Worried your website is letting you down but don’t have the budget to revamp it? Well, stress no more. Making small changes can make a difference to your web copy, SEO ranking and conversion rate. A basic understanding of how Google works, combined with a little attention to detail, will make a positive impact. Here, we identify for you five easy ways to boost the effectiveness of your website.
1. Focus on your homepage
You need to make a good first impression. So if time and money are really against you, simply focus on improving your homepage. One strong, memorable homepage is better than several poorly written, badly coded secondary pages.
When writing your homepage, grab the audience’s attention with your key brand message. Make it clear to customers what you do and how you can help (i.e. what problem are you solving for them?). Be concise. Ensure you address what the reader is looking for. Use keyword-rich titles and inclusive language – words such as ‘you’ and ‘your’ – to help customers relate and understand what value they would get from engaging with you. Lastly, don’t forget to add a clear call to action so customers feel compelled to call or email you!
2. Complete your website metadata
Using the right keywords increases the likelihood search engines will detect your copy as relevant. Unfortunately, web designers and web developers don’t usually input any metadata when they build your website (unless you specifically ask, or give it to them prior to launch). Such content needs to be added manually to every page of your website via your CMS (content management system).
If you have access to your CMS (WordPress, Joomla, Magento just to name a few) you can do this yourself. Simply log in, go to ‘edit page’ and look for the ‘meta title’, ‘meta keywords’ and ‘meta description’ fields. There, you should be able to enter and save your metadata.
Your meta title is the title of your webpage that appears underlined in search results. Keep this short and straight to the point. If it’s longer than 55 characters, it will be cut short by Google with a ‘…’ and not be as effective.
Example: ‘Bespoke Business Cards | Smith Printing Solutions’
More detail can be added in your meta description; they can comprise up to 115 characters. Meta descriptions sum up the content on your webpage and provide you with the opportunity to connect with potential customers. Adding a call to action, like ‘find out more’ or ‘get started today’, is a great way to encourage customers to click on your site, rather than those of the competitors ranked around you.
Example: ‘Create your own fun, unique business cards for a great price. Delivered to your door in just 3-5 days. Order today.’
3. Code your website correctly
Correct coding of your web content allows it to be indexed by search engines like Google accurately. Use H1 and H2 styles in your CMS content editor to indicate headings where necessary and use the list command for bullet points (not just dashes in front of normal text).
Additionally, providing each image with appropriate alt text and captions allows search engines to understand what they represent. Each image or downloadable PDF should have a professional file name. Files with irrelevant names like ‘IMG 008useonwebsite’ look unprofessional and messy, and lose the opportunity to rank in searches for relevance. For example, naming an image ‘Bespoke business cards’ uses keywords and looks neat – boosting SEO and enhancing the user experience.
4. Ensure your copy uses a wide range of good quality keywords
Using relevant keywords in your web copy is essential. But using a broad range of keywords and their derivatives is what makes this strategy effective. Consider conversational search (e.g. what is an offset account?) and think of how you can recreate similar phrases in your content. Broad, location based search phrases are also a strong asset (e.g. where is a florist in Northcote?). These terms widen the context to which you are relevant, increasing your chances of being seen.
Google’s keyword planner is a great tool for finding a range of keywords that are audience appropriate, but be careful not to ‘stuff’ your copy with too many keywords – overuse can make your copy appear rigid and unnatural.
5. Interlink your webpages
Your website should provide an interactive experience, not just information. Use the opportunity to direct users to other areas of your site by linking to internal pages; this enables customers to get to know you better, and reduces your bounce rate.
When writing site links, always use descriptive text, rather than generic terms like ‘click here’ (e.g. ‘Read our case studies to see how we’ve helped other companies just like you.’)
Now get editing!
Small changes to your website carry the potential to rake in big returns. If you’re motivated but short on time, Avion Communications can help. Let us get the ball rolling for you by improving priority pages of your website or simply writing your metadata. Give us a call to discuss how we can improve your website together.
