by Brant Baumann
Imagine if you and your friends threw a party without sending any invitations. And when no one showed up, someone suggested you get a new doorbell.
Fire that person.
Same holds true for someone who pushes your company to build or “re-do” its website without consideration for the other elements that should work with it to increase traffic.
Think Web Marketing, Not Website
Recently, Yahoo! posted a great article by Jennifer Shaheen entitled Death of the 5-Page Website, where she made the argument that the day of the website as a static online business card is long gone.
Her point was to introduce the wisdom of investing in a CMS (content management system) that allows you to make changes that keep your website fresh.
Absolutely correct. But the other side of that coin is the why.
The why is expectations. Visitors, and Google, have expectations today that the 5-page website just doesn’t meet anymore.
So, while you may be due for a new website, don’t isolate it as a project unto itself, separate from marketing. Your website IS marketing. And it should be carefully planned as part of a bigger strategy.
1. Your website should take the baton from your advertising.
You no doubt have other marketing components—ads, brochures, e-mails, etc.— pointing people to your website. Why? What do you want these visitors to do when they get there?
And when you have that question answered (maybe you want them to fill out a form, subscribe to a newsletter, buy something…whatever), does your website “receive” these visitors and lead them to the action you want them to take?
Yes, we’re talking about landing pages. But we’re also talking about site structure and, with analytics, opportunities to test ad creative, media choices, promotional offers and so forth to fine tune your web marketing for optimum lead generation and conversion.
Here is a newspaper ad for a local window company.
Looks like a great offer. But there is absolutely no carryover to the website.
What if I see the ad and want details? Or, what if I got to the website through the yellow pages, and never saw the offer to begin with?
Lots of missed opportunities.
2. Your website should build your brand.
If your business has gone through the exercise of determining what you really sell, and you’ve identified your brand focus, everything you do in sales and marketing should be consistent in this.
That’s how you work to own a market position.
According to this ad (in a foodservice magazine for restaurateurs, mind you), Modern Line’s brand focus is “modular furniture solutions.”
But their website certainly doesn’t reinforce that, and it doesn’t say anything about foodservice. It looks like just another retail furniture store.
This is branding that’s about as focused as Andy Dick on Employee of the Month.
3. Your website should be an information resource.
Are you an expert in your field? This is the information age. People are hungry for knowledge.
Maybe you’re an accounting firm specialized in auditing for nonprofits,
Or a swimming pool company with years of service experience that could help pool owners make better buying and maintenance decisions,
Or a private school with child psychologists on staff that can give parents advice on how to steer their children’s education.
Blog about it on your website. Post articles. Update case studies. Provide links to other sources.
This kind of ongoing activity keeps you engaged with customers and prospects, builds trust, positions you as an expert and ranks you higher with Google.
With discipline and patience, this activity is absolutely the key to business growth online.
For more information:
Click here to contact IDC, or call 765.423.5469.
About the Author: Brant Baumann is Indiana Design Consortium’s senior copywriter and web content workhorse, with 15 years’ experience in the mad world of marketing. When he’s not blogging here, he’s in a fetal position under his desk, trying to understand the Mayflower commercials that feature a 30-foot-tall marionette doll. Get connected to Brant at LinkedIn, or email him at brant@idc-marketing.com.
idc: brand affinity marketing 