Getting the most from your website

Congratulations! It’s a website. You must be very proud. Now what? Just like raising a child, you need to nurture your website so it doesn’t turn into a delinquent little brat. Here are some tips to help you out...

Get it found
Your website will be one of millions on the internet. Whilst search engines are important, relying solely on them is a bit like expecting to win all your business from a line advert in the local phone directory. The best way to be found by search engines is to keep your site up-to-date and relevant. Beware of anyone promising to get you guaranteed positioning in the top ten search engine listings – you may just find that this gets your site banned.

Keep it up to date
You’ve seen them yourself. Websites with “March offer” on the homepage. It’s July. Nothing makes you look more amateurish than having out of date content. Use Update Centre to keep your current offers, current, and your forthcoming events, well, forthcoming... and not in the past.

Make it sticky
Put down the pot of glue. Please, put it down. A sticky website is one which people keep coming back to. They become frequent visitors because the content keeps changing. Ask yourself what you could do to keep people coming back. Maybe offer weekly free advice, tips or news.

Keep it relevant
Why would customers want to visit your site? What information would they want from you? Prices? Opening hours? Availability? Specifications? Make sure your website is relevant to their needs.
If your customers can answer their question online you’ll save time and money by avoiding costly telephone support. Help them make a speedy decision.

Work it offline
The number of times your website is viewed is directly linked to the number of times your website address is seen by someone. Get your website address on every piece of print. Put it on your invoices, on your stationery, on your van, on your signage – anywhere a potential customer might see it.

Promote it on your signature
The law requires you to put your company details on every email you send. Make sure you go even further and get your website address on the bottom of every email you send, together with a reason to visit – try “visit www.oursite.co.uk for special offers”.

Forget the bells & whistles
It’s far more important to have easy-to-view, concise and up-to-date information than to be focused on overloading your website with all the latest whiz-bang geeky bells & whistles. Relevant content is king! Long live relevant content!

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