Your website acts as the hub for your online marketing efforts and is the first impression your brand makes on prospects.
The Internet has fundamentally changed how people make purchasing decisions. According to the eCommerce Foundation, 88% of consumers do online research before making a purchase. They will research extensively online, read website reviews, download guides and reports, and participate in forums to find out more about a product and service.
A Stanford research study also found that 75% of website users judge a company’s credibility based on website design. Your website acts as the hub for your online marketing efforts and is the first impression your brand makes on prospects. It’s the place where you control the design, narrative, and style. And in a split second, your website conveys something about your brand and company.
Mediums such as social media, live events, print advertising, videos, email marketing, and PPC advertising lead back to your website. It’s fundamentally important to cross-promote your content as much as possible to maximize its reach and influence.
Once you have engaged your prospects at the “awareness” and “interest” stages of the buying cycle, you’ll need to engage them at the “sales” stage.
As prospects are considering and evaluating your company, be sure your site clearly explains who you are and what you do. What is it like to work with you? How is your product different than the alternative? Why are you the best in the world at what you do?
While not everyone on your website is looking for this information, they will be at some point. Take the opportunity to use your website as both a sales and business development tool.
