The Benefits of Customizing Your Website

Television, radio, and print are quickly becoming antiqued in this ever-changing, technology driven world.The Internet is quickly becoming the best way to reach new clients. To do so, your business should have a fully functioning website that's personalized to your business and the area(s) you target. Your website is the first glance into your business - it should give clients information about you and what your business has to offers. Some basics that should be included on every website are: services or products offered, location, who you are, and your contact information - these basics will help you just barely scrape by. In this article, we will review the benefits of customizing your website, and a few tips on how you can do so.

 Every business should have something that sets them apart from the competition, and the company website is the best place to start. By customizing your website to fit client needs, you will stand out among the competition. If you can save clients time in searching and offer a quick route to solving their problem, they will have a positive experience.

 Lead forms (or contact us forms) are the only way for you to know exactly who stopped by your website. Analytics help, but with the number of spammers out there, analytic reports can be easily altered and manipulated. With customization, you can create a custom form that increases your own efficiency. You will be able to stay on top of interested clients and reach out quicker than the competition.

Pro Tip:

 Be true to your business practice. If you are a family business, then your website should reflect the all-inclusive family vibe. For example, if you own a legal practice which deals with difficult cases, your website should be strictly professional and the verbiage should come off straight forward. As the business owner, you know better than anyone what the clients’ needs are. By creating a website that is easily solving a need, consequently, the website will see more conversions. Incorporate some of the struggles that you know your clients may have when searching for you. Build your website around solving that problem – have the answer available to the most frequently asked question available on the main page, or within a minimum of 2 clicks.

 For many clients stumbling onto your website, this is their first look into your business. What they see will decide whether they choose to utilize your services/product or that of your competitors. So...

What do your clients see when they enter your website?

 A website that is created from scratch, for your business, is unique and one of a kind – just like you. Your business’ personality should come through on your website. This can be done through:

• Photos
  
• About Us
  
• Theme/Aesthetic/Colors/Font

• Is easy to use – clear headings, easy to find information (within 2 clicks)
  
• Is visually appealing – professional & "to the point" layout
  
• Gets them excited – shows your potential and the best you have to offer
  
• Technologically advanced – compatible on all devices, loads quickly, clicks through to apps on devices

 Overall, a customized website should make new clients feel as if they are walking through the door into your office. Being thought of as a ‘local business’ (even if you aren’t local to the client) can give your business a trust worthy stamp. People often trust local small business’ instead of other enterprises because they seem like they are right next door if they need any help. Essentially, we want to be giving customers a first look in our business, so that they know they are getting exactly what they ask for/need. When you create a custom website, you give the look and feeling of being right next door to your customer.

Pro Tip:

 Include professional photos instead of stock photos on your website. Clients want to see your face, office space, work, services & products, and employees before they decide to do business with you. It gives them a sense of familiarity and furthers the sense of trust.

 As mentioned in our previous article (linked HERE ), SEO is the most important marketing tool for your business. SEO determines which website will organically appear first in search engines, like Google, Yahoo, and Bing. A site that is customized ensures that all of the content is search engine optimized.

 It’s important to note the ’59 second rule’. Studies have shown that the average searcher needs to find all necessary information within the first minute, or they will leave the site – which is understandable. Have you ever been searching for a piece of information and have had to click through to so many different pages?  The ultimate goal of customizing your website  is to generate quality leads and to provide accurate information. Dr. Marketing does this by optimizing your website to bring clients directly to a page of your website that talks about exactly what the client is searching for.

Pro Tip:

 Keep your information clear and concise. If you need to elaborate on a topic, create a separate page and advise users to link onto it. Remember the 59 second rule when writing your content.

When you create a customized website, you are working directly through the back-end. The website is created by coding to meet your specific expectations. More importantly, your website is safe and secure. Any information submitted via your website is protected and stored in a safe electronic facility. In most cases, your website will also be safe from hackers and viruses. Any personal information and information pertaining to your business may also be secured – some website builders do share your personal contact information in an online forum, which results in spam emails/calls about random products/services.

When you work with Dr. Marketing, you have the assurance that everything on your website is owned by your brand – all content is copyrighted and owned by you. Copyrighting your website is important in today's digital world, as your websites content is directly related to your business value. Assets such as domain name, graphics, blog posts, ideas, logos, and photos are all covered by your websites copyright. By customizing your website with Dr. Marketing, your website is protected, just like any other business property.

Pro Tip:

Include the copyright notice on all pages of your website. Follow all legal requirements when taking in clients/potential client’s information.

There are many free (and low cost)website builder services available today. To name a few, GoDaddy, Wix, and Squarespace. Many of which claim to be a customizable website offering –However, there is a generic template that the website will fit into. There are predetermined categories, color schemes and photos that must be used. The overall feel of the completed website can seem very cookie cutter and generic. While you browse through Google, you might be able to even spot which websites were created by each website builder service.

One of the best things about creating a custom website, is that your website stands alone – there is no other one like it! You become more than a template, and are able to include all of your brightest ideas. You can include all of your own photos (staff, office, clients, etc.), videos, animated content, and more – so that your content becomes the key. Clients will be paying attention to the information you present, instead of the usability and function of the site.

Pro Tip:

Make the leap and create a customized website. Create an experience for your customer that is visually appealing and easy to use. The investment in a customized website is one that will pay off in the long run. It creates a lasting impression on clients, sets you apart from the competition, is inviting, is optimized for search engines and gives you piece of mind.

Give us a call by clicking the button below to see how we can improve your websites rank on search engines.