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Philippa Gamse Tunes-Up Your Web Site

by Philippa Gamse

Philippa Gamse is a professional speaker and an ebusiness strategy consultant. She has written articles and been interviewed extensively on the use of technology in marketing, including on CNET News.com and for magazines such as Entrepreneur, Sales and Marketing Management and Small Business Computing. Gamse has also appeared on the radio shows Eye on the Internet and Small Business Advocate.

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Top Seven Ways to Tune-up Your Website

It's always a good time to take stock of what's working for your website, and what needs some attention. Here are my suggestions for a great tune-up. Take a fresh look at your site and your promotional strategy with these pointers:

1. Is your site appealing to all your markets?

Do you have different potential clients for different aspects of your services? Is there content on your site that's designed for each? Have you considered whether your web audience might differ from your traditional markets, and if so, whether you can address that difference?

Make it clear whether you focus on a particular niche, such as marketing or human resource consulting, for example. Highlight any specialist services that you provide, such as employee retention programs or customer satisfaction surveys.

2. Does your content engage your visitors?

Your site should be written from your visitors' point of view, not yours. Does your home page clearly recognize why the reader might be there--what's in it for them, and why they should care? What are the problems or issues that they might have, and how will you solve them?

"People buy emotionally, not intellectually." Many consultants' sites are very dry, written in highly academic and complex language. Write copy for your site that recognizes this; use some humor, and make visitors feel that you can be fun to work with, as well as professional and good at what you do.

Do you have clients for whom English is a second language? If so, include some content in their language (if you can speak it too!)

3. Can you make your case?

If you claim that your services achieve results, do you have clear content on your site that substantiates this? Do you provide case studies and testimonials from happy clients? Third-party endorsements are worth far more than your own promotional text, and they should be spread throughout your site, not relegated to a separate page that few people will visit.

Ask your happy clients for some great quotes about their experiences in working with you. Obviously, you'll need to respect any confidentiality issues, but for the most part, people love to see their names on your site. And, their words will really add credibility to your client service statements.

4. Do you position yourself as an expert?

One of the most effective ways to get exposure is to publish articles and white papers around your area of expertise. Search engines will pick up the content on your site, and you can also offer articles to publications that your target markets read--always with a link back, or reference to your site, of course.

You can also assist your clients in their selection process with an article on how to choose a consultant in your field (assuming that you meet all the criteria that you recommend!)

5. Do you ask for the business?

Whatever the outcomes that you want from your site, you need to ask for it. Too many web pages end weakly, with no clear call to action. Don't make your visitors have to work to decide what to do next--they won't! Every page on your site should have a strategy: invite the visitor to interact with you, or go to the next page, but make it easy and obvious.

So, at the appropriate place in each page, include a link to your contact form that tells the reader to "call me to arrange an appointment", "sign up for our monthly newsletter," or whatever invitation may be relevant.

6. Do you have a diversified promotional strategy?

Don't depend on free search engines for traffic. Explore other ways of promoting your site, such as using your content and articles, advertising in e-zines, appending a signature file to your emails, regularly sending updates to your previous clients, and ensuring that your traditional marketing is integrated with your online activities.

Investing in a good contact management database, such as Outlook or ACT! can really pay off. If your potential clients are willing to give you their email addresses, you can record their birthdays, business anniversaries and other occasions, and send out greetings, regular news items, reminders and referral incentives to generate more business.

7. Are you reviewing your traffic analysis?

Last, but really key--your website traffic reports will tell you what's working and what isn't. Without this information, you're really shooting in the dark. What if you were to find that the majority of your hard-earned visitors never go beyond your home page?

Ask your web designer if you can get traffic reports, and find out what's popular on your site, as well as the places that your visitors rarely go. You may make some very valuable discoveries!

This isn't an exhaustive list, but it's a good start. I hope that your website passes the test!

You can find out more about Philippa Gamse and her services at www.CyberSpeaker.com.