If you’re creating a new website or redesigning your current site in 2011, then good for you! Nothing like having a nice fresh face on your site to start the new year.
Here are five suggestions to help you get more bang for your buck with your website this year:
Make Your Site Blog Driven
Unless for some weird reason it just doesn’t make sense, build your site around your blog. This creates a much more dynamic, interactive site that inspires conversation and fresh input on a constant basis. This will not only make things more interesting for your visitors, but also for Google. Google loves fresh content and having a blog based site is a very effective way of producing this.
For more ideas about this, check out: 5 Reasons Why Blog Based Sites are Sexy!
Magazine Format
Think of incorporating an online magazine type of format for your site. This ties in nicely with the blog based site idea, and creates an exciting platform for your business’ online presence. This can really help develop your site’s appeal for new and repeat visitors.
For more ideas that might help you with this, have a look at: Your Website = Your Online Magazine
Add Video
Nothing conveys a message as well as video. Therefore it stands to reason that when it comes to content for your site, video can help you create more of draw, more of a buzz, give your site more dynamic presence, and establish more of a successful connection with your site’s traffic.
Video is easy and inexpensive to produce these days. Start adding it as soon as possible!
For more info that could help you with this, check out Using Video On Your Website to Promote Your Business Online
Social Media Integration
I’ll continue to beat this drum until (and probably well after) all of my clients are on board this train! Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube. There are others out there, but these are the four networks you should really have a presence on.
I’ve had clients that spend up to $50,000/year on print ads and marketing. These are static ads that might be seen, might not be seen. Might have an effective impact, might not.
For businesses spending a lot of money on conventional marketing, think of these social networks as the top four magazines you can appear in right now. Only, these magazines are dynamic and interactive, and will help you go to where your customers are.
Other posts that can help you understand these platforms better:
- Is Social Media a Fad? No!
- Why Social Media Works for Marketing – The Movie!
- 5 ways Twitter can Help You in Business
- 3 Reasons You Should Be Using LinkedIn
Add Downloads
Whether you’re offering free or product downloads from your site, this is a great way to have your site do some significant work for you. Free downloads can help bring people to you and can help distribute your brand (given you make sure your brand is strongly represented in your downloadable materials). Based on the content, downloads can help you establish authority and trust.
Product downloads… well, do I even have to say anything here? They help you generate income with minimal effort on your part. For example, if you’re selling a downloadable product, you’re selling one digital file over and over and over… …and over again!
Want more? Let Your Website Do The Work For You
How About You?
Are you doing these things already? What are some other things that are working for you?
Make Your Videos Stand Out – Do Something Different – The Movie!