Your website needs to have an objective if you want it to be successful. It needs a reason for being... and that reason is - as I've said before - to make sales.
Now if you're browsing my website you might be able to work out it's objective... since almost everything points you in that direction. I want visitors to sign up for and read the Marketing Outlaw Guide To Great Marketing (previously the manifesto and code... I've just combined them into one guide now).
It's on the homepage, it's on the side of the blog, and it's mentioned in some of the other pages too. If you come to my website... you're going to notice it. And if I'm successful... you'll download it.
This achieves two goals for me:
- You see what I have to say and hopefully agree I have value to share
- I collect your email address so I can further our relationship
Now before you get offended because you think you're now a lead, let me clarify since that's not the most eloquent way of saying it... it's just sales jargon that's stuck.
First, I have nothing to sell you right now so you're safe. The only thing on the horizon is Ze Secret Project which I hope you'll like but if you don't, no worries. My aim is to give you great, valuable information so maybe when I have something you do want you'll give it a try.
And that's what I really mean by leads. I mean people who are interested in what you have to say and would like to hear more. I'm definitely not talking about adding people to some awful telemarketing list... eww!
So to improve your website, ask yourself these 4 questions:
- What is my website's objective?
- Does the visitor clearly know what they're supposed to do next?
- Is there a good reason for them to take the next step?
- And how do I measure the results?
Armed with these questions you should be able to go away and easily improve your website.
