Stop Selling and Be an Information Resource
Many websites go into great detail about their business, its history, its services, its managers etc… We often encounter websites that go into great depth about who they are and we always point this out and recommend that the copy be re-focused. The goal is to re-write the website’s copy to emphasize what its benefits are to its prospective users or customers. That’s not far enough though. Where possible, website copy needs to provide an actual benefit. The site itself should serve some purpose.
Having useful info on your website can be as simple as providing tips or facts and figures, or even showing instructional How-To videos. This can do more than establish a business as an authority. It gives users more reasons to re-visit the website, spend more time on it each visit and share it with others.
This is a fundamental mistake a lot of companies make when transitioning to the web: they think of the Internet as just another piece of media on which to make a ‘buy.’ The internet represents an entire paradigm shift, though, from that of a ‘push’ mentality to that of a ‘pull’ mindset. Your website’s #1 job is to engage your audience and give them something meaningful, not as another avenue for broadcasting bland corporate messages.
This is something that many businesses will struggle with for years to come, but those that embrace this fundamental change in their business communication now can be leaders in their field.
How does your website help its visitors? Does it merely function as some digital version of a megaphone or does it provide something of substance? We can optimize copy to target certain keywords all day and your website can rank as #1 for every keyword phrase you like, but if people don’t like it or have a reason to keep coming back or share it with others, is it worth it? Will it be a successful tool in converting new business?
If it’s all about the bottom line, then it’s got to be all about the user.
[Photo credit: Russ Morris]
Tags: tips