We’ve all been there. You do a Google search for a software or service for your company. But when you click on the web link and look at the site, your first thought is, “Huh?” The site has fancy graphics and dynamic animations, but as you glance down the page, you still don’t understand what it is they do.
It’s understandable for leaders to be seduced by a site’s technical elements, but ultimately, compelling website content helps drive prospects to engage with your company. Effective marketing content includes targeted, relevant messaging.
Website Refresh
Let’s say you are a consulting firm specializing in conducting cybersecurity audits for small companies. You decide to do a website refresh. To expedite the process, you choose not to update the language on the main page and instead put your resources into updating the “look and feel” of the site to be more “modern.” You decide that since you are based in Long Beach, it would be interesting to use nautical-themed graphics throughout your site. Your web designer inserts a video banner of whales cresting over ocean waters as your tagline, “Audits Shouldn’t Scare You—They Should Scare Your Hackers,” runs over it. Then your web designer encourages you to use animations that “splash” on various content blocks to enhance your nautical theme.
When the site is up and you see these components in action, you see the movement and feel comfortable that these technical enhancements highlight your firm as “tech” experts. Each week you track your site analytics; you notice that people don’t stay on your site for long and you’re not adding any new leads. Why?
Refresh Components
One possible answer is that while cresting whales and splashing animations may be “fun,” they simply do not relate to your messaging. What’s the connection between the whale video and the tagline? Nothing.
Using eye-catching graphics and animations can be a great way to draw people into your site. The key is to make sure that the graphics and animations you use are relevant to the product or service you provide. If not, people will leave as quickly as they arrive because they perceive that what you offer does not pertain to them.
Another component is the messaging itself. It’s important to periodically revisit your messaging to ensure you effectively reach your target audience. When doing so, ask yourself the following questions:
- Is the wording relevant to your business?
- Has any of the jargon you are using changed?
- Are there new SEO keywords you should be using?
Words matter, and in today’s SEO-powered, AI-enhanced world, they matter more than ever. HubSpot emphasizes that effective marketing messaging “builds your brand identity through the “why” of your company; its mission, vision, and values.” Getting started can be difficult, so to help you communicate your messaging effectively, you can check out some tips for communicating more clearly and effectively here.
Tips for Enhancing Home Page Content
Considering the average amount of time people spend on a web page is 52 seconds, it’s imperative that your content be easy to understand, compelling, and relevant to your target audience. To guide you in enhancing your content, we’ve identified the following tips:
- Keep your messaging simple.
- Identify your differentiators.
- Clearly identify the services or products you offer on the main page and use links to subpages to provide further explanations.
- Make sure videos, graphics, and animations supplement your messaging and are relevant to your target audience.
Assessing and updating your home page content can be a daunting task. To help you start the process, contact Katzcy today to learn about our free website review and ensure your content is king.
