Improve Your Website With These 5 Ideas

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November 29, 2011 | BY Aaron Weiche
  

One of the many positives about a website is it’s ability to evolve.  Websites can be like a Lego kit as you can add the pieces you need to make it a better website.

As the year winds down, maybe you’re looking at how to improve your website for 2012.   Here are 5 additions to your website that can grow your business online by adding just one or all of them.

1.  Flexible Content Management System

It’s hard to believe in this day and age of the web, but many websites still operate without a great CMS powering them.  Take advantage of being able to add pages, change content, add photos and more with a CMS.

There are many options for flexible, feature packed, search engine friendly and easy to use CMS’s.  If you are without a CMS or using a limited one, make the move.

2.  Get Visual With Graphics, Photos & Videos

While HTML text is the base of any great website for a user as well as the search engines, grow your content with visual media.  A simple photo gallery for any type of business can increase trust in your website and business.  Leveraging custom graphics, infographics or video to explain your services, showcase your products and engage users takes content to a new level.

Need media examples?

3.  Add A Blog

Blogging has numerous benefits for any type of business, organization or website.  A blog allows you to showcase your expertise, deliver current and relevant content, cover niche topics, post company or industry news and the list goes on.

Blogs give you the perfect platform to publish valuable content that increases search engine visibility.  If you need more convincing to add a blog read this or this.

 

account portal log-in4.  Customer Portal

Add a customer portal that allows your customers to log into your website and get account or other specific information vital to them.

Just as you check your online banking daily or weekly, you likely have a process, service or documentation that your customer would like to easily check at their convenience online.

Your client gets easier access to something they need and you get their attention more frequently.  Once you have this portal as a “touch point” you can leverage further pieces to deepen the relationship and value add.

5.  Live Chat

You can’t be enough places at once when you have prospects or clients with questions.  Adding a Live Chat feature to your website might be a communication channel your customer expects no different than a phone number or email address.  Services like Workface make adding this sales or service tool a breeze.

A Work In Progress
A great website that produces leads, relationships and customer service is not a one-time creation but a constant work in progress.  If you have other features you are adding to your website in the near future I’d love to hear what and why your choosing to add it.  If you need help integrating any of these for your website, our team of web experts can make that happen.

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  • http://www.netmajic.com Brian Johnson

    All great suggestions! I would add that CMS is not always a necessity depending on the size of the business and purpose of the site, most of the other things are all great suggestions. Especially people who don’t have blogs, it’s such a great idea to have one. It’s great information for clients and others, and is great for SEO and your web presence overall.

  • Anonymous

    Thanks Brian- My opinion is that with so many simple and easy to develop with CMS’s you might as well start with one.  Even if your client or own site won’t leverage it day one, chances are at some point, someone’s going to want to edit or add content to stay relevant.  Thanks for the read and comment!