You have a website but the content hasn’t changed in several months, maybe even years. Google stops to care as much about your website when this happens so let's change it!
First of all, ask yourself why someone would come to your website and what end result you'd like from their visit. For most of my clients, they offer a service and web users are coming to the website to find that service. Their goal is to turn those web users into paying customers.
Get rid of staleness by adding content to your website that draws in the user to have them contact you. Most people need to be sold… and sold quickly. Giving them something for free works wonders. (For example, the guide at the bottom of our web design page).
If you are a plumber, give them an article such as “5 things to do before calling a plumber about a leaky faucet.”
If you are a housecleaner, give them an article “How to prepare for a housecleaning.”
This kind of content shows you as a thought leader in your industry and that you are putting forth good energy and will be helping them out. (When you do this, make sure it’s a blog post with its own page so that Google can send searchers to it when they type in the relevant search terms.)
Beyond regular content that gives useful tips and free advice, be sure to have your contact information prominently displayed in your header. If you offer a free consultation, have a Call to Action button for this above the fold on your homepage (or better yet in the header). For my business, getting clients on the phone is of the utmost importance.
You need your customers to find your website. For your customers to find your website, Google needs to know you are offering new, fresh content that searchers care about. The three steps we recommend to accomplish that are:
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Thrive Design is a customer-centric web design and marketing agency from Seattle. Contact us today to find out how we can elevate your business online! Find us on Clutch, UpCity, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
If you could wave a magic wand and have your website’s visitors do one thing on your website, what would it be?
That’s called your primary call-to-action. You may not have a magic wand, but here are some “spells” you can cast on your website to drive users toward this action.
Your Primary Call-To-Action is the number-one goal of your website. It could be any number of things: to book a call with you, to sign up for your mailing list, to register an account, etc.
How can you drive users toward this desired action? Here are a few pointers.
Fine-tuning the design and content of a webpage to compel the user to take a particular action is called conversion optimization. You can drive visitors toward this desired action through clever design and compelling copy. Let’s take a deeper look into each of these.
Related reading: Copywriting seattle
Your call-to-action (CTA) should be prominently and easily accessed on your site. Moreover, your design should lead people right to it. Use strong visual elements to emphasize your call-to-action: Don’t hide it at the bottom of a page or in a menu. Let it be loud and proud at the center of your design.
You’ll also need clear copy that encourages people to click the call-to-action. Your call-to-action should be put into words, just like any magic spell!
Remember, it’s called a “call-to-action” for a reason. It should have a clear, compelling action verb such as “Get” or “Buy,” and it should express to the reader what benefit they’re going to get by taking the action. Consider the following examples:
Notice a common theme? These calls-to-action start with a verb and have a useful subject. A good formula is “Verb + What You’ll Get.”
Be sure to write your website content in a similar style to your call-to-action. For example, if you use a fun, quirky style, carry that through to your call-to-action. It should be a consistent, engaging experience for your visitors.
Most CTAs live in buttons that you can place prominently on your page. Don’t hide the call-to-action in a long paragraph: Make it loud and proud in your design!
Give it a large contrast with the surrounding elements by using a complementary color to help it stand out. Another good trick is to have the button change color when the user hovers over it. You can achieve this with CSS.
Your primary call-to-action doesn’t have to be alone on your website. You can also choose a secondary call-to-action. For example, if your website’s main goal is to get people to book your services, your secondary goal could be to have them sign up for your mailing list.
Place your secondary call-to-action in a prominent place that’s also out of the way of your primary call-to-action. For example, your primary call-to-action could be in the header of your page, but the secondary one could be “below the fold.”
Your number-one goal for the website should shape and define your entire strategy for the site. While writing and designing each page, think about how you can work this magic to drive visitors toward your goal.
Remember, simple designs and copy go a long way: You don’t want to confuse your visitors!
Need help? Reach out to Thrive for expert assistance in designing your website to lead your visitors to your desired destination. We’re here to help optimize your website for conversion!
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Thrive Design is a customer-centric web design agency from Seattle. Contact us today to find out how we can elevate your business online! Find us on Clutch, UpCity, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.