Why your web designer should be a web marketing agency.
When a business or individual determines it’s time to have a new website (brand new or redesign) there is a lot of excitement that comes with that prospect. The first, and almost natural, thought is how you want it to look. You have a vision, complete with color schemes and logo, and are in need of a web designer to make it happen.
But, having a website isn’t just about pretty pictures. Sure, it’s nice to have first time visitors say “Wow, this looks amazing”. But, what happens when those visitors move past the looks and find there’s nothing else there? No second date, that’s for sure. Because, without brawn and brains, a beautiful website is going to get you nowhere.
To avoid any first date pitfalls, it’s essential that you work with an Internet marketing agency whose services extend beyond designing and developing a flashy website. Today’s successful agencies know that the design aspect of the process is just a small part of what goes into a winning website. It’s about the overall strategy: content, marketing, functionality, layout and design. You have but a few seconds to catch your visitor’s attention, keep it and then convert once they land on your page. Your page must convince your visitor that you are trustworthy and then “tell” them what to do next (i.e., submit a web form, click the ‘buy’ button). If users don’t find what they’re looking for immediately, you’ve lost them forever.
You want your website to drive business first and foremost. Think conversion-centric. In looking for a well-rounded design and web marketing agency, it’s important to consider the following:
1. Marketing
Some may think that marketing comes later in the game, but that is simply not true. Agencies who offer this type of service know that having a compelling call to action (CTA) on your landing page is essential to eliciting an action from your visitors and prospects.
2. Content
Content is king. How many times have you visited a website looking for information that you couldn’t find? Or, bounced off the page because after reading or viewing everything they had to offer, you still couldn’t figure out what the company did. Bad. Very bad. The right content for your visitors is priceless. And remember that content takes many forms beyond simply written text – video for example.
3. Web Analytics
You may think it’s not for you, but it is. You need to know how your marketing programs are performing and why some aren’t. It’s Business 101, really. Without the insights derived from good web analytics, you’re flying blind.
4. SEO and PPC
Like any type of marketing, website SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and PPC should be upfront, not an afterthought. I’m sure you know a few websites that launched to later realize they should have had their SEO and PPC planned out and in place.
5. Web Design & Development
Layout, color palettes, landing page A/B testing, functionality, etc. all play a major role in your site’s success. Work with a team whose designers and developers take their cue from the services above to deliver an exceptional looking and performing site. Beauty, brains and brawn.
Remember, the goal of your website should be to build trust with your users and elicit an action. Choosing an agency that can help you reach this goal is worth its weight in web gold.