business owner, you know you need a website. But what does a website mean to you? Although it is a vital tool for marketing your business, there are many ways that it can be implemented and that is why it is so important to know what you want your website to do, and how it can be best used to get the results you want.
As a local Eugene based website designer, I can help you create just the site for you!
Reasons to have a Website
- Be found by potential clients (SEO/Marketing)
- Convert prospects into clients (Marketing)
- Build a brand name and create stability & trust (Branding)
- Generate leads & close sales (Marketing & E-commerce)
Being Found By Potential Clients Through Your Website
The internet is where almost every search begins when someone is looking for your service. Whether they are looking for the nearest location that sells X near them, or searching for more information about your product or service they will do a search.
Search results can be pulled up by physical location (keywords on your website, Google Places listings, etc.) or based on the keywords you are also ranking for on your website.
The first step is to have a website, but you must have a website with the right content that will help it appear on the first page of Google search results for your desired keywords.
Being found requires a combination of marketing and design aesthetics. Your website should look professional, be easy to navigate and easy to understand in a way that correctly represents your brand. In terms of content, you must know who your ideal client is (often called a client persona or avatar) so that you can connect with their pain points and address how you can help them. Your content is the most important part of your website because it is the piece that connects with your clients, but also what influences your rankings in search engines (called SEO, search engine optimization).
Converting Clients Into Prospects Through Your Website
Great, a potential client has found your website! Maybe it was through a Google search and they stumbled across your site, maybe it was a referral from someone or another past client, or maybe they’ve been following you on social media and decided to learn more about you.
Now that you have a lead on your site, you want to have a plan in place about how they will visit your website (client journey) and what next steps they will take to interact with you (free offers). Getting a new lead to your website takes work, so you want to be intentional about how you are interacting with them while they are there. Again, understanding your client and having the right message for them is vital to making them want to explore your site further, or even sign up for more information (give you their contact details for future contact) so that they are building trust in your expertise and services.
Marketing is all about psychology, and understanding how your clients think and what drives them. It’s not about manipulating them into taking action, it’s about connecting with them so that they can decide if you understand them and can solve their challenges and pains.
Building a Brand Name & Creating Stability Through Your Website
This is more of a passive approach to websites. Sometimes clients just need an informational “brochure” website to share with clients. Often it’s because there is such a demand for their services, or they have built such a good lead system, that it isn’t a priority. (Yes, this is possible!).
Branding by itself is less effective for small businesses and I usually recommend that marketing is included in the process.
So website branding, is about having a consistent look and feel, and creating an experience for your visitors. It should help them trust your business and get to know you through what they can read on your site.
Looking for a local designer? Contact me for your Springfield or Eugene website design.
Generating Leads & Closing Sales Through Your Website
Generating leads is also part of the customer journey process, but another separate aspect is if you want to sell products on your website.
Again, both of these require a level of trust, either by the lead to give you their contact details, or to purchase your products from your website. They need to know that what you are offering will help them move forward in their process to finding a solution.
In lead generation, this is a having a guide that helps address their problem in a way that they can educate themselves, or learn more about how to make a decision. It is something they want and feel will help them.
In the end, a website is a powerful tool to grow your business, but it will generate the results when you are intentional about how you are using it, and focus on that the most.
If you have more website design questions, or would like to discuss your next website project, contact me to schedule a free initial consultation. I work with clients all over the country (and globe!) but specialize in Eugene website design because I can also meet with clients locally.
The areas to consider for your website design:
SEO (search engine optimization) is about getting your website found. This has many layers involves both on-page SEO and off-page activities to increase your rankings. It involves some one-time activity, but mostly it requires on-going work and adjusting based on data of keyword rankings.
Marketing is about understanding your clients and addressing their concerns; understanding where they are in the customer journey and meeting them where they are, building a connection with them in the process of converting them into a client.
Branding is about portraying yourself professionally and creating a tone and voice that also connects with your customers so that you stand out from the competition.
If you have more website design questions, or would like to discuss your next website project, contact me to schedule a free initial consultation. I work with clients all over the country (and globe!) but specialize in Springfield & Eugene website design because I can also meet with clients locally.
