Monday 11 July, 2011
A website is like an untended garden; it tends to get untidy
and unkempt after a while. So here's 15 things you can do to improve
your website that won't take much time - but can make a big difference.
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Home page: Get them off it!
The purpose of your home page is simple: To get them to click to another page!
Pretend you're your ideal site visitor, go to your site's home page, and ask yourself whether it clearly tells you exactly what link to click next. If not, fix it so it does!
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Your services: End with a clear call to action
Make sure each and every service you promote (each keynote topic, workshop, coaching program, etc.) has a page that ends with a clear call to action for the site visitor. Don't expect them to hunt around for your contact details - tell them to pick up the phone, send you an e-mail, make a booking, add it to their shopping cart, etc.
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Client list: Cull the list
Check that every client in your client list is somebody you want future clients to know about. It's not that you should be ashamed of any past clients; it's simply that some of them are no longer relevant for the kind of work you're seeking now.
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Testimonials: Scatter them throughout the site
It's good to have a page of client testimonials; but it's even better if you also copy some of these testimonials to other pages where they are relevant. For instance, if you have a testimonial for a particular workshop, include it on the page where you promote that workshop (not only on the main Testimonials page).
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Biography: Remove anything that's not relevant
Examine every paragraph, sentence, phrase and word on your Biography page (i.e. the "About NAME" page), and make sure it's relevant: In other words, it tells them why they should choose you. If it doesn't, remove it.
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Demonstration: Tell them what to do next
If your website has a demonstration of you in action (a YouTube video for speakers, an audio recording or webinar recording for trainers, a self-assessment quiz for coaches, etc.), make sure it ends with a specific call to action. This doesn't mean you need to re-record it (because that might be difficult and costly); but at least add the instructions and link next to it (e.g. "Watch this video, and then find out more about how NAME can help you").
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E-mail newsletter: Improve your subscription page
Do you really make a big effort to convince people to join your mailing list? Or do you just have a plain subscription form and hope they will sign up?
There are so many things you could do: Add a link to your privacy policy; reassure them you will keep their e-mail address safe; include a sample newsletter; add testimonials from happy subscribers ... or all of the above!
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Blog: Link it to Twitter
Even if you're not a big Twitter user, one simple way to start building your presence is to connect your blog to Twitter, so every blog post automatically becomes a tweet as well. Use the free twitterfeed.com service to set this up in just 10 minutes.
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Special report: Tell people to pass it on
If you have a special report that you give away (e.g. to newsletter subscribers), make sure it explicitly gives permission for readers to pass it on to others. This might seem obvious, but it's amazing how often I see reports and mini-ebooks that don't say this explicitly.
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Articles: Submit them to article directories
If you post articles on your website, get extra leverage from them by also submitting them to article directories. These are websites where other people can find your articles and re-use them in their publications, as long as they include a link back to your website. It takes just a few minutes to do this, and you've already done the hard work by writing the article - so you've got nothing to lose.
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Podcast: List it in iTunes
If you publish a podcast (that is, an audio newsletter, where subscribers get new episodes automatically on their computer or phone), make sure it's listed in the iTunes store. This is not the only podcast directory, but it's one of the biggest and best-known.
If your podcast is already listed there, ask your listeners to go there and write a review for it.
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Calendar: Make it current!
If you have a calendar on your website, it's one of the things that most often goes out of date (for obvious reasons). So check that your calendar is current and accurate. Even better, use a calendar that automatically syncs with, say, your Outlook calendar, so it's always current.
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Surveys
Before you run your next workshop, write your next keynote presentation, or write your next book, ask people to share their biggest problem, concern, question or issue about the topic. OK, strictly speaking, you don't have to do this via your website; but it will help you decide what products and services you offer on your site.
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Virtual Office: Make more stuff available
Your "virtual office" is the place on your website where people who have booked you get logistical information about working with you (It's often labelled something like "Working With NAME" on your menu).
Check that it has all the usual things - a high-res photo for print; low-res photo for online use; copy of your Introduction; audio / visual requirements; room layout; promotional blurb for newsletters and conference brochures; and so on.
Then check whether you can add some unusual things as well (things that a few clients ask for, but you get asked often enough to make it worth making available) - a full-length photo for special use; black-and-white photos; promo video for your presentation; map, driving directions and parking hints (if you use a regular venue); and so on.
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Make a few small improvements NOW!
Assuming you can change your website yourself, go in there right now and make three simple changes. I'm sure you can find a few small things to improve. Rather than wait until you can dedicate time for a full site review, just make a few simple changes now! Remember you don't have to do them all at once, but even a small change can make a big difference.
Source:ceoonline.com
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