5 Tips for Optimizing Your Digital Presence Right Now

During the past decade or more, people have become more heavily reliant on the internet to do their shopping or find the information they need. This is especially true since the world wide COVID-19 pandemic came onto the scene in early 2020. The U.S. Census Bureau reported that online spending exceeded $200 billion dollars in just the second quarter alone this year.

With many more people looking to online resources to take care of their needs right now, this is a fantastic opportunity to make sure your website is operating at top performance. Here are some great tips on how to optimize your digital presence to achieve maximum returns.

The Power Of Search

Whether you are running an ecommerce website or one that focuses on providing information for a given industry, the effectiveness of your onsite search tool cannot be overemphasized. Data consistently shows that site visitors use the search bar more than any other method in order to find the products or information they need. Your search bar should be easy to find and appear on every landing page for quick access.

In addition, utilize advanced search features such as autocomplete, which can predict what your visitors are looking for and complete the rest of the search phrasing for them. Be sure that your search tool also has the ability to further refine results through the use of filters and facets, which can play a big role in providing a personalized experience for users.

Content Strategy

For many years, there was a trend in web design to focus mostly on the look and feel of a site and less on the quality of the content that visitors were reading. While functionality is still key in helping customers achieve their goals while interacting with your site, there has been a major shift in recent years with regard to looking at content as an essential part of a visitor’s overall experience.

Does the content on your site today still convey the messaging that your company or association wants to provide customers and prospects? Is the information up to date and able to provide the maximum amount of value to readers? Taking a close look at the copy on your site and also developing an overall strategy for it designed to meet your current and future goals can be worth its weight in gold. 

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

Even the greatest website in the world is of little use if nobody can find it during a Google search. With the competition to attract the attention of customers gets more difficult online with each passing year, it is more important than ever to optimize your site’s SEO quality.

Search engine optimization seeks to put a website in the best position to rank as highly as possible when search inquiries are done on a given subject or industry. The higher a company’s website can rank in search results, the better the chances are that visitors will be drawn to interact with it. SEO can be maximized through the use of keywords inserted into content, Google friendly title tags, meta descriptions and other related areas of focus.

Putting together a successful SEO strategy can be the differentiator between a mediocre performing website and one that consistently meets and exceeds an organization’s objectives. A quick audit of your site will be a great help in determining how well your current SEO strategy is working and where improvements can be made.

Accessibility

Many people don’t realize that some of the provisions detailed in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) apply specifically to website design. If an organization’s goal is to reach as many of their targeted audience members as possible, an investment in accessibility compliance can be extremely worthwhile. Website accessibility focuses on such areas as screen colors, contrasts and font sizes for visually impaired people, audio tools for those with hearing problems, as well as other adaptations that make the experience of your website more meaningful for disabled people.  

Not only is accessibly for websites a legal requirement, but it also gives site visitors with physical impairments the ability to fully interact with your company or brand. Conducting an accessibility audit on your site can be a great help in determining what areas are working well for people with limitations and where improvements can be made.

Call To Action Prompts

Every website is designed to achieve some sort of an objective and there can be as many different goals in the digital world as there are sites themselves. One thing that most websites have in common is that they want their customers or visitors to take some sort of an action after reading the information that has been provided. This action step is often called a conversion. A conversion can be defined as many things, including making a purchase, filling in a form or a host of other goal orientated activities.

Every effective website, no matter the kind has various types of conversion goals. Does your site give visitors plenty of opportunities to convert? Utilizing “call to action“(CTA) buttons or “click here” prompts can go a long way toward accomplishing your conversion goals whatever they may be. Conducting a quick conversion journey analysis on your website can be extremely beneficial toward reaching your site’s pre- defined objectives.  

These five powerful ways to improve your website’s performance can make a huge impact on your organization’s ability to achieve both short and long term goals. If you would like to learn more about how Americaneagle.com can help you maximize the effectiveness of your website, contact us today.