#1: Be mobile-friendly for Millennials, and Just About Everyone Else on the Web
According to Cisco Systems, the number of mobile Internet users is expected to reach 1.9 billion by 2015. This means the Millennial generation may not “hear” you if your website is not “responsive.” And, in all reality, nearly all web users today are savvy enough to seek their needed information through multiple digital formats – from desktops to handhelds.
What do we mean by responsive? Our peers at Mashable.com describe responsive as the ability for a website to automatically format itself based on the device on which it is being viewed. As sales increase for tablets and smartphones, so increases the demand for mobile-friendly web design. Now, the question to ask is, “Do you need a mobile web design or a responsive web design?”
With a mobile web design, a devise-user will be automatically forwarded to your mobile-compatible webpage when they attempt to view your main website. This may be useful if you only want to limit capable actions through mobile devices, similar to the differences between online banking websites and their corresponding mobile apps. A responsive design will adjust the main website to fit the device being used. This model is easier to maintain and is a great option for companies that update content often, such as news sites or online retailers.
 |
| Photo Credit: Squixa.com |
#2: Boost Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
This is a race to the high SEO finish line! Webopedia defines SEO as “a methodology…used to increase the amount of visitors to a website.” SEO can be visually defined as a website’s “placement” or “ranking” when the URL is inputted to a search engine. The sites that appear on the first “search results” page have the highest quality of SEO. So, how does a website achieve high SEO?
First, make sure your site is accessible via search engines by using appropriate tags, Meta tags, and commonly searched words within your industry. Meta description tags appear in search engine results pages and give the web surfer an overview of what your site contains. Your Meta tags should be created, generated and posted via Google and other search engines for most, if not all, pages of your website. Title tags appear in the title bar of the browser and are one of the factors used by search engines to determine the content of your page. Using “keyword rich” title tags within a 60-character limit will help search engines locate and rank your page appropriately, according to the web surfer’s search criteria.
Note: Do not excessively tag each page with the same keywords and phrases. This will cause search engines to identify your site as spam, and it could lower your SEO ranking. Make each page unique with relevant content on the page. The content needs to be exclusive within the pages of your site and in comparison to others, especially your competitors.
If writing descriptive tags while using commonly searched words for search engines is not one of your strengths, outsourcing with a company that specialize in web development and copy writing, such as our ECPR team, will benefit you greatly in your SEO improvement initiative.
 |
| Click here to learn more about SEO from “SEOman!” |
Your website’s primary purpose is to create new business or evoke sales, correct? Our tip 3 addresses the fact you can only gain new clients or customers through your website, if the site equates to connectivity and engagement. This is where implementing various forms of lead-capturing systems comes in to play. These systems drive activity between you, your website and its visitors. This method provides two results:
- Establish and maintain your presence. You do not want your website to become the “click-and-go” site that is easily forgotten. Encourage your site’s visitors to sign-up for your emails, newsletters and whitepapers; follow your social media channels; or to contact you with one-click-to-email for a free consultation or assessment of their needs. This method will make your presence offer value and sustain reoccurrence. Also, when you link your website to your social media channels, or your followers share your information on their own social media pages, it will greatly increase your SEO. Search engines consider it to be a “recommendation” or “verification” of credibility, therefore, moving your company higher on the SEO ranking. So, invite, entertain and encourage interaction on each and every URL you own.
- Increase consumer or client trust and investment. Consumers or clients display an amount of trust in a company’s competencies when they register to receive e-mails or follow social media pages. There is trust that a service will be provided, whether in the form of informative e-newsletters or blogs, free resources, classes or webinars, videos, or just pure entertainment. Building that trust in these services can affect a new client’s potential to invest in (or purchase products or services) from your business, which is the overall end goal.
 |
| Photo Credit: ProfitBuilderSystems.com |
Although web development can be daunting, investing in the assistance to create the best website possible for your business will only benefit your company in the long run, and possibly open up a whole new communicative means to reach sales prospects and leads. If you are a business owner or marketing manager interested in learning more about our web development services or other public relations and integrated marketing offerings, please visit and contact us through the ECPR website. Or, add your comments or questions below this post.
