BDC Perspective: Take your website to the next level

There was a time when a website was a "nice to have" for entrepreneurs. But today it has become a "must-have" for companies, according to BDC Consultant Rony Israel.

"The web is the most important communications tool in business today. Your website basically replaces your business card. Not only does it reflect your company image, it's also an ideal way to communicate with your prospects and customers," says Israel. A small percentage of business owners have garnered some invaluable experience with building a strong web presence over the past years. However, many entrepreneurs are still falling behind, he contends.

"This particularly applies to companies that got into business before the internet existed. Many people think it's enough to work with a basic template, hastily put up a website and let it sit there unattended. But that's exactly what you shouldn't be doing," he emphasizes.

Change your content constantly
For Israel, one of the key factors for success when building a website is developing strong content that is updated regularly and adds value for visitors.
"Whatever business you're in, there's always something new to communicate on your site," he stresses. Entrepreneurs may worry that they lack content but all they have to do is tap into their day-to-day business activities to find it," he explains. "For example, if your company is attending a conference, you could post an invitation to clients to visit your booth. You could regularly put up customer success stories or testimonials from employees. Or, write news briefs on specific activities such as the launch of a product. Whatever you do, be creative about it," he emphasizes.

Create accountability for content
Israel suggests that entrepreneurs assign somebody to take care of web content unless they have the means to outsource it. "Avoid having too many players working on content. Be sure that you have one person who is gathering content from various contributors. This will help you create uniformity and a consistent tone. After all, your site reflects your corporate image and is a precious asset," he says.

Generate high-volume traffic
The real success of any website, says Israel, is determined by how much traffic you generate. "If you're not getting those hits than your website isn't doing its job. Achieving a high volume of traffic has to be top of mind for entrepreneurs," he emphasizes. "Don't be complacent about your goals. Always push for more visitors. Use every single opportunity you have to direct your people to your website," he recommends.  Entrepreneurs can rely on basic means such as web advertising and search engines. "Still, one of the most effective means is simply handing out your URL as a business card," he says.

Ensure search engines can find you
If your site is not showing up on search engines such as Google, you may have some work to do to improve your site, says Israel. Typically, search engines use algorithms that look at various aspects of your site, such as the URL, keywords, descriptors, title and content. "That's how they rank your site, so it's important to keep the material fresh and up-to-date," he explains. 

 "Search engine companies are in business, too. They have a reputation to maintain and they want to link their customers to good content. Of course, entrepreneurs also have the option to pay for that visibility. Although that means investing dollars upfront, the payback is an increased presence," he says.

Use the reverse pyramid
Although there's no one recipe for building an effective site, Israel believes that a "reverse pyramid" approach can vastly improve navigation. "Basically that means putting the most important information at the top. Use short headlines and keep the copy simple. As visitors navigate through your site, they should find more information.  The deeper that they go, the higher the interest that they are showing in your content," he explains. As well, be sure that your customers can contact you at any point during the visit. For example, you could add a contact tab on every page.

Build partnerships
Sharing links with other company websites is a very effective strategy to create value for visitors and improve content. "There's so much creativity out there and entrepreneurs should take advantage of what other companies are doing," he says. "You can build win-win partnerships with other businesses. For example, if you're a grocer selling broccoli then you could link visitors to sites that feature broccoli recipes. In turn, these companies may end up buying your product," he says. In the same way, entrepreneurs can also build links with industry associations, suppliers and community networks.

Measure your success
Generating traffic is one thing but measuring your success is equally important, says Israel. Entrepreneurs can rely on basic tools to track how users come to the site, how long they stay and where they're coming from. "This is invaluable information for any business owner. It enables you to adjust your site and make improvements." For example, you may see that people are zipping past your splash page which features elaborate animation. This is a message that you need to simplify your web introduction page. In the end, you have to listen to your customers and let them guide you," he concludes.