As many of you are aware, website design and development is not an easy task. There is much to consider.
So, after you hire a reputable, professional and reliable website design and development company, like…ahem…yours truly…you need to know how to manage your visitors and traffic (we can help you with that as well!)
The most common question small-business owners ask after there site is built is: “where’s all the sales?” Well, picture this…if I was selling widgets in a storefront in downtown Toronto and the customers I was attracting would come in, do a quick scan, and leave; you would have to ask yourself, “self, why?” After some analysis, you would perhaps try something different like: re-do your window display, reposition certain products at the entrance, even reconsider your product line. The underlining question is, “why are they leaving after a quick scan?”
Well, in web-parlance, this is known as “Bounce-Rate”. So, bounce-rate is the percentage of web site visitors who arrive at an entry page on your web site, then leave without visiting any other pages or leave without going any deeper into the site. Bounce rate is typically measured as a percentage. The lower the bounce rate that you have, the better as this is an indicator of how users are engaging with your website. For example, if your website’s bounce rate is 45%, then, 45% of your visitors are leaving your site after visiting your homepage. This is a familiar stat for those of you who have Google Analytics installed (free, by the way, for those who don’t).
Below are three ways to lower your bounce-rate on your website.
- Content is King – like mostly everything that has to do with web and SEO strategies, relevant and updated content is always the best. Always consider your audience and provide the most informative content you can when writing copy for your site; corporate jargon is usually not the best style. Connect with your market and use words they relate to: if they use “automobile” instead of “car” or “sneakers” instead of “athletic shoes”, then go with it. You want to be able to quench their thirst for information, but stop at the point where they need to contact you for the last piece: this is a fine line, so, be careful. Content is king!
- Trees through the Forest – your website must have clear navigation, no matter how the visitor gets to your site (organic search, paid search, social media), like in the storefront example above, you want to make it easy for them to find what they are looking for…or, they will leave, guaranteed. Consider this, I love walking into a store that actually has sections labeled with signs (usually, hanging from above) so that I can register the layout of the store and plan my “attack”. That is, it is easy for me to find what I might be looking for. Similarly, your site should make it easy for visitors to “walk-through” or navigate. For starters, a simple navigation menu is best, not too many items and limited “drop-down” menus. Use links within your site to guide the visitor and help them find what they are looking for. If your site is easy to navigate, your bounce rate will decrease because your visitors will stay. In the end, they will navigate through your website more and this will provide a greater chance they will convert into a sale.
- Look and Feel – is a simpler way to reference website design or user interface (aka UI); this is an important component to an effective and professional website. The challenge is to make it attractive and professional but not overdone and annoying. Most of you are not in the in the business of showing-off graphic art. Keep it simple. Gone are the days of the Flash-intensive sites because most of the time, they are done poorly so, these sort of websites annoy visitors. The look and feel of your site requires professional consultation; it’s an art as well as a science. It is a delicate balancing-act. Too many times I visit websites and things are flying-around-the-page and I just need contact info or a phone number; not welcoming to the visitor. This is one area I would suggest a professional opinion on colours, layout and design, it’s worth it. It will help decrease your bounce rate.
In the end, think of the storefront. We are all consumers. What do you like about certain stores that KEEP you there and keep you coming back? Some techniques won’t be applicable but most will as I have described a few examples above.
Be a smart webmaster. Decrease your bounce rate. Be real.
Reality Business Consulting (RBC) (www.realityconsulting.ca) is a Toronto-based Marketing and Website Design and Development company dedicated to helping small business grow. We do this by providing insightful marketing and sales knowledge, planning, execution and website design and development, on a small business budget. The foundation of our success lies in our strong business acumen and our ability to listen to and understand the needs of our clients, translating their ideas into a concrete plan of action; ultimately, delivering profitable results for them.
If you are searching for a professional and customer-focused marketing company with extensive work in website design and development located in Toronto, contact us for a “Reality Check; a no-obligation, no-charge consultation.