More and more users are reaching for their smartphones and tablets before they open up their laptop or desktop computers. Simply put, it’s easier, quicker, more accessible to do a quick search on your phone while you’re thinking of it rather than to try to remember when you get to your computer.
Why are people using your site? Think about it. Seriously, this is actually really important. Most people don’t realize how their sites are being used by visitors. Are they trying to find a way to call you or send you an email? Or are they researching the company they may want to come out to their home when their family is there? Or are they curious to see the history of your company and how it went from a 1 or 2 person team to 50 plus employees? The answer is yes, all of the above. They want to feel secure with the company they work with, so your site needs to be able to do all of it, and do it with the least amount of effort for your visitors.
Your phone number should be easy to spot on every page along with a contact form in case they want to get in contact with you easily. People need direction. A site with tons of information doesn’t help anyone if they can’t find the answer to their question quickly.
Who doesn’t want to sit back and watch a short quick video instead of reading it? Most of the time your visitors are quickly scanning your page for the synapse of the information paying the majority of attention to the bullets and headlines. Videos give them something to do and are easily shared across devices and social media platforms.
Those videos mentioned earlier, here’s where they become your heroes. Videos are easily shared and Google loves them and people watch them, even the bad ones.
Believe it or not, load times are still an issue. Nobody likes waiting, especially when it comes to the Internet. A download time from 5 to 6 seconds makes a huge difference with many contributors including but not limited to, non-optimized images, unnecessary coding, improper structure, missing links to images or files, and crazy scripts that distract your visitors.
Are you showing up on maps when someone searches in your area? Having a local presence is critical to your site. When someone looks for services you provide in your area, you need to show up in their results, right?
Just having a website isn’t enough anymore. The lifespan of your site depends on many factors but it all comes down to your visitors, how easy your site is for them to use and how well it reflects the professionalism of your company and brand all while looking good. Let GMS help you get your website on the right path to success.