Your website should be more than just a “pretty face.” The design elements chosen by your website developer for the landing page, combined with the content you write will make the difference between success and failure. Top SEO results are attainable for those who will follow these simple suggestions. Let’s begin by discussing the introductory content:
Introductory content:
The first content a visitor sees on your site should be both concise and informative. You can say it with a picture or you may tell your story with just a few well-chosen word. Bulleted content is a top performer for landing page content. This will go a long way in showing off your services available to online customers. They are not at your website to read about your awesomeness. They want to simply know what you can do for them and the services you provide. The first page of the website must also be personalized to match your industry and geographic location. If you are targeting only a specific area, it should be noted right away. Content should be no more than a maximum of 300 words.
Craft interesting and unusual headlines which could create a sense of urgency. For example: Product is limited so “buy now” to be sure to receive yours. Keep everything clean and easy to read and understand. If you are adding a response/reply form to the landing page, limit the number of form fields. Don’t take the chance of frustrating the viewer by having them have to complete too many fields of information.
Blowing your own horn:
We get asked often how much should we offer about how wonderful we are. A short sentence or even an advertising slogan will do the trick. No need to go on and on shouting our own praises. This can come off as arrogant and will not serve the purpose of converting those visitors into buying customers. If you are confused as to what you should add to the landing page and what to save for other areas of the site, it is wise to consult with a professional marketing company. Your site should tell a story about your brand, the history of your brand and should be full of great “storytelling content.” Like when you first meet a stranger, you have only one chance to influence those visiting the site for the first time. Make it count!
Conclusion for the landing page design:
A visually appealing landing page featuring great introductory content is always key to good conversion rates. It should also promote free trials or demos for your products or services by using “call to action” elements. A well-designed landing page is the first impression and one of the most important parts of your overall website design. Hiring an outside professional will go a long way to make sure you stand out in the crowd. We hope you will consider one of our talented design associates for your next website project. Contact us to set up a brief meeting to discuss your ideas for a successful year ahead. We look forward to meeting you.
Other pages of the site:
The other pages of the website should be kept to a maximum of 350 words. You may need a “services” page if you need to be more specific on individual services or products. You may also want to have a “contact” page and a “privacy policy” page for the site. Just keep in mind that only those pages which are relevant and will be accessed the most should be considered. Normal pages such as the contact page, the privacy policy page, the about us page and a services page may be necessary. Another popular choice this year is to add an individual “instagram” page to show off current pictures easily. These can be changed to feature the most current project pictures which is very helpful to some companies.
A Frequently Asked Questions page (FAQ) is very popular today and would be a great page to add to the site. This page will always be accessed by visitors because it contains helpful answers to questions most frequently asked. A client feedback page is another page which is always a great choice. Most visitors will read “client testimonials” even if they don’t visit all of the website pages. Pages which will very seldom be accessed should be kept to a minimum as suggested by Google.
Social media integration:
It is important in 2018 that you do cultivate your social media presence on your website which will support your business communication globally. List your company Facebook, Twitter and all social media accounts on your website by adding the social media links. Be sure to keep all of them up to date and relevant. Do not list any “personal” social media links which mention your friends and family.
Only company social media sites should be included. The personal information is considered “non-professional content” by top search engines and can get your site down-graded. Stay away from those last all costs.
Advantages of Facebook syncing:
If you blog regularly, you can ask your web developer to sync your blog with your Facebook page. What this does: each time you post a blog article, an excerpt of that same article is posted on your Facebook page along with a link to your blog post.
- Your Facebook page will have current and relevant information added.
- You save time not having to post on Facebook to keep it current.
- You gain a link-back from Facebook to your website.
Mobile strategy is like putting a cherry on top:
As you are building your website, one of the most important strategies is to make it mobile-friendly. No longer is it just OK to keep older sites that are not built on a mobile platform. Roughly 60 to 70 percent of all online searches are done using a mobile device. If you do not have your site built properly and it is not mobile-friendly you will miss out on a large part of your main audience, those that will purchase your goods and services. We all want to generate traffic. We’re not just building our sites to look great. They must also function well too. Key traffic depends on you providing the users with a visually appealing site which is mobile compatible. Live it, love it and learn it to stay competitive in 2018.
Last but not least, It is the month when we go back to daylight savings time this Sunday. We know you are enjoying the great weather here in Florida and we also hope you will enjoy your St. Patrick’s Holiday ahead. Here is one of my favorite St. Patrick’s Day quotes. Hurry back for more next time from the Design Wizards at Inside Design Orlando.
When you are lucky enough to be Irish …. you are lucky enough! Happy Happy…
