Have you ever wanted to dive deep into the mind of your customers and find out what they really want?
Wouldn’t it be nice to just wave a magic wand and have your web site morph into beautiful pages that attract your ideal customer and send your sales through the roof?
Well I’ve got the secret sauce for that and I’m going to give you a sneak peek at the ingredients.
Not your grandma’s recipe
The web is changing constantly. As a website owner, keeping up with technology can feel daunting and pointless. What worked 2 years ago may not be working for you now. However, it doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, the best performing web sites are the ones that are simple, focused and easy to use. Let’s talk about those 3 attributes…
Simple
The word “simple” can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. when it comes to web sites, simple often means uncluttered pages that load quickly and don’t have a lot of ads and extra distractions. The only exception to this *might* be your home page but you’ll want to tread carefully here. You may want your home page to give an overview of services or products. This is perfectly fine, but keep the overview from being overwhelming by picking only 2-3 items to feature.
Simple can also refer to design. Many web sites are moving towards themes that are less heavy on the graphics, but still elegantly designed to deliver your brand in a tasteful manner. A professional designer can help you find the perfect balance of simplicity to fit your brand.
Focused
Each page of your web site should have a single purpose. Too many calls to action on a page will confuse the visitor. Your website should flow smoothly to guide your customer through the sales process. Ads, social media images and shiny object distractions can lead to fewer sales and less engagement.
Having too many choices will also turn visitors away. It sounds crazy, but studies show that consumers will have an easier time making a decision when there are only 3 items to choose from on a page instead of 30. Focus on your top selling items when creating a product section or a services page.
Easy to use
With so many people now using their SmartPhones to access the web, having a mobile responsive site is key to increasing engagement on your page and getting more sales. Try navigating your site on a Smart Phone. Is your contact page easy to use? Are your product images resizing to fit the screen? Did you have to use any finger acrobatics to zoom in or out?
Think about the way your navigation is set up. Do you have too many links or not enough? How quickly can your customers find what they’re looking for? The less pages they have to click through, the better. This is especially true if they are on a mobile device.
Whip up your own secret sauce
Take a few moments to look at your site and try to see it as your customer does. Or better yet, ask a few of your customers (or even friends and family) to navigate your web site while you watch over their shoulder. Make note of any difficulties they have or negative comments. Consider the time it takes for the pages to load and watch to see if they hesitate or act confused about where to click.
Also, ask your test customer to locate a specific item on your site. How fast were they able to find it? Are your menus clear and easy to navigate? How many pages did they have to click through to get there? If your customer struggled with any aspect of your site, it’s time to rethink the way your site works. The less bottlenecks you have, the easier it will be to get your customers to take action.
Bonus tip: Find users who are web savvy and also ones who are not. You will learn a lot about your site very quickly by finding test users with various technical skills.
After testing your site, you might also consider signing up for one of our free strategy sessions. This is a free 30-minute phone call with us where we help you discover the roadblocks on your site. We will then help you develop an action plan to help your business move forward and grow. These sessions are limited and we’re working on a first come, first serve basis so book yours today!