My kickoff post for 2020 was all about how to achieve the benchmarks you set for your business in the coming year.
And the solution I proposed?
Improving your marking!

Of course, that begs another question… How!?

Well, the answer is simple. Audit your current marketing strategies. Make adjustments where necessary. And repeat until you reach your goals.
But the execution (of the audit), following through (with the necessary adjustments), and repeating the process (as needed to achieve your benchmarks) is TOUGH.
I mean, where do you even start?
Fortunately, my kickoff post provided a solid overview. But it was just that. An overview.
What about the details?
Well, friends, that’s what we’re going to dig into RIGHT NOW.
And we’re going to start with the hub (or what should be the hub) of your marketing efforts: Your Website.
If you’re doing it right, your marketing efforts are like a wheel. Your website resides at the center. Your various tactics are spokes. And those spokes lead prospects (your ideal clients) to your website.
But what happens when your prospects land on your site? Are your would-be ideal clients dazzled by what they see? Captivated by what the read (or watch on video)? And compelled to act?
If you can’t honestly answer yes (or if, even worse, you just don’t know), it’s high time for an audit.

So, Where Does Your Audit Start?

Let’s break it down into sections. First, we’ll look at the visuals and overall appearance. Then move on to content. And finally, wind up with function.

Visual Appearance (Look + Feel)

Speaking in terms of look and feel… Is your site’s appearance fresh and inviting?
In the professional services game, you wouldn’t necessarily think the visual aspect of your site makes all that much difference, right? As long as your presentation is “professional,” you’re on solid footing, right?
Think again!
A quick case study… A client realized the photos on her website were kind of old and outdated. So she hired a photographer for a photo shoot and used the fresh new pix to update the headers and other internal photos across her website.
After replacing five-year-old pix, she saw an immediate reaction… A plethora of compliments poured in, praising her new photos. And, more importantly, she noticed a definite uptick in inquiries to book her services.
In short, when you review your site, ask yourself… “Would prospects who land here be engaged enough to investigate this site further?”
Because while your messaging is what ultimately motivates actions, it’s often the visuals that prompt and a visitor to actually read your messaging.
And of course, it’s not just photos. Colors and other graphics matter, too.
But that said, it can sometimes be tough to see the forest for the trees when reviewing your own website. So, it’s likely worthwhile to have a couple of colleagues, associates, and even friends — assuming you can count on them to deliver an honest, critically astute assessment — review your site as well.

Messaging

Now that we’ve nailed down the visual side of your website, what about the messaging?
Specifically, does your messaging reflect the current state of your business? Are you talking the talk that will engage your ideal prospects?
Here’s a mistake loads of professional service business owners make time and time again… You nail down the copy in your website’s various pages (Home, About + Services being among the most critical).
And then you think: “I’m done!” Assuming you never need to review that aspect of your website again. In other words, you’re home free, right?
Not so much…
A quick case study… A client who works as a ligation attorney initially wanted to break into the lucrative Personal Injury market. That market, however, is fiercely competitive. A significant number of attorneys are all vying for the same clients.
While struggling to gain traction with his personal injury practice, my client discovered property damage and real estate non-disclosure was a grossly underserved legal niche. The revenue opportunities weren’t necessarily as sizable as personal injury. But there was a MONUMENTAL potential to cultivate new business.
In response, he changed his website messaging to solicit both personal injury and property damage clients. But while his property damage practice continued to grow, the personal injury claims coming his way were a mere trickle.
Realizing that his personal injury marketing efforts were largely a waste, we changed up his messaging to focus strictly on property damage. And created a second, smaller and less involved site to address personal injury cases.
As a result, he’s become the leading property damage and real estate non-disclosure attorney in his marketplace. And he’s got more clients than he can ever hope to wrangle in seven lifetimes.
Meanwhile, he’s referring the smaller volume of personal injury claims to his wife, who’s also an attorney.
She’s only working part-time and in need of a lighter schedule to make time to care for their two young children. So, the smaller client volume is a perfect match for her limited availability.

Function Part I:  User Experience (UX) + Design Appeal

Thus far, we’ve got your website’s appearance and messaging squared away. Now, it’s time to look under the hood, so to speak.
So, what are we looking for?
Is your site functional from a user standpoint? Is it intuitive and easy to navigate?
I can’t tell you how often I land on websites that are stunningly gorgeous but don’t make a lick of sense… Where I supposed to go!? What I’m supposed to do!?
From a UX (user experience) perspective, if a visitor to your is asking these questions, that’s a uuuuuuuuge fail!
In other words, it doesn’t matter how fab your site looks. If visitors are confused about what to do, they’re gonna click away toot sweet!
Conversely, I still encounter sites all the time that appears to have been coded in the late ’90s. It’s like a blast from the technological past. Harkening back to when the internet first became a thing.
Do such websites convey a sense of credibility? I’ll give you a subtle hint: NOT A CHANCE!
A quick case study… A long-time real estate agent client was complaining about her website. She was frustrated because several key features weren’t working correctly. Moreover, the site was failing to generate any credible leads.
A brief review revealed the site was…what are the words I’m looking for here? Oh yeah, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out of date! Not quite internet 1.0. But not too far off, either.
To right the shop… We did a full redesign and relaunch on the WordPress platform. Added the Yoast SEO plugin. And her site is up-to-date, fully functional, and generating a steady stream of new leads!

Function Part II: Accurate Website Utility

Over time, your site evolves. It grows and contracts. The structure is revised and rejiggered. And, if you’re savvy, it’s redesigned and updated every few years.
But while evolution, redesign, and updates are good for your website, they don’t come without consequences… Link changes, page additions and subtractions, and full redesigns can leave a trail of misleading digital breadcrumbs.
Internal links that aren’t updated when your site is revised or redesigned can send visitors to old or incorrect pages, or to pages that no longer exist. This generates a 404 error (HTML code for “page does not exist”). All of which leaves visitors confused and frustrated. And, as it turns out, that’s VERY bad for SEO.
A quick case study… A client that provides coaching services recently came to me in total dismay. Her website had generated a consistent stream of leads for nearly 8 years. But suddenly, traffic had plunged off a cliff.
A brief review of her site’s backend revealed scores of 404 errors. Apparently, a redesign conducted nearly a year prior didn’t update hundreds of blog posts links. And when Google crawled her site, it found an abundance of 404 errors. And in turn, the errors were squashing her site’s search ranking.
Thanks to mass corrections, her site’s ranking recovered. And a steady stream of leads has returned.

Clearly, Auditing Your Website Regularly is IMPERATIVE!

Your website, if truly effective, is a living, breathing entity. And as such, it demands consistent feeding and care. Otherwise, like plants, pets, and, oh yeah, people, it’s bound to wither and die.
Not quite like fruit rusting on the vine. But a website that’s left unattended, in dire need of revisions, updates, and repairs ceases to be an effective marketing vehicle.
And letting your website linger in this state means you’re sacrificing your most effective prospecting and conversion tool.
In other words, it’s time to audit your website!

Need Help Auditing Your Website?

Swing by my LinkedIn page for a consult!