Research suggests that there are well over a billion websites in existence (as of 2014). That’s an incredible amount of businesses, online magazines, portals, and services, and it also means it has never been harder to stand out from the crowd. Let’s face it, pretty much every business has a website these days, or at the very least, has a plan to get one.
But, this in itself is a problem. People think they need a website, but have no real idea why, and they don’t have a strategy in place to make their site anywhere near a success. With this in mind, we thought we would take a brief look at how you can develop a strategy for your website; let’s get started with some of the basics.
What are your objectives? Websites need a reason to exist; it’s a pointless exercise if you don’t know these reasons. There are a few key reasons why the average business might need a website, such as finding new customers, instilling confidence in buyers, or just exposing your business to a wider market. Each of your objectives will need specific tactics to achieve your goals, so it is nothing less than essential that you establish what they are.
What are your measures of success? Your website might look nice, and be full of content that you love. But the reality is that you will have no idea of how it is performing unless you establish robust measures of success. Thorough analysis is needed at all times, to help you see where you are going right – and wrong.
How are you different? Have a good think about your online business ideas; are they really any different to anyone else’s? What is it that you are bringing to the table that no one else is offering? How does your blog help people, or what do you do that gives your audience a reason to visit your site?
Who is your audience? Many first-time website owners make a simple, but important mistake: they build their site for themselves, rather than the public. You need to know precisely who your ideal audience is, and what pushes their buttons before you can enjoy any kind of online success. Build up a picture of the people that should be interested in your product or service, and design your website to meet their needs, not yours. Qualitative and quantitative research is needed – try using survey services like SurveyMonkey, and use your analytics to find out more about your customers.
Who is your competition? You will need to judge your website against your competitors and other players in your industry, and that means learning what they do well. Look at their rankings on the search engines, and find out which keywords they are ranking for. Also, think about the user experience they implement on their website; is there anything they do that you can improve on?
To conclude, a website offers no business value unless it has a strategy. It is imperative that you spend time planning a strategy if you want to enjoy success and grow your business online.
Mia Guerra
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