Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
5 Features of a Great Website
Marketing one’s business today starts with a great website. Indeed, in the digital age, a large percentage of consumers use web-based information to make purchasing decisions, and many make those purchases online through a company’s website. Which means that in order to attract more leads and convert those leads into sales, a well-designed website is non-negotiable. Here are five features of a great website that your company should surely incorporate:
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1. Relevance
One of the most important elements of a good website is that its content is relevant. Don’t include website content that isn’t pertinent to what your customer is looking for. With that in mind, frequently updating your website with fresh, original, and relevant content can help to establish your company as an authority in your industry, attracting more customers.
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2. Performance
Website performance is a broad category that incorporates numerous elements of functionality, including load time and speed. Essentially, you want your website to perform well; the last thing that you want is for a customer to attempt to make a purchase only to become frustrated by an inability to locate their shopping cart, or for your website to crash mid-buy.
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3. Easy-to-Locate Critical Information
Your website must contain certain critical information, and this information must be easy for the user to access. Depending upon your business type, some of this information might include:
- Your company’s “About Us” page;
- A list of services and products;
- Pricing information; and
- Contact information.
When a user visits your company, they are most often trying to find out a) about your product or services or b) how to get in touch with you. Make sure this information is findable.
4. Clean and Attractive Design
There’s nothing worse than clicking on a company’s website only to immediately be overwhelmed by a deluge of images, funky texts, colors, and words upon words of information. Your website should be easy on the eyes, incorporate images as appropriate, and contain succinct content that doesn’t overwhelm the user. Remember that when it comes to website design, sometimes less is more.
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5. An Ask
Finally, remember that your website should ask the user to do something. This is not only a way to engage the user, but also an important element in making a sale. The ask can be anything, from “buy now” to “contact us today” to “learn more” and more.
NUVEW Can Help
At NUVEW, we are experts in website design and content marketing, and understand the best strategies for attracting more customers and supporting business growth. For a consultation with our team about your web design and marketing needs, please call us today at 219-323-3343 or send us a message directly. We love helping local businesses succeed!
SEO Predictions for the Upcoming Year
Every year, search engine optimization (SEO) specialists like to make predictions about how SEO practices will change and evolve over the coming 12 months. Indeed, for the year 2018, some of the top SEO predictions included that Google would remain the top referrer of website traffic (which it did); that Amazon’s web search volume would increase dramatically; and that Twitter would not only remain independent but would also continue as the most “valuable and popular network for publishers and influencers.”
Now that 2018 is coming to a close, what can we expect for SEO in 2019? Here are some predictions that our team–and other SEO specialists throughout the industry–are making:
Voice Search Will Increase
Most people who have a cell phone or an artificial intelligence device (like Amazon Alexa) within their home or place of work are already familiar with using voice commands to get things done. And in 2019, the use of voice, and specifically, voice search, is expected to increase.
This is significant because voice requests are distinct from normal queries, which may mean that current keywords practices may require adjustment.
Mobile-Friendliness Will Become Even More Important
Today, if a website isn’t mobile-friendly, it is missing out on a valuable opportunity to connect with customers. In fact, in 2016, mobile searches already comprised more than 50 percent of search queries, and data holds that mobile searches have increased by about 80 percent in the last two years. The number is expected to increase in 2019 – for businesses that don’t already have mobile-friendly websites, it would serve them well to develop those as soon as possible.
User Experience Will Affect Ranking
According to SEO specialist Chris Brantner, who serves as the SEO director at SleepZoo, user experience (UX) will have a more pressing effect on website ranking in 2019 than it has had in previous years. This is a result of Google’s push for more personalized search results, which in turn means that websites will have to do a better job keeping users on their site – enhancing the user experience is one of the best ways to do so. If your site is slow, your content isn’t engaging, or a site that isn’t mobile-friendly, you can count on a loss of traffic.
How NUVEW Can Help
At NUVEW, we are constantly improving our SEO practices to ensure they’re aligned with current trends. If your business needs more meaningful website traffic and you want to learn more about how to increase organic leads, we can help. Connect with us at 219-323-3343 or contact us online today.
