There are numerous options to create websites these days, and while even a small business startup can easily establish a web presence, not all websites are created equal. Creating content and designing a website can be challenging. You want a site that informs your customers about who you are and what you offer, and that prompts them to purchase your products or services. However, websites are often confusing, overwhelming, and generally ineffective in driving revenue.
You need to design your website to be a funnel. A funnel, in marketing terms, is a method of advertising that encourages potential customers to move through the process of gaining awareness, generating interest, and ultimately prompting an action to be taken (1). This action can be making a purchase or even just signing up for a weekly newsletter. You should have a very clear plan about what actions you want viewers to take while visiting your website.
What are the characteristics of a well-designed funnel website?
Has A Clear Story
Your funnel site should tell a very clear story. You don’t want to confuse your visitors. Inform your viewers about who you are, what you offer, and what you hope to accomplish while they are visiting your site. This is your call to action, and it is an essential part of the story you want your potential customers to see.
Utilizes Simple Navigation
There should be no confusion about how to navigate the site. Scrolling should be intuitive and any action should take the fewest number of clicks possible. Allow the flow of the site to naturally lead the users toward the calls to action.
Is Mobile-Friendly
It is estimated that 60% of website users are accessing the site through a mobile device, and that number continues to grow. Failure to design a site that offers a good mobile experience is basically like leaving revenue on the table. Approximately 50% of consumers indicated that a poor mobile website experience would make them much less likely to make a purchase from that vendor. This is a large category of potential customers that should not be overlooked.
Offers Tracking and Analytics
There are several tools available to track website views, like Google Analytics. With these tools, you can determine which parts of your website are most popular, as well as areas that could be improved upon. You can also learn a great deal about the visitors to your site, which will help you understand which of the visitors are likely to convert, and which ones are not. This can help you to improve your marketing techniques to those groups.
Clear Calls to Action
A funnel site is intended to invite viewers to take an action, and in order to do that, you must have calls to action in a number of locations. It is not enough to just begin or end your site with a call to action. You should have them strategically placed in 6-10 locations throughout the site, and they can be static or a pop-up. However, they should be planned so that they do not cause confusion. Do not call for visitors to sign up for emails and set an appointment right next to each other. Too many different actions may cause them to not take any action at all. The calls to action should be clear, always encouraging the viewer to take the next step in the buying process.
Make an Irresistible Offer
Lastly, you should make a clear and irresistible offer. These are lead magnets and can be greatly effective in driving new business. Place the offer in an obvious spot on the site or as a pop-up, and refer to it in your calls to action.
It’s time to get serious about driving new business with your website! By creating your website to be a funnel that is designed to convert, you can stop leaving revenue on the table and start converting website visitors into customers or clients.
Ready to get started? Call (239) 214 8592 today to see what we can do for you or visit our website at www.smargasy.com to explore our proven solutions.
