It’s crazy to me that some people believe that websites have become obsolete. Clearly, you are not one of those people, because you are potentially interested in setting up a website if you haven’t done so already. I am also a member of this camp.
Why do I need a website?
The primary reason for having a website is to have a home base that all of your content marketing and social media efforts point back to. Your content marketing efforts may include a blog, a podcast, a newsletter or any combination of the three. If social media went away tomorrow, you would still have your website and the traffic that you directly control. This is another reason that you should be using a privately hosted website. It gives you the control needed to really doing anything that you want to do, with your site. Again, each social platform has its rules and limitations.
You need to let people opt-in
In addition to some form of valuable content, your website should have an opt-in opportunity for your email list. If your opt-in doesn’t add any value to the visitors of your website, it will be painfully slow to build up your list of subscribers. Trust me, I am speaking from experience on this one. Some examples of opt-ins could be an eBook, a PDF with really valuable content, a course, or even a video. The best opt-in or lead magnet that I have used is my free 7-day podcast launch course. It sends a brief video once a day through email, to my subscribers and gives them the info needed to launch their very own podcast. It required a lot of time to design, test, and tweak but the results are generating multiple opt-ins every day which beats one every few months.
Always link back to your site
A simple opportunity that I often see missed, is when people fail to link back to their new website. This can be done in social profiles and other places just to provide you an example.
Define your brand
The next thing that I would recommend involves your branding. When someone visits your site, you have a second or two to clearly convey what you do and who you are speaking to. With this in mind, focus on your “above the fold” area of your homepage, which is the very top section that you can see without scrolling. Your effectiveness here can make or break the user experience and determine who stays on your site and who leaves, never to return.
Let’s sum it up
Besides some of these really obvious areas of your website, there are a few additional pointers to think about and consider as well. I always use my website as my modern business card and it showcases what I do, who I do it for, and how effective I am at doing it. This will require a clear and concise “about us” page, ample client testimonials, and something else that gives you credibility in your niche. If you can get all of this done, then you will be able to take advantage of your site as a way to generate new clients.
Nothing I mentioned is “hard” to do, but it does require some time to get everything set up properly. I hope that I have given you a few new ideas to consider and if I have, please tell me what spoke to you in the comments below.