We’ve built a lot of websites for clients over the years here at Zen Media, and in the process, we’ve learned a few things about what works and what doesn’t. A company’s website is its most important online marketing tool – the goal of every single digital marketing activity, whether social media, email, outreach, or SEO, is to get people to visit the site. Once there, traffic should be led through the sales funnel by the content on the site, which should ultimately result in conversions.
Sounds easy, right?
In reality, it takes either a heck of a lot of trial and error, or years of experience, to make a website into a conversion-generating machine. Add to that the ever-changing nature of online trends, and it’s clear that solid website design takes an expert. MZ has those years of experience behind our website design strategies, as well as a team of experts keeping up with all the latest trends, so we know what makes for an effective website.
Which is why we even periodically revamp our own.
Creating a website isn’t a one-and-done proposition. A well-built website will remain fresh and relevant for a time, but online trends evolve quickly, so periodic updates and even complete re-dos are essential to maintaining a website that will do its job – namely, convert.
So what have we found to be vital to producing a good website?
There are many different components that go into making a website work. But we’ve discovered that the one overriding factor that trumps all else is….
…FOCUS.
A laser-like, Zen focus on conveying to your audience how you can help them, and leading them through the sales funnel.
We’re not called Marketing Zen for nothing, after all!
The key to successful business website design is Zen simplicity. You may offer a whole menu of services, but in order for your website to convert, it needs to promote the common theme running through them all with complete clarity. Make it simple for your potential customers to understand how you can help them, and they will respond.
So how can you apply this to your own business website?
Maybe you sell various business software solutions that all do different things. Maybe you own a practice providing many different medical services. Or maybe you sell toys, or jewelry, or car parts. What’s the common theme that all your offerings share? And how are they unique among your competitors? Designing a website is as much about branding as it is about online marketing tactics. Keep it Zen, keep it tightly focused, and you’ll experience success.
Now, this isn’t to say that your site shouldn’t be full of great content – quite the opposite! Informational content valuable to your audience is also vital to your site’s success. But again, it should all be strategically focused, not all over the place. Blog posts, white papers, case studies, and resource pages are all important tools to be used in the process of clarifying your company’s focus.
The numbers state the case quite eloquently: According to a study done by Rareform New Media, 48% of people cited a website’s design as the number one factor in deciding the credibility of a business, and 94% of people gave web design as the reason they mistrusted a business. If your site feels outdated, overwhelming, or confusing, not only will it not convert – it will drive business away. That Zen focus is vital to making your site modern, sleek, and easily understood.
If you’d like help designing the perfect website to drive conversions for your business, contact us here at Zen Media today.
