Many of us treat websites as a “necessary evil.” You need one in today’s world, but it’s a pain to maintain.
After all,
What can a rebrand or new website design really do for your business?
The answer: A LOT!
When clients come to work with North Star Design Studio, they’ve often struggled in a few ways with their website.
Common Mistake: Thinking of their website as an Online “Storefront”
Many websites I see have been created like a storefront. The website content is bare-bones and the website design is over-designed in an effort to make people “stop” and start browsing.
Which works when someone is walking down Main Street or trapped in the checkout line and surrounded by end-cap displays. Online, things are different.
If someone finds your website, it’s because they had a problem, put a term into a search engine, and your website came up as relevant (with a list of others).
Instead of trying to stop someone in their tracks with design gimmicks, you want your site to showcase that your business provides a solution to their specific problem, a transformation if you will.
They need to understand the “cut of your jib”, how you can help them and why you’re better than your competition.
Basic information that never gets updated just won’t cut it. Your site needs to be informative, easy to use and a first step to starting a conversation.
After all, when customers go to Home Depot, they’re not buying a post digger, they’re buying the ‘hole’.
Common Mistake: No Way to Get in Touch
Unless you’re selling physical products like soap, your website isn’t the last stop before someone buys, it’s one of the first!
Understanding this is important, customers need an easy way to get in touch with you and you have to be clear about the process. While a phone number is great, not everyone wants to call you up immediately.
A contact form is a good first step, but not if no one is watching it! Make sure the notifications about new people filling in your contact form is still going to an email address someone is watching.
Even better, your contact form should be the first step in your ‘vetting process’, it should include questions for the prospect to answer that help you know if the client is a good fit and help the client know they’re in the right place. We help clients create amazing contact forms that do the ‘vetting’ for them to reduce tire kicking.
Common Mistake: Outdated or Poor Information
Your website might actually be harming your business! When you have old information (especially if it’s around pricing) people might find this and have different expectations when they work with you.
You also don’t want to overwhelm people with all the things you do, especially if it’s a service you don’t like delivering let alone advertising.
Instead, decide on what’s most important (and profitable!) for you.
This is only the tip of the iceberg on how your website could be harming your business.
Discover the basics on what a website should do for you in this quick read article.
#Onwards,
Tara D. Meeker
Owner, North Star Design Studio
Website Design Agency based in Milford, CT
PS: Interested in what North Star has been up to lately? Check us out on Facebook.
