Website Check List – How Do You Rank?

How Does Your Website Rank?

Is your website a lead-generation machine? Your website can be your most powerful marketing tool, delivering a steady stream of new business leads and filling your sales pipeline.

Unfortunately, most companies do not setup their websites for lead capturing—offering, instead, nothing more than an online brochure. Review the following 10 questions, and give yourself one point for each Yes answer.

1. Does your homepage clearly deliver what your company does and the audiences you serve? _____ Yes _____ No

First impressions count, and more people will see your home page than any other page on your website. So, make sure your home page is as welcoming and useful as possible. It should clearly communicate your capabilities and the solutions your company provides. Moreover, it should provide a timely digest of the latest and greatest information you offer deeper within the site. Most important, it should focus on your prospects’ needs and serve to guide them through your website to find the information that can best help them.

2. Do you use a conversational tone in your website’s copy? _____ Yes _____ No

People think their website is designed to serve the thousands of people that will visit it. The reality is that one person will visit your website at a time. Make sure you connect with each visitor by taking a friendly, conversational tone in your copy. Write as though you’re sitting with them over coffee. Demonstrate that you understand the challenges they face and offer a solution.

3. Do you offer useful educational content in addition to product and service information? _____ Yes _____ No

Don’t just sell, educate. Complement your product and service information with valuable educational information that help your customers.

4. Is your website structured for top ranking in the search engines? _____ Yes _____ No

Search engines such as Google are your best source for targeted, motivated leads. Your prospects are searching for you. Make it easy for them to find you by boosting your rank in the search engines. To turn your website into a search-engine magnet, fill your website’s copy with the keyword phrases your customers use most often. In addition, build a network of quality inbound links to your website from reputable and industry-relevant external websites.

5. Are you updating your website’s content on a consistent basis? _____ Yes _____ No

Is your latest press release from 2008?  People want to do business with dynamic companies. Make it a point to take a critical look at your website at least monthly, and add or remove information to improve its value to your customers and prospects.

6. Does every page of your website include a call to action? _____ Yes _____ No

Don’t make the mistake of relying on your Contact Us page as the sole method for prospects to take action. To turn your website into a lead-generation machine, pepper your website with a variety of relevant calls to action inviting prospects to reach out and take the next step. “Note the Blue Buttons!”

7. Do your calls to action address customers at each stage of the buying cycle? _____ Yes _____ No

Not everyone is ready to buy from you today. Some people are kicking tires; others may have a basic early-stage question. Look for ways to compel all prospects to reach out to you by offering tailored calls to action that appeal to customers at each stage of the buying process.

8. Is your phone number displayed on every page of your website? _____ Yes _____ No

Don’t forget to prominently display your phone number on every page of your website.

9. Are your online forms short, asking only for basic contact information? _____ Yes _____ No

Are your online lead-generation forms as long and daunting as a tax return? If so, shorten them. The more fields your forms include, the less likely prospects will be to fill them out.

10. Do you have a process in place to ensure your website inquiries receive immediate follow-up? _____ Yes _____ No

How long does it take for your salespeople to follow up on online lead inquiries? If the follow-up is not immediate, you are leaving money on the table.

So How Did You Do?

If you scored a 7 or higher, you’re doing well, and your website is a powerful lead-generation tool. However, if you scored a 6 or below, you have some work to do.

Need Some Help?

*Source Site: Abrams Advertising, MarketingProfs – Bob DeStefano

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 1:48 pm and is filed under Abrams with the following Tags: Advise, Blog, Website. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.