Website woes: what is it we do again?
Websites often evolve over time. You start with a well-conceived shining example of what you do, and then over time it gets added to, and tinkered with. Until one day you look at your once-pristine shop window and realise you’ve lost your way and you’re not sure how to get back!
How can I fix my website muddle?
It’s ok to change your website. Most organisations tweak bits and pieces. The problem comes when your customers can no longer understand what you do, or how you can help them. It might be tempting to throw out what you’ve got and start again. But if you like the way your website looks and functions, that might not be necessary. The first thing to do is pause, take a step back and consider your broader marketing strategy and how your website fits into this.
Who are your audience?
If you don’t know who your audience are, it’s really hard to shape what your website says. Being clear about who your customers are impacts your content and your tone. So the first step in reviewing your website is to understand who you’re talking to.
What service or products are you offering?
Explaining what you offer in simple and clear language might seem obvious but it’s a classic area to suffer if it’s been amended over time. Look at how your offer is positioned. Imagine yourself in the customer’s shoes, is what you do clear to someone visiting your website for the first time? If not, you need to unravel what you have and rebuild it in a sensible, logical fashion.
What’s your call to action?
What do you want people to do after visiting your website? What’s the point of it? If the aim is to educate and inform, are you achieving this? Maybe you need to drive sales or generate meetings, are you doing this effectively? If you want people to do something specific after visiting your website you need to have clear messaging around what next.
Is your website an accurate reflection of what you do?
It’s rare to look at a website then feel underwhelmed when visiting the organisation in real life, although the reverse is often true. Are you hiding your awesomeness?
If your people, services and organisation are amazing in real life but disappointing online, that feels like a missed opportunity. If they’re rubbish in reality and online, that’s a whole other problem!
A website should be a smart piece of marketing content that you’re proud of.
If you’re struggling to translate your brilliance into great website words, I’d love to help.