Making your Website a Sucess
In running a successful website, there are three aspects to consider:
What will bring consumers to my website?
What will they see when they get there?
How can I make sure they come back?
Bringing in traffic to your website relies heavily on marketing and advertising. Many websites do this through social media outreach. Advertising on facebook, twitter, and instagram can be huge for the success of a website. In fact, successful websites often hire employees whose only job is to bring in consumers through posts on these three sites. Hiring a small social media team allows them to create and maintain one consistent marketing image for the website that reaches these three social media giants.
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is also important for website traffic. Using keywords in your posts will make your website more likely to show up in a Google search. Keyword resources that discuss things such as the difference between using “website” versus “web site” or using “dog” versus “puppy” in your posts are available online. These may seem like minor details, but when a Google search provides millions of results, minor changes can bring your website closer to the top of the list, thus creating more traffic.
Although it is a reliable measurement of the success of a website, traffic is not quite as important as the appearance of the website itself. After all, you must ask yourself, “once a consumer has arrived on my website, what will they find there?” Studies conducted by The BBC show that the average website visit is less than 30 seconds. Therefore, the visuals and headlines on your website have 30 seconds to answer the visitor’s question “what’s in it for me?” This means they must be clear, concise, and inviting. According to the same BBC studies, 80% of visitors will read a website’s headline, while only 20% will read the first paragraph. Therefore, headlines should include the simple keywords mentioned above and get straight to the point. Similarly, the visuals should not be overwhelming. Providing 200 links on the homepage will scare people away, but a design that is simple and easy to understand will encourage people to stay and explore.
Lastly, you want consumers to return to your website. Keep the site up-to-date and post on a regular basis. Make it easy for users to contact you and be open to their criticism. Be especially receptive to productive comments from people who want to help you improve your site. Everything from correcting spelling errors to providing opinions on your content should be welcomed in the spirit of making your website the best it can be.
Never forget to keep updating and keep innovating. A successful website is one that adapts as the needs of its users evolve.
Keep it fresh, and happy creating!
