Getting More from Your Website

You have a web site. You want it to do more for you. This is one of the most common comments we receive about all web sites – those that we produce, those that are brought to us and yes, to those seeking a magic fix to make their web site better, brighter and more productive.

So what does it mean to have a web site “do more for you?”  As you probably have guessed it means different things to different people. There is one common thing that we have found over the years that actually makes a web site do more. Think of a web site as an extension of the way you do business. When a customer walks in the store and asks about your products there is an already established relationship where the potential customer wants your thoughts and assessment of your product as it relates to their needs. In other words, you are an expert and they are asking for your expertise.

What customers want

Let’s try a few examples. If you are a Realtor, the vast majority of property buyers don’t know (or care) how the industry works. They just want to be sure that they are being shown properties in their price range that fit their needs. In short you, the Realtor, is the expert and are expected to know more about how solve any situations that may arise during the purchase of their property.

A restaurant is a bit different but the principal is the same. A hungry customer comes in, is seated, and orders from the menu. Already implied is that your business employs talented enough cooks, chefs, and wait staff to provide a meal that is good to eat, is prepared properly, and justifies the cost. In short, the diner is perceived as being an expert at their cuisine.

In both of these very different examples the common theme is people do business with experts. So how does a business that is using the web to reach out to potential customers create the perception of being expert in their field? And why bother to do that?

Because an expert is who we seek out when we need a product or a service.

Say I go to a Real Estate web site and I see a few pictures of the beach and a link to search for properties. Well that is enough to get started but what if I want to know more say about the area, or a short sale, or what is a median price range of a home? If I can’t find that information on your site no problem – I’ll just go “click” and try another. And that is exactly what you, the owner of the web site, doesn’t want – some one to come to your site and then determine you AREN’T the expert for them.

Expert advice and knowledge as website content

To be perceived as an expert in your field you must provide timely knowledge about the subject that the person is seeking. Expert advice and knowledge is usually placed on a web site in the form of text, images an, increasingly, video. So to be an expert in your field you would need to place information about the product or service that is being sought out on your web site. Write an article about the most basic parts of your business. For a restaurant talk about spices, sources of vegetables  unique cooking techniques, the qualifications of your staff. In Real Estate talk about Short Sales, preparing your home to be shown, an article on curb appeal  the amenities provided by the HOA – in short anything that provides real information to your prospective client.

If you add expert information to your site on a regular basis it won’t take long for search engines to notice and to begin to rank your new pages/articles. The more pages and content on your site the more chances are someone will find your site when they do searches. Then, when they come to your site and see good, timely, accurate information, they are more likely to think of you as an expert and get in touch.

So write articles for your site. Be an expert for your clients regarding your product or service. We can help you get the information on the site, usually by installing super easy to use web publishing software and then training you to use it. We believe this is the absolutely least expensive and most productive way to make your site “do more for you”.

Feel free to comment or give us a call to talk over ideas on how to make this happen.