June 23rd, 2010 by Nick

Pretty much anyone can create a website. However, there is a lot to be said for creating a website that is not only easy to use and well received by users, but also creates a good return on investment for your company. Whether you have your own online marketing department or choose to hire external search engine optimization services, there are always going to be initial costs to lay down, which makes it even more crucial that your website is not only well received, but also generates revenue for you.

There are a few key areas to concentrate on when optimising your website. If you are using an external SEO company, then they will probably take these points into account when creating or optimising your web pages. However, it is always worth knowing these points yourself so you can keep on top of your website effectiveness, and identify any areas that are not giving you as much return as they should be.

One of the most basic ways of getting the most out of your website is ensuring that you are showing up within search engine results pages (SERP’s). If you are ranking high within these sites then you are being noticed by a lot more users, and even though not every searcher will click on your site, the higher the initial volume of people that will see your site, the more likely you are to get click-throughs.

If your search marketing works well, then you are not only getting yourself ranked higher but you are heightening brand awareness. Once users have viewed your website they are more likely to return and complete a transaction, perhaps even visit a showroom or make a telephone enquiry or order. Although sales through your website are crucial to a lot of businesses, your website is also a branding and sales tool that can be used to generate revenue from other channels.

Educate your customers via your website. Imagine, for example, you have a new product launching and you want to inform people about it. New product launches can eat up quite a lot of money, especially in terms of advertising. Once you have a strong website however, you can place new products on the homepage and upload fresh content so that the new product details are picked up within SERP’s. Although possibly not enough to work as a standalone advertising strategy, it will give you some return without you having to invest too much.

Usability of your site is probably the most important thing you can focus on to get the most back from your website. Clear navigation and sections for FAQ’s or customer service mean that customers can do a lot more groundwork on your web pages, which saves you time and money in other areas. Of course, your website will not replace human employees, but if a customer can easily find the information they need on their own, they are more inclined to return to your site and use you time and time again.

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