Many small business owners are experts in the services they provide, but not so much when it comes to writing a website that will draw their target market to a site. Yes, there is a great deal of information out there on these topics, but not much that is simple, easy to understand and do, and actually drives business results. Most of the ideas require a tech wizard to execute and you may not even understand the concepts. Here are some simple ideas that almost anyone can execute that will increase the number of leads you get from your website from targeted prospects.
1) Make it easy for search engines to find and “crawl” your site. When your site is finished, submit it to the search engines. Since information about submitting information to search engines is constantly changing, you may need to do some research. Find current recommendations for submitting your site and recommended sites to submit.
2) Make the most of keywords, so that your target market can find you in searches. This is a very complex and complicated area that can consume days and weeks of your time and still leave you confused. The best resources I’ve discovered that show me for the first time how to clearly maximize my keywords is a book called “Getting to #1 on Google in Easy Steps.” Since reading this book, I understand how to use keywords and can optimize sites for keywords.
3) Make sure your website writing is prospect-focused. Describe the prospects you want to attract and the problems and issues you want to solve. You will not attract your target market by talking about yourself. Keep in mind that site visitors come to your site looking for a solution. If they aren’t immediately recognizable in your target market’s description, they’ll click away from your site within seconds of getting there. You want them to identify with your content and nod their heads thinking, “Yeah, that’s me. Yeah, that’s how this problem hurts me.” That’s the kind of description that will entice them to want to read more pages on your site to see if you have the solution they’re looking for.
4) Have a clear target market. It is quite common for business owners to believe and imagine that EVERYONE is their target market. Most service providers cling to this fantasy no matter what, even when it’s obviously not a financially successful strategy. The reason you are afraid of explicitly targeting a market is usually an almost desperate fear of losing any potential business. However, when you take this approach, your target market does not identify themselves with your target market description. Your statements are too general and don’t really apply to anyone. There is no emotion of resonance and recognition.
5) Make sure your site is easy to navigate and logical in layout. It is a mistake to come up with complicated designs that confuse and frustrate. Visitors want clear, simple, and responsive site navigation. Don’t make them have to work when they visit your site, or you’ll lose them fast.
6) Make sure readers understand the solution you provide and all the benefits they can expect when they select your solution. Don’t make the mistake of using mysterious information or promoting and exaggerating your results. Hypo-o-meters are very finely tuned these days. Keep it real.
You don’t have to be a marketing genius to attract visitors to your site. When you are writing a website to market your services, it takes a combination of simple strategies and common sense logic.
