Welcome to our second installment of a three-part series that takes a good look how small business owners can run successful companies and generate results with their marketing. Last time, we mentioned that every company, whether they want to run marketing in Joplin, MO, or want to run a nationwide campaign, needs to enact a three-part formula for success — branding, a strong website, and a 21-52 marketing plan. In Part 1, we reviewed branding for small businesses.
You can check out our latest free guide, where we explore the whole formula for small business success, but for now, let’s turn our attention to Part 2: having a strong website.
Making a Great Website
You may think that what makes a strong website can be boiled down to whether it’s aesthetically pleasing, or you may be satisfied with a site that just provides all your information or products without regard to design at all. Either way, you’re missing out on the key pieces that make your site a powerful tool in your success.
Remember that your site needs to be optimized, and there are two different aspects of optimization you need to be sure are covered. First, you need to be at least mobile-friendly; that’s not a generic way of saying people can view your site from their smartphone, either. Your site needs to be responsive to different screen sizes, load quickly, and be easy to navigate with a finger. Second, you need to take the time to commit to SEO, which involves a smart use of long-tail keywords, valuable content, and regular updates, as well as landing pages for your marketing campaigns.
Design is important too. After all, you want people to visit your site and feel like your company is operating in the present day, and that you’re well organized and thoroughly professional. Think of it as the digital arm of your brick-and-mortar storefront. When people stop by, what will they think of your brand? This extends to the content you share. Is information easy to find, and what value are you providing them? Are you leveraging the type of content they want to see, like videos?
How Does a Great Website Contribute to Small Business Success?
First and foremost, you need to remember that your company website is a key piece of branding for small businesses. It makes your brand easy to both discover, assuming you target your SEO properly, and learn about. Use your site to tell your brand story and make a real connection with your current and potential customers.
As we mentioned above, you should be using content to position your brand as a valuable thought leader that visitors can trust. Your site makes an invaluable platform for your message, and what’s more, it can drive conversions even when you’re not an e-commerce business. Your website can become a key way to gather information (e.g., when signing up for a newsletter), nurture leads, and influence purchase decisions.
At Zimmer Radio Inc., we believe that each ingredient in the three-part formula is critical in its own right. Each deserves full attention from business owners and their marketing teams, even when it’s “just” your company website. Be sure to tune in for our final installment, where we’ll discuss the benefits and the necessity for a 21-52 advertising strategy, or you can go back to read Part 1. You can also read our full guide, The 3-Step Formula for Small Business Marketing Success.
