5 Way to Use Your Website to Grow Your Business

by NetLeaf Software NetLeaf Software

Here are 5 tips for getting the most out of your website and converting visitors into potential customers:

1. Use your website to present a professional image.

Use good logos, graphics, and images. You also want to have easy navigation, simple color schemes and clear, concise copy. Have someone who fits your customer persona take a look at your site and give you feedback to see if your message is resonating with them. It’s also critical to have a way for people to contact you. Provide location information, hours of operation, phone numbers, and link to a map,. Also present offers that result in action (such as providing an email address to get a coupon offer). Finally, make sure you update your site often and check it on different devices and in different browsers for readability.

2. Use your website to increase traffic.

Blogging can be very important for building traffic and helping your SEO. Google algorithms look for good content using the keywords that your audience may be searching on. Make sure your content is relevant to your audience and is beneficial (not just self-promoting). Embed links to other external sources, to other content on your site, and consider cross-promotion with businesses that complement yours via guest blogging. Finally, consider some paid social like Facebook ads or promoted posts. For relatively little expense, you can target posts to demographics that meet your ideal customer profile.

3. Use your website to build your email list.

Email’s demise has been greatly exaggerated! Email is still a great tool for drawing people into your site and your product offerings. SPAM is defined as sending unsolicited emails, so make sure you ask for your visitor to opt-in. Give them an idea of the types of emails you will be sending. Provide an offer they will find valuable! Offers can be exclusive products, coupons, discounts, etc. Give incentives and people will sign up to hear from you. An example of a good opt-in is below. Notice how they offer “exclusive advice”, “actionable tactics”, and “career changing knowledge”. Who wouldn’t want to learn more if you were looking for this type of information?

4. Use your website to share your expertise.

Think about what expertise you have… you have more than you realize! Reach beyond what your business is specifically trying to sell, but also discuss related topics. The reason you have your business is you do at least one thing really well. Your website is where you share that with the world. Be bold! Use videos to tell people the information you have to share. They do not need to be professionally done, and can be short snippets to pique someone’s interest to learn more. Good videos result in conversion!

5. Use your website to SELL!

Selling via your website doesn’t just mean eCommerce. Consider your ideal client. Where do they shop, what do they read, what’s their age group, why are they looking for your product or service, and what is it that sent them on the search for you? Think about the way your “thing” makes their life better and make sure you write copy that talks about that. Try and identify their questions and address them in your web copy or in a FAQ section. Again, get them to take action! Whether it’s call you, email you, submit a contact form, visit your place of business… the goal is that you become aware of who they are and then you can help them solve the problem at hand.

Your website is a living thing and will evolve and grow as your business grows. If you follow our tips above, it will begin working as a tool to facilitate that growth.