If you want to get consumers to find your business today, a web presence is critical, but how do you make sure you get the best out of that new site you built? Here are some tips that may help you out.
First of all, make sure that people can find the site. You can do this by making sure that you web site is optimized for the search engines. If the search engines are not reading and indexing your site properly, your business is not going to show up on any search results pages. If people can’t find you, they can’t call you.
Speaking of calling you, make sure your business phone number is right out front where people will see it. Put it out there loud and proud; do not bury it in the text or in the bottom margin of your page. If you’re a business that deals with walk-in clients as well, make sure your address is at the forefront too.
Use your site to build an audience of followers to whom you can advertise. Set up social media pages like Facebook, Twitter and Google + and encourage your visitors to follow you through these channels. These icons should be upfront and visible to your site visitors.
Some people don’t like to make blind calls. Is your email address easy to find or do you have a contact form so that potential customers can reach out to you for more information?
Make your site user-friendly. It is easy to navigate? Will people be easily able to find what they are looking for? Is it visually appealing? All very important factors. When you think of the appeal factor, Flash is tempting for the visual pizazz you can get, but it has some major drawbacks. Those flash images cannot be indexed by the search engines, so what you gain in visuals, you lose in site optimization. Less is often more. In this case, less flash and more words.
Choose your words carefully. Be sure to use words and language that clearly defines what you do or what you offer. These are terms people will use to find you as well as words that the search engines will associate with your site. It might be good to strategize in advance about what you really have to offer and how you want to present yourself. Keep the content fresh and updated. Working with a good SEO company, like Boston Web Marketing, can help you as well.
Don’t forget to watch your progress to see if your work is paying off. Make sure you have analytics on your site, learn how to read them and make adjustments as necessary.
By Donald MacMellville