Finally, spring is in the air. The snow has melted, flowers are blooming and everything smells like dog excrement for 3 weeks. By the time spring rolls around, we’ve usually built up a pretty good list of things that could use some TLC in our lives. So since we’re in rejuvination mode, one of the things that is often at the top of the business list is the website.
My website isn't dirty. I just have everything on display. Like a museum.
A great inbound marketing strategy is fueled by quality helpful content that is highly targeted to your customer personas, so if your website has been nothing more than brochureware throughout the winter months, how are you able to target the right people or measure any kind of successful goals?
So what are some of the things that can and should be done to reevaluate the success of your website?
Step 1: Revisit Your Online Marketing Strategy
I can guarantee you that your online strategy on this very same day last year is not the same as it is right now. A lot of things change in a year, so take a step back and examine your customer personas again. Are you still targeting the same people or have they evolved? What are the industry trends and what can you do to address new problems with your solutions? Make sure that going forward you have a plan in place to provide your customers with content that they care about. It’s not all about you and your products or services.
Step 2: Make Your Website Responsive
Have you tried recently to view your website on a mobile device? Mobile was huge last year and it’s even more important today. Making your site mobile ready by being responsive means that your visitors are ensured the same level of quality interaction with your business no matter if they are at the office, in person or browsing on a mobile device at the bus stop.
Step 3: It’s Time to Rethink SEO
Like everything else in the tech world, SEO has changed at a lightning pace. You know those emails you get that promise increased search rankings and the top spot on Google by using the top secret 007 ninja keyword tricks? Well, the technical tricks that those SEO trolls throw at you no longer work. SEO has finally become more about who has the most helpful and targeted content on their site. This means that if you are a thought leader in your industry, you’ll be ranked accordingly. The key to achieving this is to get your expertise out there via blogs and social media. As you gain social proof by producing quality content and quality inbound links, you search engine ranking will begin to climb.
No yodeling, please.
Step 4: Start Generating Quality Leads with Inbound Marketing
Your website by itself is not a marketing strategy. It is only one extension of a living, breathing and thriving online brand presence. Inbound marketing isn’t just about the features and tools of a website. It’s about targeting content to your dream customers, connecting with people and helping them find what they need.
In a nutshell, inbound marketing is how your online brand interacts with prospects by using all of the tools at your disposal to create a relevant, rich, and personalized experience. This experience lasts from the time that they first hear about your brand all the way through to the point of sale. From that point, the experience even extends to telling their friends about how much they love your brand. Inbound marketing delivers 54% more leads into the marketing funnel than traditional outbound leads.
Step 5: Keep It Spring Time Fresh
Let’s hit you with some spring time statistics that will blow the cobwebs off your codpiece. 61% of global internet users research products online. That means that your visitors are seeking you out to find answers to their problems. 60% of the entire sales cycle is also completed before someone even contacts you. Finally, because 61% of consumers say they feel better about a company that delivers custom content, they are also more likely to buy from that company. What better proof do you need to keep providing quality, useful content and to not let your website fall into the same old rut of displaying stagnant brochureware that keeps your online brand looking dustier than King Tut’s tube socks.
I bet he wears Fruit of the Tomb.
So start breathing some life into that cadaver of a website and start thinking about how you can truly begin measure the ROI of your online marketing efforts. The core of inbound consists of marketing that people want to see and the tools and methods that can Attract a stranger, Convert a visitor, Close a lead and Delight customers into becoming promoters who can help begin the process all over again with someone new. This is the secret that the best online brands have figured out and they will work for you.
Hey, if you’re wondering how you can start applying the inbound methodology to your marketing campaigns right away, or if even if you’re simply a checklist aficionado, check out our free inbound marketing campaign checklist:
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