Having the right web design can increase value
Unfortunately, many digital business owners do not realize the impact that a great web design can have on their success and the value of the business.
The sad fact is that an attractive, quality web design is often pushed down the list of priorities. It is often on the list after other important tasks such as generating leads, social media campaigns and customer support.
If you have been doing this, it’s time to stop. You need to start thinking about your website’s design and viewing it as an important investment instead of another expense.
1 – Convert More Visitors into Customers
If you’ve never heard the term before, conversion rate optimization refers to being able to turn more of your daily visitors into new leads, and then turn those leads into new paying customers.
To give you an example, let’s assume that your website brings in 100 visitors every single day. Of those 100, you’re able to turn 20 into email subscribers, and then turn 5 of those emails subscribers into a new customer.
If the product that you sell costs $100, you’re effectively generating $100 per 100 visitors. Now, to help you understand what conversion rate optimization is, let’s assume you’re able to convert 40 of those visitors into email subscribers and 10 of those 40 subscribers into new customers.
You have doubled your daily revenue without driving double the traffic to your website. Having a high quality, conversion-focused website design makes this possible.
2 – Search Engines Love Easy to Navigate Websites
Tapping into organic search results helps you harness one of the highest converting forms of traffic that are currently available. When it comes to ranking highly in the search results, major search engines want to look at a few key factors.
The first factor is how many other websites are linking to yours. A high quality, attractive website loaded with helpful content makes it easier for you to get those important links.
The second factor is how the visitors they send to your website are interacting with it. If a visitor lands on your website from the search results pages and sees that the website is ugly and hard to navigate, they will hit the back button to find a website that’s easier to use.
This action could cause you to lose your rankings — and that highly coveted, high-converting search engine traffic.
To make sure you’re able to compete at the top of the search results pages, you need to view your website’s design as an investment in the long-term future of your SEO marketing campaigns.
3 – Your Branding “Sticks” With Your Audience
There have been examples of “ugly” websites in the past that are incredibly “sticky” and memorable. Unfortunately, the chances that you can stick in your prospect’s mind with an ugly website are actually fairly rare.
A reputable design can take your brand’s messaging and present it in a way that resonates with your audience so when they experience problems that your services or products are able to solve, they won’t be able to think about anything other than your business.
This is an area of web design that doesn’t get enough respect right now. To help you understand, think about a local business. If the business was run down, broken windows, front door that didn’t work, customers probably aren’t going to come back.
However, if that same business has a luxurious front door, an inviting atmosphere, and helpful people (your content) that are easy to reach, they’re going to come back time after time.
A great designer can help take your online business from run down to luxurious. They can translate that experience into your visitor’s mind so it’s impossible for them to forget you.
4 – Your Marketing Gets Easier to Do
There comes a point in time when a business will reach critical mass in their marketplace. The business’ customers will begin doing their marketing for them – referring new customers to them on a regular basis.
These customers spread your messaging without you being required to be present. This saves a great deal of time and money, and brings warm customers to you that are ready to buy.
Reaching critical mass with an ugly site is unlikely. If you have a sharp looking website, the chances of getting that site shared across different social media platforms, getting linked to by other websites and blogs, and featured on various news outlets are significantly improved.
The strategies that I’ve laid out for you here will help build toward getting your business to reach that critical mass. It makes it easier for you to stretch your marketing dollars, especially in the first few years of your business’ life.
5 – Your Readers Will Thank You
Nothing is more frustrating for a reader and potential customer than having a hard time trying to navigate their way through your website. If they are searching for a critical piece of information they want to be able to get right to it. They don’t want to click through 6 irrelevant pages to get there.
This touches base on how major search engines are beginning to look at websites to determine how well they rank in the search results.
If your employees are spending a large amount of time in the customer support department because potential customers are always emailing you for assistance, those potential customers are telling you they can’t find the information on your website.
If you’ve already made the information available, but it’s buried somewhere in the depths of your website, you have a huge problem on your hands. This is not only upsetting your visitors but is also making your employee’s lives more difficult.
Providing customers with the information they’re typically requesting from your employees, and making sure that it’s available front and center on your website can help your business grow.
Final Thoughts
Each of the different strategies that I’ve broken down here help you increase the value of your business. This is reflected in a business’s asking price if you ever decide it’s time to sell.
Step back from the business for a minute and realize that a high-quality web design is actually an investment and not an expense. This can help you make a huge impact on your business’ bottom line. It will put more money in your pocket and hopefully contribute to the enjoyment and the success you are likely working hard for.
What have you done with your site’s design and styling? Have you ever used a secret shopper? Or even asked a friend to check out your site and give you feedback?
Jock is the founder of Digital Exits, an online brokerage service. Jock has been featured in Forbes and contributed to numerous websites and podcasts. He specializes in appraising and buying/selling online businesses and enjoys helping other entrepreneurs do business online.
