Your website is part of your marketing. Even if you don’t have a website, it still says something about you.
Designing Your Website
Your website represents you – be it by its lack of existence or by its design. It should convert visitors into clients. But how do you achieve that? This is the question we asked Melissa Donnelly of Affinity Communications. Here are the 12 insights we learned from this episode.
Practical Example
To make this as practical and hands-on as possible, we used an example – the website numba.com.au – a small accounting practice in Sydney – and asked Melissa Donnelly to tear it apart. Without any mercy or regard. To tell you what works and doesn’t work. Because whatever it is, chances are that your website faces some of the same issues.
So here is what we learned but please listen in as Melissa explains this much better than we ever could.
To listen while you drive, walk or work, just access the episode through a free podcast app on your mobile phone.
1 – Make It Easy
Make it easy. Give maximum value for minimal effort. Reduce the brain effort a visitor needs to navigate your website.
2 – Optimise for Mobile
Test how your website looks on a mobile phone first, before you worry about laptop and desktop. Make sure your website works on all devices and browsers, but especially mobile.
3 – Be Clear on the Offer
Make it clear what you offer. Put your tagline towards the top, so visible without scrolling. Tell me what is in the box really quickly.
4 – Show Your Contact Details
Visitors should find a way to contact you without having to press a button and without having to scroll. How do you want visitors to contact you – call, email, visit? Put that contact information above the fold.
Don’t put a marketing tagline onto your contact page. Keep your contact page functional – just show your contact details.
5 – Have Clear Calls to Action
Show your call to action straight away without the visitor needing to scroll. Put it ‘above the fold’. And make sure your call to action doesn’t drown, but give it space to breathe.
6 – Keep Language Simple and Consistent
Stay simple and consistent. Use the same word for the same thing. Not 14 different variations of it.
7 – Focus on the Solution
People don’t care how clever you are. They want a solution to their problem. So give them the solution, not a display of your knowledge.
8 – No Shopping Lists Unless Your Offer is Online
Focus on the solution. Only use shopping lists if your offer is an online Pick & Choose. Or if you really want a list, move it further to the back on a second or third page.
9 – Your Photos Tell a Story
Your photos send a message. They tell a story. Make sure that is the story you want.
10 – Optimise Your Above the Fold
The space on your homepage above the fold is your most precious real estate. Design it well. Make it compelling and simple.
11 – Keep the Navigation Bar Simple
Most answers should only be a click away. So make your website flat, short and succinct.
12 – Show the Team
Show who you are. Show how this business operates. It doesn’t matter if it is just you. People still want to know who you are.
So these were 12 insights we learned from Melissa Donnelly. But please listen in as Melissa shares a lot more details.
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Marketing Strategy and Execution
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