• Does it attract visitors on its own?
• Does it make those visitors feel comfortable when they arrive on the site?
• Does it make it super-easy for visitors to take the next step in becoming customers?

Unfortunately, many don’t.

Before we talk more about what goes into a successful website, let’s talk about why so many websites fall short on what I’ve mentioned above.

It’s because of lack of knowledge. Let me explain …

Not all websites are created equal. But to those who are outside the industry, there’s no way of knowing what’s good and what’s not good. It’s almost like someone going to buy an automobile who knows absolutely nothing about cars.

If the options are a 1979 Ford Mustang (my first car), and a 2021 Subaru Outback (my current car), and both look good from the outside — it may appear that other than the shape, size and color — there’s no difference between the two. Realistically, how can somebody who knows nothing about cars know the difference? Especially if they don’t know the right questions to ask? They may be thinking. “a car is a car — and they’re all the same. I like the blue one, and it’s also less expensive …”

Same deal with a laptop. If you know nothing about computers, there’s no way of telling which computer is more powerful than another — because you don’t know what to look for, and you don’t know what to ask. So you may judge on color or price, thinking they’re both the same …

These examples may sound far fetched, but this is EXACTLY what happens when most businesses hire a web developer to build them a website. They think that the product is the product, no matter who builds it — and this is not surprising because the business doesn’t know what to ask for, or to look for, in a well-built site. So they trust the web developer to take care of it for them.

Since all websites are not the same, here’s a list of what needs to be baked into your new site. This will equip you with some knowledge — and the ability to ask specific questions — to make sure you’re not paying someone for a clunker of a website.

The following criteria will help you attain a website that functions well, and gives you a good ROI …

1. Custom Web Design: Your site should be customized to your company’s personality, goals and needs. Avoid cookie-cutter sites that make you look like everybody else.

2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Every nook and cranny of your site needs to be optimized with SEO in an effort to bring more visitors to your site. Ask your potential web design firm IF they do SEO, and HOW they do it. They should tell you they optimize every single title tag, meta description, image name, alt image name, headline, copy and text link. Don’t say this to them, just know they should be saying it to you! I will bet you a cup of coffee they don’t mention most (if any) of these optimization methodologies. Oh, and they should be creating a custom keyword report for you — and meeting with you to review and explain it.

3. User Experience (UX): UX is exactly what is sounds like — the positive, negative or neutral experience a viewer has when they visit your site. This needs to be discussed. If it’s not, you could wind up with a lot of noise and distraction on your site, which is a big turnoff to visitors. Visitors need to immediately feel comfortable when they arrive on your site, and easily understand the lay of the land. Content, imagery and calls-to-action need to be easy to digest — without having to think about it. This adds up to a pleasant experience that helps build trust. Same deal here. Don’t divulge this info to the web design firm you are considering, just ask them what they do to ensure a solid UX and see what they say …

4. Conversion: A solid website conversion strategy ensures that the visitor knows exactly what to do next. Whether it’s filling out a contact form, giving you a call, or downloading some complimentary content, conversion strategies need to be crystal clear. The best way to create a conversion methodology is to focus on the solutions you provide to ease someone’s pain. In other words, provide a benefit. Never use fear tactics, or try to strong arm — or over promise.

5. Desktop & Mobile Design: Your site needs to be responsive, AND be designed for both desktop and mobile so the user experience and conversion methodologies do not suffer because of a different screen size.

There’s more to it than this, but these five items can put the power in your hands to make sure you’re hiring the right web design firm to build your website.

For more information about SEO …
You can download a free chapter from my book, A Holistic Guide to Online Marketing.

Buy the book …
If you’d like to learn more about the entire web design process, you can buy A Holistic Guide to Online Marketing on Amazon.

Thanks for visiting!

The post What Successful Web Design Looks Like appeared first on Cuppa SEO.

Although we’re talking about website design here, I’d like to take a step back and share a real-world experience that shows how choosing form over function can cause a poor user experience — and ultimately make a product unusable, or at the least non-optimal for the end user.

Choosing Design Over Functionality: a Mini Case Study

I recently upgraded my iPhone and purchased a case to protect it.

The design of the case was beautiful, complete with wood inlay art on the back.

Regarding function, the online description of the case promised a “raised bezel” for screen protection. Since protection was an attribute I was looking for, I bought the case.

The Problem

Upon placing the case on my phone, I noticed there was NO raised bezel to protect the phone’s screen, and that putting the phone face down exposed the screen directly to whatever surface it was placed upon.

What’s happened here is two major things …

My expectations weren’t met, and they should have been based on product specs. This raises the issue of delivering what you promise, which we won’t dive deeply into here (maybe in a another post).

The other issue is the fact that the company that makes these cases chose form over function.

In a tech world where Jonny Ive (Apple’s long-time product designer) strives for an ever-slimmer aesthetic, case makers have followed suit to make cases ultra thin. What the fascination with thin is, I don’t personally understand, especially when a slightly thicker iPhone would make the back of the phone FLAT, as opposed to having a camera protrusion, which would be a better design — and a better user experience — for all of us iPhone users.

Regarding the case in question, the problem is the MAIN function of a case is to protect your phone, and removing a protective component to add a few less millimeters of thickness defeats the purpose of the product.

In this case (pun intended) the manufacturer of this case, and many other cases I’ve researched, are all choosing form over function — which means they’ve gotten it all wrong.

Good design is design that holds functionality at the forefront, allowing the design to SUPPORT functionality, and actually make the product more intuitive to use. Think Mac vs. PC (sorry Microsoft, but it’s true).

What This Has to Do With Your Website Design

When a visitor arrives on your website, they typically have a specific reason: to attain information, buy a product or service, schedule an appointment, etc.

The function of your website is to make it as easy as possible for a website visitor to take the action YOU WANT THEM TO TAKE NEXT, which means you need to make it as easy as possible for the visitor to understand what you offer and if it solves their problem (what I often refer to as a pain point).

If the design of your website supports this philosophy, that’s great! It’s also following a solid, proven user experience and conversion methodology.

For example, the Cuppa SEO website homepage provides brief descriptive copy that lets you know exactly how we can help, followed by two (and only two) calls-to-action that lead the viewer to where they want to go. No distraction, no confusion.

Here’s another example of a homepage where function is fully supported by design:

On the other hand, if the design of your website looks like this, offering you’re in trouble …

As you can see, it has no less than FIVE navigations (I’ve counted the ad at the top of the page as a navigation element as this is prime real estate, and typically where your navigation should live). This homepage also offers no clear conversion strategy.

The result? I’m left with not really knowing where I am, what I’m looking at or what to do next. The desire to design this website without placing functionality at the forefront has created confusion — which is a bad user experience.

Want more info about this topic and others like it?
Check out my book, A Holistic Guide to Online Marketing.

The post Website Design 101: Never Forsake Function for Design appeared first on Cuppa SEO.

On November 21, 2019, my book, A Holistic Guide to Online Marketing, was published.

I’d like to take a moment to express my gratitude to the Universe, my wife and kids, as well as Eric Olive (editor), Jon Wuebben (coach), Kathy Watson (editor), Robert Rubin (formatter), and Hannah Sandvold (graphic designer) for their expertise through this long, and often-times grueling process.

One of the best decisions I made early on was to gather a team of professionals to support the creation of the book — so all I had to do was write it!

What the Book is About

The book provides a global view of online marketing — looking at your website, blog and social media efforts as a whole.

In Part 1, three major disciplines are discussed and defined: SEO, user experience and conversion — providing a solid understanding of what each of these methodologies are, and why they’re important. 

In Parts 2 through 4, we dive into a practical approach on how to APPLY each of these methodologies to your website, blog and social media efforts, respectively. Chock-full of actionable steps on how to assess your website, blog and social media — the book can help new and savvy marketers make meaningful improvements to their online marketing efforts.

You can check out the book on Amazon.

The post Celebrating the Publishing of My Book appeared first on Cuppa SEO.

However, even though the call-to-action is one of the most basic concepts of marketing, many people don’t like to use them.  They usually have one of two standard excuses:

1. Call-to-action phrases are annoying.
2. Everyone knows what to do if they like your products.

Neither of these excuses holds up to scrutiny.  Putting a link to learn more about your product in a blog post isn’t annoying; it convenient.  It isn’t wise to assume that people know what to do if they like your products.  The last thing you want is for your article to prompt them to visit a competitor.  Your results will usually be better when you communicate clearly.

Building a Better Call-to-Action

Are you still unsure about defining your call to action?  Here are five tips that can help:

1. Make it Clear: Your readers should know what to expect when they click your call-to-action.  For example, the phrase “Click Here to Subscribe to Our Newsletter” is much better than just “Click Here.”  You are starting a relationship with your customer when they respond to your call-to-action.  Being clear is the best way to start this relationship on the right foot.
2. Make it Easy: Your call-to-action should not be complicated.  You might think a phrase like “go to our website, call us or visit us in person to learn more!”  gives your reader options, but it sounds a little desperate.  Keep it simple, and people are more likely to respond.
3. Make it Verifiable: Did anyone respond to your call-to-action?  If you’re not monitoring your traffic, you won’t know.  Measuring the impact of your call-to-action statements also lets you test a variety of options to see what works best.
4. Make it Universal: Your call-to-action belongs everywhere.  Every blog post, every printed mailer and every sales conversation should include a call to action.  You are in business to sell products and services; that’s not a secret.  If you want people to respond, give them the opportunity.
5. Define it in Advance: The most important tip of all is to define the #1 thing you want someone to do. Whether it’s to make a purchase, book an appointment, or something else, make sure you don’t get caught up in creating a call-to-action that isn’t in alignment with your number one goal.

The goal of all your marketing efforts is to promote your products or services.  Though it may seem old-fashioned and simplistic, the call-to-action should still be a crucial part of your website conversion efforts and overall marketing toolkit.  Define your call to action today!

Want more tips and insights from Cuppa SEO?

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Website Conversion Tip #1: Talk to Them

Survey your existing customers, as well as leads and potential customers. Ask them what’s important to them. Ask them what it is they’d like to see from your company in the future. Are there some additional services you could provide?

A warranty or other guarantee to help ease their concerns that they might end up with a product that’s not what they’re looking for? By understanding what your customers want, you’ll be in a better position to provide it for them. This is a great step towards showing potential customers that a purchase would be worthwhile.

Website Conversion Tip #2: Focus on Problem Solving

Your product fills a need in the customer’s life. It may be a small, frivolous need, or a major, life-altering one. But either way, the reason they’re looking at your brand at all is because there’s some sort of void in their lives that your products or services can help fill. They have a problem that you can solve.

So to offer a greater value, simply find more ways that you can fill that void. Look for other, similar problems your customers may be having, which your company is equipped to solve. If you can meet your customers’ needs more efficiently and effectively, then they’ll have even more incentive to buy your products or services.

Website Conversion Tip #3: Offer Exclusive Deals

We’ve talked about this before. A quick way to increase your value to customers is to give them a discount, or a free add-on, or some other offer. If they feel like they’re getting more for their money than they ordinarily would, they’ll be more likely to make a purchase. And if they feel like they’re getting a deal that’s exclusive to them, or that’s only available to a select few, then taking advantage of it will make them feel special.

Tell them that by subscribing to your newsletter, they can get an exclusive coupon code sent right to their inbox if they sign up. You can also add value by creating scarcity, telling them that only the first hundred people to sign up will be able to take advantage of the offer.

There are all sorts of ways to add value for your customers without cutting too much into your bottom line. It’s all about understanding what your customers want, and finding the best way to provide it for them. If you can do that consistently, you’ll not only convince people to make a purchase, but keep them coming back to your site time and time again, to take advantage of the great value you offer.

Want more tips and insights from Cuppa SEO?

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So how do you convert a lead into a sale? You need to offer your visitors something they’re interested in — something they can’t resist!

Here are some tips for creating an irresistible offer for your target audience.

What to Offer

In lead generation, you attract people who have an interest in your brand and products. They may even be already considering making a purchase. The goal of the irresistible offer is to provide them with some extra incentive that gets them over the edge towards lead conversion. There are all sorts of things you can give them that will accomplish this.

The most basic offer is a discount, a free trial, added value that might not be apparent at first glance, or something similar. If someone is on the fence about buying your products, the promise of spending less money is very enticing. You might also consider other incentives, such as free shipping, buy one get one free, or a free gift with their purchase — something that doesn’t cost your company a lot, but will be appealing for a customer to receive.

How to Offer

A discount, free gift, or the added value you provide may be enticing, but if you want to make it truly irresistible, you need to find the right way to communicate it. Success depends not just on what you’re offering, but on how you’re presenting that offer to your customers.

One way to make an offer irresistible is to make your audience feel like they’re part of a select few. For instance, send the discount offer to your e-mail list and tell them that you’re doing something special, exclusively for subscribers to your newsletter. You can have another offer that’s just for people who Like your Facebook page, or who follow you on Twitter. Give them a special discount code that allows them to claim the offer.

This will make your customers feel special. They’re getting something that’s just for them, and not available to everybody. They have the secret code to claim the discount. All they need to do is make a purchase, and they’ll be part of an elite club and can claim their special benefits.

For instance, I recently signed up for TWO annual subscriptions to notebooks (Field Notes, and Log+Jotter). One of the cool things about subscribing is the fact that you get subscriber-only swag like stickers and pens that the general public do not receive when ordering.

Another great hook is to create a feeling of scarcity. This offer is only available to the first hundred people who buy our products! This creates a sense of urgency. They have the opportunity for a discount, or some other added value on their purchase — but if they wait, they could miss out. Better to buy as soon as possible.

These are just a few of the ways you can create an irresistible offer to convert visitors (remember, they’re people not just “leads”) into sales. Think about what kind of added value your brand can provide for your customers to give them that little extra incentive towards a purchase. If you can find the right offer, and present it in the right way, your customers won’t be able to resist!

Want more tips and insights from Cuppa SEO?

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A Means to an End

It’s easy to get caught up in the success of a social media campaign. As more and more people follow your pages, and Like and Share your content, it can give you the satisfaction of a job well done. But you need to remember that social media is just a means to an end.

The people viewing your content represent the top of the sales funnel: brand awareness. Those likes and shares don’t mean anything unless they can prompt your audience to move through the subsequent levels, until they eventually make an actual purchase.

Lead Generation

If you want people to move from casual followers of your brand to actual customers of your company, you need to get them to do more than just view your content. They to interact with it, and with you.

Try offering them something more than just what they see on your page. Invite them to download an in-depth ebook or white paper on a topic that interests them. Encourage them to subscribe to your newsletter, so you can send them even more premium content. Offer them an exclusive coupon or discount code.

To claim these special offers, first they need to click a link and be taken to a landing page on your website. Then, they need to enter in their name, e-mail address, and other basic contact information. Now you have a direct line to the people with more than just a passing interest in your brand and what you do. And just like that, they’re no longer viewers. They’re leads.

Follow Up

Once you have your list of leads, the next step is to follow up with them. Don’t spam them or inundate them with ads they don’t want or sales pleas they won’t listen to. Take note of what they downloaded or requested from you. Now you have an idea of the specific area they’re interested in.

Start by offering them more content that’s related to that same specific area. You can also ask if they have any questions, or if there’s anything specific you can help them with. Develop a real relationship with them over time. Find out what it is they’re looking for, and do what you can to help them find it.

By taking an active interest in your target audience and what they want out of your brand, you can go a long way towards converting them to sales. Not only that, but by treating them well and making that extra effort, you can make sure you’re the first one they think of next time they need something too, and keep them as a customer for years to come.

Conversion aversion is an easy rut to fall into. But it’s not hard to get over. Just make sure your customers are cared for, from the top of the funnel to the bottom, and you’ll be increasing your sales in no time.

Want more tips and insights from Cuppa SEO?

The post Do You Have an Aversion to Thinking About Conversion? appeared first on Cuppa SEO.

When I arrived on the site, I was instantly greeted by a pop-up (shown to the right) that asked me for my email address. In fact, it basically demanded my email address before I could shop the site.

What?

I’ve seen this before, and I’m sure I will see it again, and it’s a big mistake in the world of web design.

Yes, acquiring visitor emails to grow a company’s email list is a pretty simple, standard conversion strategy. But the way this company has implemented this strategy here carries a hefty cost because …

When a company is so blinded by a particular strategy, in this case attaining “new member” emails, they’re forgetting a couple of cornerstone concepts:

1. They were so focused on their conversion strategy that they forgot about their main goal — SELLING.
This company in business to sell product — first and foremost — not accrue email addresses. Having a nice email list can help with long-term relationship building and potential sales, but by restricting access to the site unless a visitor forks over personal information makes it impossible for visitors to shop without making a commitment of some kind — which is bad for business (and for the user experience, as we’ll soon see).

Why not let me shop and then have me sign up to become a member when I’m ready to complete the transaction? Attaining my email at the purchasing stage makes a lot more sense, doesn’t it? After I’ve had a chance to peruse the site, see what kinds of products you have, and place some in my cart? In this case, becoming a member and sharing my email feels a lot more natural.

2. They forgot about providing the very best user experience possible.
The second problem here is this conversion methodology — disallowing me from shopping the site unless I hand over personal information — is a poor user experience for the visitor. User experience is the positive, negative or neutral experience a visitor has online, or in the analog world for that matter. And when a visitor arrives, and is immediately faced with a brick wall to entering the site — it’s not going to make anyone feel comfortable or welcome, and it’s certainly not going to build trust.

What this company is doing breaks a cardinal rule … they’re making it all about themselves and their goals, instead of focusing on their visitors’ needs. Essentially, there’s an initial ask of each and every first-time visitor — a demand for something — without offering anything tangible in return. Visitors can only assume that if they sign up they’ll start receiving potentially unwanted emails from this company — and they don’t even know what’s for sale on the site!

As you can see, when it comes to website conversion, it’s important for an organization to understand what their top goals are, and how they can best connect with their customers and potential customers to attain those goals in an ethical way.

Want more tips and insights from Cuppa SEO?

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It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the customer relationship management (CRM) options on the market. You can spend anywhere from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands. Before you go too far down the rabbit hole, let’s identify which of the three major categories of CRM is the best for your business. Once you have a clear understanding of the options and how the software needs to work for you, it will be much easier to narrow your choices.

Operational

Operational CRMs are designed to streamline your business processes. They automate sales, marketing and service functions. This type of CRM is a good fit for you if your objectives are to generate leads, convert those leads to customers and follow them through their lifecycle as your consumer.

Analytical

Analytical CRMs exist to reveal areas where businesses can realize efficiencies and better serve their consumers. They pull data from a variety of systems and sources to reveal patterns and trends that can be invaluable for strategic planning. This is the CRM choice for you if your organization invests in developing long-term strategies and/or has experienced a plateau in growth.

Collaborative/Strategic

Collaborative or Strategic CRMs allow consumer data to be shared across business units. A system like this will ensure your sales, marketing and service teams are all privy to the same information to improve customer service. This CRM might make sense for you if your consumer-facing teams are siloed and struggle with sharing data.

A Few Final Words on CRM …

Selecting the right CRM probably seems like an overwhelming decision. Just as any new tool you bring into your business, it’s important to implement thoughtfully and intentionally. Your new CRM should fit into and play a prominent role in the businesses future goals and strategies. It must also be widely adopted. CRMs used only by support or administrative staff will never deliver results.

Learn More

Want to learn loads more about CRM? Check out Capterra’s review of best CRM software.

Want more tips and insights from Cuppa SEO?

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Yes.

Sorry I don’t have a more witty response than that … If you have a business with customers, you really really do. If you are a nonprofit, your donors are your customers and the answer is the same. Excel spreadsheets or handwritten client files just won’t cut it anymore. Today’s consumer expects customized messaging and real-time data.

Let’s Start with the Basics

A CRM is a Customer Relationship Management system. Businesses use this software to manage their B2B and B2C relationships. They provide both current and historical data on clients/prospects in one location and help you more effectively communicate with those contacts. Many even allow you to automate previously manual processes.

A Couple More Things You Should Know

By centralizing your data in one location, you now have the ability to generate more qualified leads. For example, let’s say your organization collects leads through a variety of channels (social media, “open house” events and surveys). Through your use of a CRM, you might discover that once a lead has engaged with you via all three channels, your rate of conversion increases exponentially. Great news, right? Now you have better data for your sales funnel and you can ensure more attention is paid to these qualified leads before moving on to the rest of your prospect list.  

Now let’s talk automation. My favorite example of this is the quoting process. Think about your current method for quote requests. Perhaps you hear from a prospect verbally or via email. You ask them a series of questions, plug their responses into your formula, create a “custom” pricing proposal and send it off to the prospect. Perhaps you hear back from them immediately; perhaps you follow up in a week.

Now the fun part. Let’s imagine this process with the right CRM for your business! Your investment in an optimized website pays off and a prospect arrives on your homepage. Engaging content prompts the lead to get a quote. Because your website is already integrated with your CRM, the lead is able to click on your call to action to request a quote and answer a series of questions. In addition to capturing the prospect’s data and activity, the CRM is programmed to generate the appropriate quote based on their responses and deliver that proposal to the email provided. If that lead shows no new activity for a predetermined amount of time, you can arrange for a follow-up email to be sent automatically.

You’re in Good Company

According to CRM Magazine, 91% of companies with ten or more employees have a CRM. LinkedIn says 64.2% of those rate their CRM tool as “impactful” or “very impactful.” With countless options on the market, each offering varying levels of customization and automation, odds are very good you will find one that is a fit.  

Want more tips and insights from Cuppa SEO?

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