So you’ve launched your website. You’ve formulated a marketing strategy. But you still aren’t making money. What now?
Don’t throw in the towel yet! Web design and online marketing are potential minefields. When you get it right, the results will blow you away. But it is also possible to get it wrong. Luckily, most of these missteps are easy to spot.
So learn from the mistakes of others and avoid making your own. Here are the top five mistakes to steer clear of if you want your website to bring in big bucks.
1. The clients don’t come first
Aim for a client-centric website. Spammy and pushy marketing is out. No one wants to read pages full of content that focuses on your business and its accolades.
Instead, people are coming to your site to solve problems that they are facing.
Expert content marketers succeed by always addressing their audience’s problems, fears, desires, and goals. Showing your customers that you care is the best way to draw them in and keep them coming back.
For example, if your company sells pillows that can help improve sleep, avoid saying things like: “We are the best manufacturers and sellers of the best pillows nationwide.” (Note that the focus here is on your company).
Instead, say something like: “Are you struggling with insomnia? Did you know that your pillow could be the reason why?” (See how the focus here is on the client instead?)
You need to know who your target market is. Then you need to direct your offerings to their specific needs, wants, hopes, and dreams. So do your research and find out more about what they are looking for.
2. The site is an outdated safety hazard
We get it. Everything on the internet changes so fast that it can be challenging to keep up. But it’s crucial that you do. If your site looks outdated in any way, shape, or form, people will be more likely to keep away and keep their money to themselves.
This does include stylistic elements like the colors or typography of your website. But this is not always as much of an issue as people imagine it to be.
The real problem lies in using outdated security measures. If you haven’t gotten an SSL certificate yet, now might be the time. After all, statistics show that 85% of online shoppers avoid unsecured websites. Google metrics also favor secure sites.
On the same note, consider updating your copyright, privacy policy, and warranty information if it has been awhile.
This is one of the many areas of your website that might call for you to reach out for expert advice.
3. The CTAs are missing
You’ve used social media marketing, signage, word of mouth, and all the other tools in your box to get people to visit your website. So what’s next?
You won’t be making any money on your website if you don’t have a well-designed call to action or CTA. Simply put, this is the “next step” that you want your customers to take. On a website, this will generally take the shape of a direct link, such as a button.
For example, you can include buttons on your site that direct visitors to the sales page of a product or service.
And remember that just because a visitor isn’t ready to make a purchase today, it doesn’t mean they won’t be ready in the future. Therefore, if you want them to think of you when they are ready, you need to include secondary CTAs.
These can be links to subscribe to your newsletter or to follow you on Facebook.
But no matter the type of CTA, two golden rules apply. First, your CTA needs to be conspicuous and eye-catching. Second, it needs to follow directly after your marketing message.
4. The site offers ambiguity instead of clarity
Sometimes you need to take an outsider’s perspective on your company and on your website specifically. When you are deeply involved with your business and work, it can be easy to overlook some crucial points.
Start by asking yourself two questions. First, what are your company’s purpose and goals? Second, are you getting them across via your website?
You might know exactly what you are doing and want to do.
But that doesn’t mean that the visitors to your site do. If you want to get people to spend money on your website, you need to make sure that your business purpose is stated clearly and unambiguously.
No more guessing games.
Highlight how you can make your client’s life better with your products or services. There are several ways you can communicate this message. For example:
- Blog posts
- Videos
- Newsletters
- Copy on your ‘Home’ page and ‘About’ page.
5. The site isn’t building trust
Generally, all of these mistakes boil down to not building trust with your visitors. Let’s face it. The internet is often a scary place. Internet users have to place their information and money in the hands of strangers, which can be quite daunting.
However, as a small business owner, you can use this to your advantage. You can make your company and it’s site stand out for being reliable and trustworthy.
To do this, you first want to steer clear of the mistakes we discussed above. But that’s not all you can do. Here are some tips and tricks for tailoring your copy and content to build trust:
- Reduce or eliminate all the errors on your site and in your content.
- Demonstrate your industry expertise and experience.
- Write in the first person.
- Use data and statistics.
Avoid being insincere and avoid being selfish if you want to start making conversions through your website.
Up your game
Most of these mistakes can be rather subtle. This means you might have a beautiful site with an awesome design and still fail to make money. Web marketing can certainly be a tricky art to master.
But that’s why there are experts to help you kick it up a notch and put your customers first.
To learn more, take a look at How to Build Your Email List & Keep it Growing and Of All the Marketing Options…Why Email Marketing?
