Is your website a drain on your marketing budget or a contributor to your bottom line? Drive traffic to your website with a memorable marketing message, an easy-to-navigate site and content that is search engine friendly and engaging to visitors. Follow these strategies for a powerful website:

• Have a memorable message. Help visitors understand "what's in it for them" with a memorable marketing message that is short and to the point. Clearly indicate what pain point your product or service addresses, your solution and what makes your solution better than that offered by your competition.
• Make your website easy to navigate. Make it easy for visitors to find the information they want by grouping content in a logical manner. Minimize the number of clicks needed to get to a desired page. Test links often so visitors don't get to a frustrating dead end.
• Keep your copy succinct so visitors don't need to scroll. People have a tendency to read only the copy that fits in one screen length unless they are very interested in the content. Make your key points quickly. How? Edit relentlessly. Eliminate unnecessary words. Use bullets where possible.
• Keep information current. If you want people to return again and again, give them a reason to come back. If your most recent newsletter or press release dates back three years, it's time for an update.
• Watch out for typos.  A typographical error may not seem like a big deal, but it says a lot about your attention to detail. Proofread your website before it goes live as well as all new content. 
• Get rid of jargon. Every profession or industry has a language of its own, a type of communication shorthand understood by a particular group. To people outside your professional circle — and possibly your customers — these words are often meaningless and annoying. Eliminate them.
• Deliver what you promise. If you offer a newsletter, send it out on a regular basis. It is a great way to stay in touch with clients and it speaks volumes about your ability to follow through on a project.
• Make it easy for visitors to contact you. Your website is an important tool that allows you to communicate with prospects and customers. Encourage people to join in the conversation. Make it easy for visitors to contact you.

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© 2008 Joan B. Marcus