We all want to be successful in business, don’t we? We work hard, we put in the hours, we make sacrifice… and we want to succeed! The problem is… it’s not always as easy as they say (the “guru” people).
So let’s look at five simple ways that you can do which could make a huge difference to your website’s conversions.
1. Google Analytics
First things first you need to make sure that your website is connected with Google Analytics. More than that, you need to make sure that you’ve got some goals (even basic ones) set up in Analytics. It’s time that you started monitoring your traffic – where it’s coming from, what it’s doing, and where it’s going. If you’re not sure what to do, either ask your webmaster or take a look at some of Google’s free courses.
2. Google’s Search Console
Next, set your site up with Google’s Search Console; this is vitally important! Not only will you get some really cool stats about what Google thinks your website is about (follow the side menu to Google Index, then Content Keywords), but you’ll also get notifications if Google detects any issues with your site. How cool is that! Search Console can be set up so that Google sends you an eMail if they’ve got a problem with your site (issues such as malware, page errors, server errors et cetera). Learn more here.
3. Google Mobile Performance
Take a look at Google mobile performance and page speed tests here.
The results you’re going to get from this tool are most likely beyond your ability to fix (super-ninja-tech-stuff), but your webmaster should be able to handle it no problem. Things like mobile friendliness and website page speed are crucial elements in both Google’s SEO ranking algorithms, and your user/customer experiences.
4. Searches and Keywords
Now that the technical stuff is done, run a couple of searches for your business name and your key content keywords. Have a look at how your website appears to people when it comes up in the search results (this is what they see before they click through to your site). Take a look at what images might show up, the heading and the description that appears. Ask yourself, “Do these things represent you well?” If a customer were to click on those links would they find what they are looking for (the page that they then land on, does it give them what they want)? Can you improve the quality and the attractiveness of what the results say about you? If you can fix / work on / improve any of these things, go do it! Don’t be one of those businesses who fail at the doorstep before the customer even gets a chance to “look inside”.
5. Landing and Entry Pages
Following on from those search results, click on the link and take a look at the page that the customer would then “land on”. It’s most likely your home page, but not always. You can also use the entry pages report in Google Analytics to see what pages people are first seeing when they arrive on your website.
Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Ask yourself “What were they looking for?” and then look at the page you’re on… does it offer what they want?! In today’s high-tech age we’re not accustomed to wasting time – and if your customers don’t find what they want on your site within the first eight seconds, they may well feel like you’ve wasted their time – and that the last thing you (or they) want!
Make sure that your “entry pages” have sufficient information to give your customers what they’re looking for… or, are no more than one click away from what they are looking for!