Everyone loves the sizzle of a new website. But what happens after the post-launch euphoria fades away? Well, if you want that new website to truly be effective, the answer is “more work.”
Too many times I’ve seen companies have their imaginations run wild with thoughts of how a new website will magically transform their business, bringing in new customers by the truckload, all eager to buy their goods and services.
Sadly, that’s not reality. You need to do more than simply flipping the switch.
If you recently launched a website or are thinking of doing so, be mindful of these five tips to help you get the most ROI out of your investment:
- Keep it healthy – Technology changes quickly. It’s important to have an experienced web technician take a look at the backend of your site on a regular basis to make sure your architecture, databases, applications and plugins are kept up to date and in working order.
- Keep it fresh – If you aren’t talking about yourself, your customers won’t be talking about you either. Constantly update your website and highlight your new products, services and corporate happenings/activities. Not only does this better educate your target audience, it helps with SEO.
- Keep it cool – Remember point one about technology changing quickly? All the more reason to make sure your new website is built with expansion in mind. I have no doubt that one year from now there will be a new social, video or interactive component that can make your site even better. Be prepared, plan ahead and actively look to roll out new features to your base website throughout its life cycle.
- Keep it connected – Your website should be the communications hub for nearly every marketing activity you do. It should tie in to your sales activities, social media engagements, brand strategy, recruiting initiatives, customer interactions and more. If you’re not fully integrating your website, you’re failing.
- Keep it mobile – By now you should have wrapped your arms around the mobile revolution and optimized your website accordingly to speak to today’s tablet and smartphone-obsessed society. But don’t forget to keep it up! Make sure that any new content or plugin added to your website is fully operational in a mobile environment.
TRG recently launched a new website for ESE, Inc. – a national leader in food & beverage automation. But if we’re doing our job correctly, this site won’t look exactly the same one year from now, six months from now or even 30 days from now.
If you’re interested in talking more about web strategy, just let me know. I’m always happy to chat.
“website” flickr photo by medithIT https://flickr.com/photos/medithit/10363854753 shared under a Creative Commons (BY) license
