Web Design is not all about great graphics, innovative layouts or fancy animations; in fact, it is all about whether it actually works. How do you tick all the boxes of a potential visitor that takes them from a little interest to becoming a new lead or sale for your business?
Consciously or sub-consciously, people are ticking boxes as they go through your site in order to conclude that they should contact you or buy from you.
First impressions count
If your website doesn’t look professionally designed then it will reflect on you and your business – the visitor may think that the attention you give to your website reflects the quality of service you offer.
Visitors need to know that they are in the right place. You have two potential types of visitors:
- People that have heard about you; perhaps by recommendation or some other marketing e.g. your van, advert, leaflet
- People who have searched for a product and service and found your website.
For Group 1, your name and branding should be consistent with what they already know or have seen. That can be your logo, colours, typeface and the keywords you used to describe your business. You don’t want people thinking this may not be the same company and going elsewhere. Consistency improves your overall brand and professionalism.
For Group 2, these visitors search for something and therefore expect to be able to find it quickly. You only have a few seconds before they hit the back button so the reaction you want is ‘ah yes, that’s me’ You should consider using landing pages for different aspects of your business that you want to be found for – see “How to produce a good SEO Landing Page“
Benefits and Solutions BEFORE Services
Ultimately people are looking for a solution to their problem or a specific benefit from your product or services. Your actual product or service is secondary to their main concern. If you have a backache, then there are many services and products that could help but what you want to know is that you in the right place for a solution.
That’s not to say you ignore highlighting your key products or services as some people may know exactly what they want and will need to see it quickly on your site.
How do you deliver the Benefits and Solutions
Once the visitor understands you may be able to help them, then they become interested in how you do it.
At this stage you can then explain your products and services and how they deliver on the benefits and solutions you offer.
If there are a few different products then consider a bulleted list, so people can get a quick view of them. Have different sections or even pages for different services/products.
So who are you?
Once people are satisfied that you can help, and you have the services/products that can do this, they then might ask – but who are you?
This is where the About Me or About Us becomes significant. The visitor needs to know that you or your company can be trusted to deliver what you say. That trust factor becomes more significant where it is financial, the relationship is likely to be over a longer period of time , the cost is significant and/or the service is personal.
Remember that whilst this page appears to be all about you, the visitor is only interested in how that benefits them – What’s in it for me (WIFM). Consider that the visitor will be thinking ‘so what’ in response. You might have to explain the benefits of your qualifications, associations/memberships etc. in terms of what gives the client. It is the opportunity to explain why they might choose you.
For small businesses it is important to make a connection with the visitor as it is likely that they will deal with you. You should include a profile picture and even a video if possible.
How do I know you are as good as you say you are?
You’ve told me what you can do, how you do it and why I should choose you but now the visitor, or potential customer by now, needs some proof. This is where they might look at case studies/client stories, reviews/testimonials. You might also consider additional information or a blog that can not only give them something useful but helps to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise – proof that you do know what you are talking about. If you have also managed to help them already in some small way then it is far more likely they will return to you another day.
Call to action
Once you have ticked all the boxes above then don’t forget to invite people to do something. The action will depend on the nature of your business or service. In some cases, you might expect an online purchase or immediate contact. In other cases, the buying process could be longer, and you will need to do more to get people to the point of sale.
Some examples might be:
- Complete our enquiry form
- Download our free eBook to learn more
- Book a free trial session
You should also include links at all stages to invite people to move through different sections of your site that are relevant to where they are at that point e.g. read testimonials, read blog article, see our portfolio
If you’d like to know how we can tick all the boxes of your potential customers, take a look at our web design service and contact us for a free consultation.
