Category: Website content

Move with the times

Julie Kenyon

In this ever changing world, it pays to review our messaging, and positioning, to ensure we remain relevant and are indeed meeting the needs of our clients and customers. Even traditional industries and sectors are being challenged to change, to go greener, to be more efficient, more high tech, more tailored to their target markets, and to communicate differently, using a vast choice of channels.

I’ve been working on a number of projects recently that have required focus on exactly where the business is, and what in essence it has to offer. For both start up businesses and those that are well established, we started with a strategy session to examine what it is that the market needs right now, and how my clients are able to meet those needs. This is not just about attracting customers, but taking a step back to think about what the environment, stakeholders and even the world needs and how my clients can answer those demands.

It’s not simply about setting out your stall and hoping people will buy – it’s about showing a thorough understanding of what your customers are experiencing, and how you can help them transition in an ever changing world.

For startup businesses, our strategy sessions involved focusing on how to turn experience and expertise into something people would want to buy. How could we commercialise a set of skills? How could we put this into context, so that potential customers would understand the benefits, and what exactly it was that they could buy? This takes time, discussion and some creative thinking away from the office, to let the ideas flow and a vision for the business to form. It’s a huge step starting out on your own, but it’s fun, exciting and rewarding too.

For established businesses, our strategy sessions focused more on existing websites and marketing collateral, to establish what needed to change, why, and how we could make the most of this opportunity to update the messaging, and ask our customers, and potential customers to look again, learn more and understand the true value of the product and/or service.

Set yourself a simple task

Take a look at your website and other marketing materials – when were they last updated? Are they still relevant? Even your privacy policy and GDPR statement should be updated from time to time, along with security updates on your website to ensure it is protected and running smoothly on both desktop and mobile.

Check for terminology – if Roald Dahl books are being updated, perhaps it’s time to review your own language, tone and intent – be sure you’re pitching correctly to your audience.

Check product descriptions – have you improved or changed products or services, what are their latest USPs, are they better for the environment, cheaper or do they do more than they used to?

Check your team information – remove old staff members, update with new

Check the About Us page and contact details on your website – what additional experience and credentials have you gained in the last year or more? Have you moved or opened a new office?

For an independent audit on all of your marketing collateral, or to get started in your new business please contact me, I’d be happy to help.

Website pain – where does it hurt?

Julie Kenyon

Hands up if you’re happy with your website!

OK, so the majority of us will make excuses for our website (me included) and say it needs work, it’s on my list of things to do, or my clients’ work must come first.

Hold that thought for a second. What if you were to bring ‘website development’ to the top of your list for just an afternoon – what changes could you achieve?

I’ve critiqued a number of websites in my time, and the good news is, there are lots of small adjustments that can be made to help move the game on. Small adjustments can turn into bigger changes over time, and when you start to see the results, the momentum has a habit of gathering speed.

It’s worth noting here that a website is never really finished – it’s best to consider it as work in progress. Google likes lots of lovely fresh content, so think of it as is an ongoing work of art. It’s not your company brochure, far from it. Your website is like a journal, detailing everything that’s going on in your world and most importantly in your customers’ world.

So, start by asking the question: Where does it hurt the most? Is it the cover image, the words, the navigation? Is it the fact that your call to action is almost non-existent? Are there internal links to help keep people interested and on your site for longer? What is the bounce rate? Is it too high? …the list goes on.

An independent view

If you’d like an independent critique of your website, complete with strategy and plan to make things a whole lot better, I’d be happy to help.

From corporate ID, through to web design and build there are lots of ways improvements can be made. I’ll look at the content too, to make sure it’s resonating with your audience.

We’ll start with one key objective – to create a website you’ll be proud of and from thereon in, things will only get better!

Bridge that gap!

Julie Kenyon

It’s summer and I’ve had a little more time than usual to browse websites, do some research into the latest trends in content marketing, and go off piste to expand my mind beyond the norm.

I’m conscious that some websites often miss a trick when they have got me interested – they fail to reach out and engage.

When overhauling a website for a client recently, we added lots of calls to action – newsletter sign ups, express an interest form for courses, and clear instructions on how to buy from the site. We added more internal links from blogs to videos, and back again to the website from the YouTube Channel.

Google analytics informed us which pages were the most popular, so we added links to those pages to take visitors deeper into the site, and give them more of what they were interested in. We also used this data to make intelligent decisions about what to promote on social media, to improve click rates and further engagement.

It has made a huge difference. Courses have consistently sold out in good time, we have grown our list of warm contacts, and given customers and prospects a much better website experience.

Review your website and bridge that gap!

Summer is a great time to step back and take a look at your own website, to see where updates and improvements can be made. Browse other sites, especially ones that you like – what is it that attracts you about the site? Can you replicate their ideas for your own?

How easy is it for customers to buy from you, or to let you know that they are interested?

If you’re stuck for ideas, or not sure how to go about updating your content and adding new and enticing calls to action, perhaps we should have a conversation. I’d be happy to spend a little time with you to get you on the right track.

Email me at j.kenyon@insidermarketing.co.uk and we can have a chat.

1st priority for 2019 – Deliver on expectations!

Julie Kenyon

As a writer and marketer, I put myself in the seats of the audience I am writing for. It ensures that I stay focused on customer needs and create a desire for a product or service because it is exactly what they are looking for. By identifying with their pain, and demonstrating that the pain can indeed be taken away, they’re right to feel confident about making a purchase.

Where it goes wrong however, is when the reality doesn’t live up to expectations. That’s why I’m a huge advocate of joined up communication between sales and marketing. If sales people do what the marketing communications promise, then everyone is happy.

And it shouldn’t just be the sales people – every person in a business should be part of the marketing vision, from administration to despatch, from quality control to HR. The most successful businesses are those that understand the importance of good customer service and share in the responsibility for its delivery.

A challenge for you

Take a look at the content on your website and on your other marketing collateral. Does your company do what it claims to do or is there a gap between the words your customers are reading and reality? Be honest with yourself, because if there is disparity, the first ones to notice will be your customers. Yet they may not tell you if they can’t find what they are looking for, or their first conversation with you leads to disappointment, they may simply go elsewhere, and you’ll never know where you are going wrong.

Of course your marketing content has to be right too – is it meeting the needs of your audience and answering the questions they have before they are able to make a purchase? What you think is important may not be important to your buyers, and their top priorities may not, in your eyes, seem that relevant.

Find out what is hurting your customers right now, demonstrate that you understand their issues and are there to help. It’s a simple formula for success that will work – so long as their entire experience of interacting with your company meets their expectations.

Have a happy and successful 2019 – it’s there for the taking!