When the time comes for you to create or refresh your business’ website, it can be quite the task. With so many elements to decide on, sometimes the original objectives can be lost – this can result in a website which doesn’t serve your business’ needs which can be a costly mistake to make.
So, here we have some tips on how to identify your main objectives, and then optimise your website for those chosen business objectives. By remaining focussed on the overarching aim of your new website, you ensure the investment of time and money is worth it – read on to find out more.
Objectives are key
Objectives can help keep a business focussed, and remaining focussed when building a business is key, as there are many plates to spin. Determining your wider business objectives prior to building a website is a great way to ensure the new website serves your business in the best way possible, and this synergy is what will propel your business to the next level.
So how do you define your objectives? A great way to start is by making sure they are SMART:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely
By following the above rules, your objectives will be hugely beneficial when applied to both your planning and practice within your business. From these newly set objectives, you can start to consider how your website might contribute to them. For instance, if you want to increase your online sales by 40%, you may want to look into how the User Experience (UX) could influence a higher rate of sales, either through upselling or specific tools at different stages of the customer journey.
What purpose does a website serve?
Websites can have many different functions, depending on the type of business you have. For example, for many, their website is the main way customers can purchase products, but for a service led company their website is a digital shopfront, a place for perspective clients to peruse their services and gather information. However, there are a few main functions which a website should fulfil – regardless of the industry you are in.
- Visibility: A website is an online presence for your business. A place for people to find you, from wherever they may be in the world.
- Availability: By creating a website you make your product or service available to people. A channel by which they can buy your product or access your services is vital to any business. Becoming accessible to a wider audience is key to the growth of your business.
- Engagement: A successful website is a place where your customers/ clients and perspective customers/ clients can get to know your business, and understand your ethos, values and brand better.
- Build relationships: With the right website design you can both market your services or products to your audience as well as interacting with them. A great website can help build other channels for marketing such as newsletters and blogs, allowing you to build on your brand even further and offer your audience more than just a blurb on your business.
- Money maker: Ultimately, a website is another marketing tool. Likely your most important one. By ticking all of the above boxes and optimising SEO and the User Experience, your website will generate incoming sales and turn visitors into customers.
Designing your perfect website
With clear objectives for your business as a whole, now is the time to discuss with your website designer how the new website can support those objectives. Here are some examples of how your website can support your objectives:
- Increase inbound sales = Improve leads: include content designed to boost your standing in search engines. In addition to this, a regularly updated blog page with SEO optimised content will further boost your chances of appearing high in Google searches.
- Increase average value of sale = optimise UX for upselling: discuss with your designer how you can lead customers to purchasing more of your product or service through savvy UX and a smooth customer journey.
- Increase database = ensure there is a data capture form: if you want to expand your reach through weekly or monthly newsletter or targeted direct mail a data capture tool is a great element to incorporate. But remember, you want to be offering value to your website visitors to encourage them to sign up, so content is key!
A thoughtfully designed website can take a lot of time and expertise, but the investment is worth your while. A website which is fully optimised to help you reach your wider business objectives is a priceless tool and one that will guarantee a ROI. If you start to lose sight of your initial objectives and find yourself cutting corners your business is bound to suffer in the long run. So, if you want strategic advice on how to build the best website for your business, a team that can help you stay on track, get in touch with Sharp Minds Communications.
Want to get your brand noticed? Get in touch
Based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Sharp Minds offers brand development, digital marketing, offline marketing, and public relations to businesses across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, and Greater London.
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