Your website is one of the most powerful tools to win over customers. Did you know nearly half of all visitors (48%) judge a business’s credibility by its web design (Forbes, 2024)? And you’ve only got about five seconds to grab their attention. If they don’t find what they’re looking for quickly, 61% will leave and head somewhere else (Forbes Advisor, 2024). A bad website experience also means 57% of users are less likely to recommend your business to others. So, how do you create a website that not only attracts but keeps customers coming back?
But how do I create a website my clients enjoy visiting and that helps me boost my business?
Let’s break it down together!
The 4 Elements of Your Website Strategy
To make your website work for you, focus on four key areas:
1. Define your Website Purpose: Ask yourself, “Where do I want to go?” Think about the next big challenge for your business and how your website can help you solve it. Your website can help you reach many goals— attracting new leads, building your brand, selling products, or providing customer support. So, clearly define what you want your website to achieve!
2. Provide the Right Content: Make sure your website content gives visitors all the information they need to take the next step. This could mean giving details that make a new customer want to buy your product, or getting a potential partner excited to contact you.
3. Make the Ask (CTA): Clearly state what you want your visitors to do. Use calls to action (CTAs) like “Buy Now,” “Sign Up,” or “Contact Us” to direct them to the next step.
4. Measure Your Success: Set key metrics that align with your goal, like tracking new leads, page views, or online sales. Check these regularly to see how you are improving.
So, let´s dive a bit deeper into every aspect and
1. Define your Website Purpose
Your website can do so much more than just be an online brochure. Here are a few examples of how your website can serve different purposes for your business:
Lead Generation: Encourage visitors to share their contact info by offering something valuable, like an eBook or a free trial. This way, you can find potential customers for your sales team to follow up with.
Brand Awareness: Tell your story! Let visitors know who you are, what you do, and why they should choose you over others. Share your mission, values, testimonials, and news.
E-Commerce: Sell your products or services directly online. Make it easy for other businesses to buy from you in bulk or subscribe to your services.
Customer Support and Education: Offer help to your existing customers with FAQs, tutorials, or a helpdesk. This builds trust and keeps them satisfied.
Product Showcase: Show off your products or services in detail. Use images, videos, and demos to help potential clients understand what you offer.
Networking and Community Building: Create a space for people in your industry to connect, like forums, blogs, or event calendars. This keeps your community engaged.
Thought Leadership: Establish yourself as an expert by sharing valuable content like blog posts, white papers, and webinars. This builds trust and credibility.
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To choose the right website purpose, you start with your most pressing business challenge and identify how your website can help you solve that issue.
As-Is State: What is the current problem?
For example: “We need to make sure our product is a good fit for the market when we launch it.”
To-Be State: What is your goal? How could your website help?
Maybe it’s: “We want to start getting people interested in our product before we launch it. Building an email list could help us understand who and how many are interested in our product.”
Obstacle - Hypothesis: Why do you think you are not reaching your goal?
For instance: “We are having trouble getting the right people to visit our website, and we are not giving them enough information and incentives to make them want to sign up for our newsletter.”
Strategic Steps: What will you do to fix these problems?
“We will find new traffic sources to bring people to our website, improve UX writing and content, and offer something special to encourage people to sign up for our newsletter.”
2. Provide the Right Content
Content is the heart of your website—it’s what makes visitors want to stay, learn more, and take action. Here’s how to create content that works:
Know Your Audience: Understand who you want to reach. Are they new customers, current clients, or potential partners? Think about their needs, interests, and what they’re looking for when they visit your site.
Understand Their Situation: Why and when are they visiting your website? Think about what your audience wants when they come to your site. Are they looking for quick answers, more details, or just browsing? Make sure your content matches what they need.
Decide on Actions You Want Visitors to Take: What do you want your visitors to do? Download something, make a purchase, or share your content? Make sure your content guides them to these actions, like clicking a button, reading a blog, or filling out a form. Make these steps easy and clear.
Provide the Right Information: Give visitors all the details they need to take the next step, whether it’s buying, signing up, or contacting you. Think about what they need to know or feel before acting, and make sure your content helps them get there.
Some Examples
For New Visitors: Provide a clear, engaging introduction that quickly communicates your value. Use headings, bullet points, and visuals to keep their attention.
For Returning Visitors: Offer fresh content like new blog posts, updates, or special offers to keep them engaged.
For Potential Partners: Create content that showcases your expertise and success stories, such as case studies, testimonials, or white papers.
Creating targeted content makes it easier for visitors to find what they need and take the next step—whether that’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or reaching out to you.
3. Make the Ask (Website Call to Actions - CTAs)
Website Call to Actions (CTAs) guide your visitors to take the next step. Here are some examples for different purposes:
Lead Generation
“Download Our Free eBook” — Offers valuable content in exchange for contact information.
“Sign Up for a Free Trial” — Invites visitors to try a product or service for free.
“Request a Quote” — Prompts visitors to ask for pricing, helping you find interested leads.
Brand Awareness
“Learn More About Us” — Directs visitors to learn more about your company’s story.
“Read Our Case Studies” — Encourages visitors to see real examples of your success.
“Follow Us on LinkedIn” — Helps visitors connect with you on social media.
E-Commerce
“Shop Now” — Directs visitors to buy products or services.
“Add to Cart” — Prompts customers to choose items they want to buy.
“Subscribe and Save” — Encourages visitors to sign up for a subscription service with discounts.
Customer Support and Education
“Visit Our Help Center” — Sends visitors to a page with FAQs and guides.
“Watch How-To Videos” — Invites users to watch videos that explain products or services.
“Contact Support” — Provides an easy way to reach your support team.
Product Showcase
“View Product Demo” — Lets visitors see a demo of your product in action.
“Explore Our Solutions” — Directs visitors to different products or services.
“Schedule a Consultation” — Offers a one-on-one discussion about your product.
Networking and Community Building
“Join Our Community” — Encourages visitors to become part of a forum or group.
“Register for Our Webinar” — Invites visitors to join online events.
“Sign Up for Event Updates” — Prompts visitors to receive notifications about upcoming events.
Thought Leadership
“Read Our Latest Blog Post” — Directs visitors to read informative content.
“Download Our White Paper” — Offers detailed insights in exchange for contact details.
“Subscribe to Our Newsletter” — Encourages visitors to receive updates and insights.
Tips for Formulating Effective CTAs
When creating your CTAs, make them clear and action-oriented. Be direct about what you want the visitor to do, and make sure it aligns with your website’s goals.
4. Measure Your Success with Website Metrics
Measuring the right metrics will help you see how well your website performs. The metrics need to be aligned with your call to action and the overall purpose of the website.
Here are some examples:
Lead Generation Metrics
“Download Our Free eBook” — Track the Conversion Rate (how many visitors complete the download).
“Sign Up for a Free Trial” — Monitor the Lead-to-Customer Ratio (how many trial users become paying customers).
“Request a Quote” — Measure the Form Submission Rate (how many visitors fill out the form).
Brand Awareness Metrics
“Learn More About Us” — Count Page Views (how often the “About Us” page is visited).
“Read Our Case Studies” — Measure Average Time on Page (how long visitors stay on the page).
“Follow Us on LinkedIn” — Track Social Media Follower Growth.
E-Commerce Metrics
“Shop Now” — Measure the Click-Through Rate (CTR) (how often visitors click on the “Shop Now” button).
“Add to Cart” — Track the Cart Abandonment Rate (how many users add items but don’t buy them).
“Subscribe and Save” — Monitor the Subscription Sign-Up Rate.
Customer Support and Education Metrics
“Visit Our Help Center” — Track Help Center Page Views.
“Watch How-To Videos” — Measure Video Engagement Rate (views, watch time).
“Contact Support” — Count Support Request Volume.
Product Showcase Metrics
“View Product Demo” — Track Demo Video Views.
“Explore Our Solutions” — Measure Product Page Visits.
“Schedule a Consultation” — Monitor Consultation Booking Rate.
Networking and Community Building Metrics:
“Join Our Community” — Track Membership Growth Rate.
“Register for Our Webinar” — Measure Webinar Registration Rate.
“Sign Up for Event Updates” — Track Email Sign-Up Rate.
Thought Leadership Metrics:
“Read Our Latest Blog Post” — Track Blog Page Views.
“Download Our White Paper” — Measure Download Rate.
“Subscribe to Our Newsletter” — Monitor Newsletter Sign-Up Rate.
Each metric helps you understand how well your CTAs are working and gives you insights into how to improve your website.
By focusing on these key elements, you can create a website that attracts, engages, and keeps your customers coming back!
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