Your Website: The Hub of Your Online Communication

This post was written by Holly of Holly E Design. We are both local to the Denver area and got connected through a designer-centric Facebook group a few years ago. It's been so fun to have business friends that I can hang out with in real life. We've enjoyed leaning on each other and I am so grateful for her openness and advocacy.

I’m sure most of you have websites — but is it the home of your online communications? It should be. Here’s why your website is your most important communication tool and how to most effectively use it as the home base of your business.

Your Most Important Communication Tool

Obviously, the internet is vital to our existence as humans today. I don’t need to give you any facts and figures to prove that to you (but if you need some, here you go). And because of that, the folks who need the products and services that you offer are looking for them online - and if you play your cards right, they’ll find you. That makes your website like the front door of your business – a users’ first impression of you will come from your website. They’ll either be impressed and stick around or not impressed and bounce (literally). So, your website should be there to make a great first impression. And how do we do that? By bringing all of your communications efforts together in one place: serving as a sales tool, providing useful and helpful information, detailing your values and services; ultimately serving as the home of all of your content. If you’re unsure that your website is doing this, let me give you a quick guide on how to use your website most effectively as your online home base.

1. First Impressions: make sure your website is putting your best foot forward. When people land on your website are they impressed with its design? Is it easy to find what they’re looking for? Does it lead them through the purchasing process? Your website not only needs to look good but needs to present the information you’re putting out there in a clean way. Be clear and concise with the information on your website: limit the number of pages, clean up your navigation, use consistent brand colors/imagery, and make sure it’s mobile ready!
2. Blog: make it the heart of your content publishing. You’re probably posting on social media regularly, but is that social engagement pointing back to your website? It’s best to publish a blog on whatever topic you’re focusing on and then post relevant social posts that point people back to your website. This will boost your web traffic while your website works to convert them to an actual client.
3. Sales Tool: make sure it’s guiding users to buy what you’re selling. If you spend all day trying to make sales, when will you ever get any work done? Your website should serve as an extension of your sales team. It should guide users through your website in a way that easily allows them to purchase or contact you about working together. Each page should have a “call to action” that invites users to act, converting users to clients without you lifting a finger.

If your website isn’t accomplishing all that it needs to for your business, now’s the time to invest in the most important online communication tool for your business.