Review your content
Sometimes we have found that customers writing their own content get a little too close to the project. You need to stand back from the project and check you have covered all the aspects you need to.
For this reason, we have a basic checklist for you, to see if your site has the information your customers are looking for.
- Contact Details
From the simple stuff of checking the telephone number is correct, through to the email links on the site. Do you need to put emergency out of hours contact details on the site? Make it easy, in whatever situation, for customers to contact you, that is why your site is there.
- Company Profile
The company profile is essential. It is the area of the site where people can see the personality of the business. This section should reflect the attitude you have to your business. It is not an ego massage for you or staff members. It is where you show your professional and personal sides. Don't make it too stuffy or formal, but neither should it be a comedy fest.
- Terms and Conditions
These are becoming more and more important even on non-shopping websites. You have a set of terms and conditions for customers. If you post them on your website it makes the process transparent.
- Location map
Is the google map on your site correct? If you have 'interesting' parking situations remember to pre-warn the customer so they know. You need to do this in a positive way. Are there any landmarks that people should look out for?
- Health & Safety
Will it enhance your site by adding your Health & Safety documents to the content? Will this save you time having to email it to people, rather than just telling them to view the website? This is also something you can add to your email signature, which will, in turn, take the person reading the email to your website.
- Opening hours
This should be easy to see and relevant for your viewers. Too often this information is hidden on just one page. If you feature it in several places and in several ways you can encourage the viewer to call or come to your premises.
- Product range
Are your images showing your products effectively? Do the descriptions explain the products well? Is your pricing current and competitive?
- Services guide
Are your services explained in a way that a customer will understand the concepts of what you do, without having your skills or training? Often people over complicate the services area or put too much information in. Remember your customers don't need to know every aspect of what you do, they are looking for an indication that you can solve their current needs.
- Special offers
If you are going to put offers on the site you need to ensure that they are up to date and updated on a regular basis. Nothing worse than going to a site that has the same special offer on as the last time you visited. Your brain tells you that if that hasn't changed then nothing else has changed, so you click the back button.
- Industry Qualifications and other activity
If your industry requires training and or licensing, you need to ensure that this is featured on the site. If you have won any awards that are relevant, again, promote them on the site. This adds to your credibility.
Through The Eye's of your customer
The elements in this list may vary from your site, but the concept is the same. You need to look at your new website through the eyes of your potential customers. If you have a close friend you trust to give you an honest opinion, let them look at the site before it goes live. Let your staff do the same, they may have ideas on the information you might have missed.If you need us to give your site a review please let us know, we are more than happy to do so.