Unless you sell them, adhesives never seem as if they play a part in your life. Entrepreneurs have bigger fish to fry than child-friendly sticks with little to no value. However, delve a little deeper and you’ll find that they are all around you and that they play a major role in your success. From your phone to laptop and desktop computers and company machinery, they are everywhere.
Your marketing campaign is no different. Sure, the glue might be metaphorical but it exists, and it exists in the form of your website. It’s easy to see a site as everything but an adhesive, yet the reality is it brings elements together and holds them in place. After all, your advertising effort would collapse without a URL.
Continue reading to find out more about why your website is the glue that holds your marketing strategy intact. Once you understand its importance, you won’t let a glitch or downtime get in the way ever again.
The Numbers
The numbers are hard to get away from if you’re a statistics person. Even if you’re not, they are pretty convincing. For your information, eCommerce sales made up 10% of sales alone in the third quarter of last year, with forecasts estimating they’ll reach 20% soon. Plus, a quarter of adults in the US purchase one product a month via the internet. And, 69% of Americans say they have used a website to buy something in their lifetime.
Without a site, there is no way for interested consumers to make a direct purchase. Instead, they’ll have to call the customer service team or head to the store, and they don’t have the time. Society revolves around getting products and services as quickly as possible without any hassle, and websites can provide these traits.
It’s pointless advertising to a specific group or demographic if you’re not going to try and make conversions. It’s a waste of your time, money, and energy.
Company Data
Speaking of conversions, let’s not forget that customers are as distrustful as ever before. Thanks to bogus sites popping up and scamming them out of their money, they want to make sure that the company is legitimate. Otherwise, they won’t take the risk because their savings and every penny they have is at stake. It’s easy to see why they are so cautious when you think how quickly a bank balance can disappear.
Thankfully, you don’t have to worry about fraudulent behavior with your website. As long as it has the green padlock icon in the URL, it’s encrypted and customers know it. They also know that the site has valuable information that they want to peruse before they make a conversion. For example, consumers want to read about your past, present and future.
A quirky, witty “about us” section is enough to convince them of your story. Not only that, but it encourages them to invest in the brand, financially and emotionally.
Backlinks (Part 1)
SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of using keywords and phrases to raise awareness of your brand. Optimize your site correctly and you’ll hit the top of Google’s ranking pages and benefit from a massive boost in traffic. Of course, SEO is more complicated because it contains various aspects, one of them being backlinks.
A link in a blog or a post from a credible website is like sponsorship from Apple. People see it in the content and click-through to your website because they believe it will add value to their experience. Plus, the website which has used linked your site, the reputable one, is saying they think you are worth a shout out and it speaks volumes. Aside from being in favor of Google, which is critical, backlinks also enhance the status of your brand.
The great thing is that you don’t need to appeal to them directly. Through their research, they’ll come across you organically and check out what you have to offer.
Backlinks (Part 2)
Backlinks don’t have to be digital to reflect positively on the business. Everything you do, from shaking hands and handing out a business card to using Twitter, has a direct knock-on effect. They will see the web address on the card or your social media handles and click-through to your website to find out more info.
Of course, you have to make a great first impression to sync offline marketing methods with your main online one. Indeed, you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of a firm handshake or making eye contact, but you need to consider your appearance too. Whether you’re tailoring your branding at trade shows or dressing professionally, you will be judged in a matter of seconds. Companies that don’t hit their marks within this short timeframe won’t create backlinks to their site.
Sorry, but there is no time for second chances. In business, you either make a quality impression the first time or you move on and try your luck elsewhere.
Ugliness Tolerance
It’s not nice, but the average consumer doesn’t have time for ugliness. They’ll deny it because they don’t want to look shallow, yet they vote with their fingers daily. How? They do it by landing on a page and bouncing as soon as they see the color scheme and images.
Websites don’t have to be ugly, though. If you use the current web design trends, you can transform yours into a beautiful haven for customers. The key is to keep all of the elements as simple as possible so that they don’t clash. Also, play around with fonts and calligraphy to sharpen the aesthetics and to make it look more professional.
Ugliness also refers to the navigational aspects, too. Sites that are hard to search are frustrating and reflect poorly on the company, which is why you need to ensure everything is easy to find.
Without a site, you don’t have a platform that is open 24 hours a day, broadcasting vital info that consumers need. It’s the first point of contact for the company, and that makes it the glue.
