[Hot] What is the Purpose of Your Website?
The sponsor of the SEO blog, Alex Stepman, of Stepman's SEO, often refers to websites as "high-priced business cards." Of course, a website should function as a business card, of sorts, by establishing credentials and revealing important information, like the business name, address, or phone number.
In Stepman's view, however, a "high priced business card" is not a good purpose for a website. In fact, far too many websites function like a business card, yet serve no other purpose.
A concise purpose should be the starting point for any website. So Stepman asks all potential new clients the same question: "What is the purpose of your website?"
If clients cannot answer this question with pinpoint clarity, Stepman believes, they are likely wasting money on domain and hosting fees, not to mention any money spent designing and developing the site.
What is the Purpose of Your Website?
What is your answer to this question? Perhaps you have a well-defined purpose. If so, your website is likely a profitable venture for you.
Or perhaps your answer does amount to "a business card"--in essence, you did build your website merely to establish credentials, or to offer a venue for your business information. And perhaps you have done little to update your site since its inception.
If this describes your website, you should know two important facts:
1. Google My Business Is Better Than Your Website
A neglected website, while offering valuable information to your consumer, may do more harm than good. At the very least, your hosting fees may be unnecessary. Why share your own information, after all, on a neglected site, when Google can do the job for you?
A Google My Business account offers any business the free opportunity to share business info, with special attention to details like your business category. This information is used to populate the local map in search results as well as the knowledge graph, two powerful SEO tools.
A Google My Business account is mandatory for any business, especially local businesses, but many website owners do not even know this tool exists. Yet for most websites, a Google My Business account will likely offer the most visible presence on the web. It is a powerful adjunct to a good website and a good replacement for a neglected website.
Simply put, a Google My Business account is more accessible than a neglected website. Your neglected website is likely lost on the third or fourth pages of the results. A Google My Business account, however, will often help your business appear on the first page, connecting you to browsers who are looking for your type of product or service.
2. Your Site Can Do More
Some businesses may do better abandoning a neglected website altogether and opting for a visible web presence through Google My Business and social media sites, like Facebook or Twitter.
However, a far better option, for any website, is to update the existing website or build a new website to reflect a clear purpose. Essentially, a website with a purpose (beyond establishing credentials and offering basic information), will do one of two things:
A call-to-action, as we noted in a recent post, "is related to the digital marketing concept of 'conversion,' when a visitor actually performs a desired action--like clicking that link or button, or signing up for a newsletter. To attract conversions, of course, a website must offer effective calls to action--enticements that make the 'action' both simple and desirable."
Read: Crafting Effective Calls to Action: Three Simple Tips
This is a simple fact too many website owners miss: The best possible use of a website is to entice existing customers and attract new customers. So Alex Stepman often asks his clients to think about the purpose of a website in terms of both conversions and calls to action.
Yes, a high-priced business card may offer an information portal for browsers who already know your business, but a website that focuses on conversions and calls to action (and is, by nature, performing digital marketing and SEO) will offer something tangible and beneficial for customers new and old.
When thinking about the purpose of your website, then, you attune your thinking to business growth. And isn't that the point, after all?
Grow Your Business with Stepman's SEO
Digital marketing and SEO are powerful engines to new customers, profit, and success. If you sell a high-quality product at a good price, a well-executed marketing campaign will deliver success. Search engine optimization (SEO) should be an essential part of every website marketing campaign. An optimized website will create new opportunities for any business, making it easy to find new customers at any time. To start, call today: 215-900-9398.
In Stepman's view, however, a "high priced business card" is not a good purpose for a website. In fact, far too many websites function like a business card, yet serve no other purpose.
A concise purpose should be the starting point for any website. So Stepman asks all potential new clients the same question: "What is the purpose of your website?"
If clients cannot answer this question with pinpoint clarity, Stepman believes, they are likely wasting money on domain and hosting fees, not to mention any money spent designing and developing the site.
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| A beautiful 19th century business card, which shares the relevant information for James M. Vance & Co; unfortunately, too many websites serve the same purpose--yet offer browsers nothing else [Source]. |
What is the Purpose of Your Website?
What is your answer to this question? Perhaps you have a well-defined purpose. If so, your website is likely a profitable venture for you.
Or perhaps your answer does amount to "a business card"--in essence, you did build your website merely to establish credentials, or to offer a venue for your business information. And perhaps you have done little to update your site since its inception.
If this describes your website, you should know two important facts:
1. Google My Business Is Better Than Your Website
A neglected website, while offering valuable information to your consumer, may do more harm than good. At the very least, your hosting fees may be unnecessary. Why share your own information, after all, on a neglected site, when Google can do the job for you?
A Google My Business account offers any business the free opportunity to share business info, with special attention to details like your business category. This information is used to populate the local map in search results as well as the knowledge graph, two powerful SEO tools.
A Google My Business account is mandatory for any business, especially local businesses, but many website owners do not even know this tool exists. Yet for most websites, a Google My Business account will likely offer the most visible presence on the web. It is a powerful adjunct to a good website and a good replacement for a neglected website.
Simply put, a Google My Business account is more accessible than a neglected website. Your neglected website is likely lost on the third or fourth pages of the results. A Google My Business account, however, will often help your business appear on the first page, connecting you to browsers who are looking for your type of product or service.
2. Your Site Can Do More
Some businesses may do better abandoning a neglected website altogether and opting for a visible web presence through Google My Business and social media sites, like Facebook or Twitter.
However, a far better option, for any website, is to update the existing website or build a new website to reflect a clear purpose. Essentially, a website with a purpose (beyond establishing credentials and offering basic information), will do one of two things:
- Sell products or services online
- Generate business leads
A call-to-action, as we noted in a recent post, "is related to the digital marketing concept of 'conversion,' when a visitor actually performs a desired action--like clicking that link or button, or signing up for a newsletter. To attract conversions, of course, a website must offer effective calls to action--enticements that make the 'action' both simple and desirable."
Read: Crafting Effective Calls to Action: Three Simple Tips
This is a simple fact too many website owners miss: The best possible use of a website is to entice existing customers and attract new customers. So Alex Stepman often asks his clients to think about the purpose of a website in terms of both conversions and calls to action.
Yes, a high-priced business card may offer an information portal for browsers who already know your business, but a website that focuses on conversions and calls to action (and is, by nature, performing digital marketing and SEO) will offer something tangible and beneficial for customers new and old.
When thinking about the purpose of your website, then, you attune your thinking to business growth. And isn't that the point, after all?
Grow Your Business with Stepman's SEO
Digital marketing and SEO are powerful engines to new customers, profit, and success. If you sell a high-quality product at a good price, a well-executed marketing campaign will deliver success. Search engine optimization (SEO) should be an essential part of every website marketing campaign. An optimized website will create new opportunities for any business, making it easy to find new customers at any time. To start, call today: 215-900-9398.