Blue Wave Concept's Blog

Yes, your customers do judge you by your website. If it looks like it was designed by a 12-year-old in 1998, you’re going to miss out on a lot of business. There are no great hidden secrets when it comes to getting customers to return to your website and spend more time on it. It’s all about clean design, good content and engagement. Follow these five tips to take your website from iffy to exceptional.
1. Look professional.
This sounds simple, but anyone who spends time on the Internet has come across business websites that feature ancient designs, typos, woefully outdated information or obnoxious music that automatically starts playing. “You need to look like a legitimate business. You need to look professional, modern, industry-appropriate and consistent from page to page,” says Steve Grushcow, CEO of website visitor conversion services provider Edit.com. Grushcow employs a five-second rule. That’s about how much time it takes for a visitor to decide that your site is worth checking out. “Design really matters for the first five seconds and after that first five seconds, it’s all about the substance of the business,” says Grushcow. Make that first impression count, and it will translate into good vibes when customers come back for repeat visits.
2. Tie your website in with your sales engine.
Congratulations, you’ve passed the five-second test. Your website visitor is on his way to becoming a customer, or a one-time customer is thinking about coming back. It’s time to think about your website as a sales tool. “Once customers do contact you, your website is still really important. They are looking at your website while they are on the phone with you. It’s something you can use to point out examples of the work you’ve done,” says Grushcow. Let’s say you’re a brick and mortar business. Do you have sales brochures or fliers? Is that information also reflected on your site? If not, get it up there.
3. Stay in touch.
Once you have a customer, it takes work to keep that person coming back. “People don’t naturally go back to a website unless they are thinking about the business,” says Grushcow. This is where regular marketing comes in. Build up that opt-in e-mail list — then make sure you actually use it. Commit to a monthly newsletter with information about interesting new projects or products, industry news and sales or coupons. Invite readers back to your site for more information or to redeem a coupon.
4. Commit to updating.
You’ve heard the phrase “content is king” so many times that you’re probably sick of it. Content is extremely important, but you don’t have to go overboard loading your site with tons of new information every day. “It’s not about always updating it — it’s about being sure your website is accurately reflecting your business. If your business changes, your website should change,” says Grushcow. Post new case studies, newly completed projects, milestones, partnerships and new products or services. Also cull out old information that is no longer valid. A blog can be a handy way to update your content. Grushcow suggests adding a site review to your monthly business calendar. This will give your website repeat visitors something new to check out on a regular basis and a reason to come back down the line.
5. Keep customers on your site for a reason.
Customers who spend a good amount of time on your site indicate that they are interested in what you have to offer. You want that time to be quality time. “You don’t want them to stick around for no reason. It’s like in a store. You don’t want them to just be sitting in your store. You want them to be there because they are considering a purchase,” says Grushcow.
One way to keep customers on board is to let them know you have quality products or services. Don’t just say it. Show off your products, project portfolio, press mentions, awards and professional affiliations. “The moment of truth is, do they actually reach out and contact you?” says Grushcow. “A passive ‘contact us’ page is not an active strategy. What we recommend is an active strategy such as ‘get pricing’ or ‘schedule your free 30-minute evaluation.’”
There has been a swing in recent years toward flashy website designs, games and anything that screams “interactive!” That may be overkill for your business. Grushcow is seeing a trend back to practicality. “It’s all about the business objectives. In most situations, you’re not there to entertain the visitor. We are finding that fewer clients are asking for the wow effect, because they realize that’s not what their customers care about,” he says.
Also, ask for feedback. Getting to know your clients and understanding what they want from your site can help you make it a friendly and engaging stop on the cluttered information highway.