3 Things to Know When The Boss Says “We Need a New Website”

Think Web Marketing, Not Website

If the last time you updated your company website was more than 3 years ago, chances are your firm needs a website reboot.

Three years is a very long time by Internet standards. Today, when we hear “I need a website,” we at idc answer with: Never think website without consideration for the other elements that should work with it to increase traffic.

Visitors—and Google—have expectations today that the 5-page website just doesn’t cut it anymore.

So, while you may be due for a new website, don’t isolate it as a project unto itself, separate from marketing. Your website IS marketing. And it should be carefully planned as part of a much bigger strategy.

1. Your website should take the baton from your advertising.

You no doubt have other marketing components—ads, brochures, periodic emails, etc.— pointing people to your website. Why? What do you want these visitors to do when they get there?

And when you have that question answered (maybe you want them to fill out a form, subscribe to a newsletter, buy something…whatever), does your website “receive” these visitors and lead them to the action you want them to take?

Yes, we’re talking about landing pages. Yet, we’re also talking about site structure and, with analytics, opportunities to test your ad creative, media choices, promotional offers and so forth to fine-tune your Web brand strategy for optimum lead generation and conversion.

2. Your website should build your brand.

If your business has gone through the exercise of determining what you really sell, and you’ve identified your brand focus, everything you do in sales and marketing should be consistent within this focus.

That’s how you work to own a distinctive market position.

3. Your website should be an information resource.

Are you an expert in your field? This is the information age. People are hungry for knowledge.

Maybe you’re an accounting firm specializing in auditing for nonprofits,

Or a swimming-pool company with years of service experience that could help pool owners make better buying and maintenance decisions,

Or a private school with child psychologists on staff who can give parents advice on how to steer their children’s education.

Blog on your website about what you know and do. Post articles. Update case studies. Provide links to other sources.

This kind of ongoing activity keeps you engaged with your customers and prospects, builds trust, positions you as an expert and ranks you higher with Google.

With discipline and patience, this activity is absolutely the key to business growth online.

Looking for a great branding firm to build a hardworking, branded website? From branding to digital to traditional marketing, we are always interested in helping you grow!

Founded in 1972, idc-marketing is the most consistently helpful Lafayette, Indiana advertising agency. We are a full-service agency that helps companies grow business-to-business (B2B) and consumer-to-business (B2C) market share.