“We just want an updated brochureware website. We don’t really need one that generates leads.”
This is a common statement I frequently hear from organizations that know their website is outdated and have started thinking about having a new website designed for them. The term “brochureware” was coined early in the Web era to refer to business websites that were nothing more than online marketing brochures. However brochureware websites are a thing of the past.
Website Design has Changed
I cringe when I hear the word brochureware because what that really indicates to me is that the person or team put in charge of making the decision on what their new website should be like really doesn’t understand (a.) How their prospects and customers are using the internet to make buying decisions about their service or product, (b.) How search engine optimization (SEO) works and (c.) It’s not how pretty it looks, but more importantly how it is strategically designed to elicit action from the visitor.
Mistakes to Avoid
Time and time again a client comes to us after having their website designed by another company and they are upset because they aren’t getting any business from it. Yet when I ask them what they told the designer they wanted and they say a “brochureware website” unfortunately, I have to tell them the results they are getting is because of what they ask for originally.
If you are in the process of considering a redesign of your website, avoid making the following mistakes so you get results from your investment.
From functionality and appearance to navigation and coding integrity, a lot goes into creating an eye-catching, user-friendly website. It doesn’t end there, either. Web developers and designers must work together to produce websites that will be located by search engines, engage customers and stimulate conversions. Whew! That’s a lot of pressure.
The following 8 tips will guide you through the process of creating a unique user experience that inspires viewers to become loyal brand advocates:
- Failing to understand your audience. Companies often focus on what they want to tell visitors and yet give little thought to finding out what their visitors really want from the web experience. That’s why persona development is critical.
- Lack of a strategy. What do you want visitors to do as a result of visiting your site? What action do you want visitors to take? Simply having content and pictures won’t evoke the visitor to action. A well designed site starts with strategy around what you want the outcome to be.
- Poor brand image. The website is a reflection of your brand. It’s important to be able to clearly articulate your brand guidelines and message. Your website needs to reflect the image of your company.
- No competitor research. Researching the online positioning of your competition is extremely important in order to have a clear understanding of how to effectively gain a competitive advantage.
- Overlook SEO. Conducting an SEO audit of the existing site to identify what is and isn’t working and how your company is positioned in search engines provides valuable data necessary for optimizing the new website. In addition consideration should be given to the technical SEO elements such as images, links, 301 redirects and unlocking search engines from crawling the site.
- Poor copy and no keyword research. Writing for the web and writing for a brochure are very different, and along with good copy goes keyword research. The copy must engage two visitors: your prospective lead or customer and the search engines.
- Not mobile friendly. A website that responds to multiple devices including the mobile phone is critical in creating a positive visitor experience.
- Set it and forget it. Developing a strategy to continually update content and the technical functionality of your website is crucial. A website is a viral and dynamic live marketing tool that works for you 24-7 and keeping it fresh and engaging is important.
In Summary
Obviously, these are some basic guidelines to consider when initiating your strategy for replacing your website. However, spending time on these 8 steps will put you ahead of your competitors, and generate action from your investment.
