Business owners often come to a web design company saying, “I need a website. ” However, you might be surprised to learn how few of them have any clear goals for what they want to the site to achieve.
Here are some questions to consider before meeting with a web design company that will help you develop effective online marketing strategies.
What audience do you want your website to reach?
Before you meet with a potential web design company, think about your potential and current customers.
- What gender are they?
- What age group do they fall into?
- Are they savvy internet users or newcomers to the online experience?
Successful online marketing strategies are targeted to specific demographics — the people who would be most interested in your product or service and more likely to buy!
What do you have to offer?
It’s important to let visitors know exactly what products are for sale in your online store and what services you provide. Just as important, however, is letting them know how they can benefit from your products and services.
- If you offer low prices, your customers benefit by saving money.
- If you are a one-stop-shop and your customers can find everything they need rather than having to look on a number of different sites, you save your customers time.
- If you have received praise from your customers that you share in the form of testimonials, blogs or online forums, your customers can feel confident that they will receive great service from your company, making them more inclined to buy.
Your products and services, and the benefits customers derive from them, may not change often. For that reason, effective online marketing strategies also include frequent blog posts and informational downloads like white papers and eBooks, as well as exclusive online offers. Fresh content will keep customers coming back for more.
What do you want your visitors to do once they are on your website?
Once the people in your target market have found your website, what action would you like them to take? Would you like them to:
• Make a purchase?
• Book an appointment?
• Sign up for an email newsletter?
• Recommend your site to a friend?
Your goals for your website, and your online marketing strategies to meet them, should be set before the design and development phases begin. Your web design company will work to ensure every aspect of your site leads customers to behave in a manner that achieves your objectives.