5 Reasons To Refresh Your Website + Branding in 2020

Reason One » Say what you mean… before you even say a word

The first thing a visitor will notice when they click on your website? Your branding! Your branding is your first and best opportunity to show visitors who you are as a company.

So here’s a personal question: Does your current branding reflect the passion you bring to your business? Do the look and feel reflect what it’s like to work with you? If the answer is, “No,” or “I’m not sure,” that’s just not going to cut it.

In 2020, people want to work with businesses that they like, trust, and feel a connection with. If your branding isn’t reflecting everything that’s great about you, it’s not serving you. The right branding will help your ideal clients feel immediately at home on your site. And that’s a very, very good thing for your business.

Reason Two » Help potential clients find you

I may have jumped the gun a little with reason one. The truth is this – if you want your ideal client to have an immediate positive reaction to your website, they have to be able to find it first. This is where search engine optimization and optimized site performance make a huge difference for your business. 

Here are the cold hard facts, my friend » You can have the most beautiful website on the planet, chock-full of super helpful content, but it’s not worth much if people can’t find it in a quick internet search. 

A website redesign can go a long way in making sure that all your content is optimized – so that the right people can actually find you. There are lots of ways to do this:

• adjusting site navigation to make it more SEO-friendly
• using advanced content management systems
• even simple adjustments like using custom page URLs

Any website redesign should take all these factors into consideration to make sure your website is not only functional, but easily found. You DO want to be found, right??

Reason Three » Easier User Experience Means Happier Customers

Have you ever tried to find information from a business’ website and struggled? If so, you know firsthand the frustration you feel with not just the site – but with the business itself. Potential customers or clients tend to make snap judgments about a business based on their website. Your website can easily be your most valuable marketing tool… but it can quickly become your biggest liability if it’s not performing as it should. No one wants that!!

When your website presents a pleasant, easy experience… visitors feel good about what they can expect from your business. 

Imagine this scenario » a potential client visits your website because of the recommendation of a friend. They want to contact you to set up a consultation. Great, right? Now imagine that they have trouble finding the contact page on the navigation from your home page. They’re frustrated, but they keep going because their friend swore by your services. Finally, they find your contact form buried on another page – not where they expected to find it – but now they have trouble submitting it. It just doesn’t work properly! They finally find your email address elsewhere on the site and email you directly. 

Sure, they contacted you… but here’s the rub » You made it hard for them. Clients in 2020 are juggling lots of things at once. They want to work with people who will make everything easy. 

Even if they overcome the frustration of a poorly designed site, you’ll be dealing with their disappointed expectations from the get-go. And that’s not a great way to start your relationship.

Reason Four » More (and Better) Leads

What happens when your branding is dialed in, your site is easy to find, and people can easily and intuitively get the info they want?

They’ll want to work with you. 

You make it easy for them. Your ideal client visits your website and sees themselves – and their desires – reflected back to them. They want to work with a company that shares their passion and makes their lives (or at least a portion of them) simpler and easier. From the first visit, they’ll believe you can solve their problems. Everything will click. 

Wondering about people who aren’t an ideal fit for your products and services? They’ll likely realize relatively quickly – because your branding and messaging are dialed in and on point – that you’re not a good fit for them. That’s just fine! 

But… because you’ve honed in on your ideal branding and invested in your site’s functionality, they’ll still be left with a positive experience of your business, and be more likely to recommend you to a friend – or come back when they have a need you can help them with. 

As a result, the leads you get from your site will be the best of the best – people who really want to work with you, who are an ideal fit for what you have to offer. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Reason Five » Make Your Marketing Efforts Count

You offer a lot to your clients. You spend countless hours crafting offers that will best serve them. You design products that will make their lives easier. You pour your passion into every offering. 

So… does your website reflect that?

Before you say, “Sure, they’re listed on my services page!” or “Yeah, I have my online shop set up,” pause. Beyond the obvious, how is your website really serving your marketing efforts? 

A few things to think about: 

• Are you including calls to action where they make sense? 
• Do people clearly understand what their next step should be?
• Does your branding accurately reflect the value you offer?
• Are you making it easy for people to identify the service that is best for them?
• Does your site’s messaging match the messaging on your other marketing materials?

If your answer to ANY of these questions is, “No,” your website isn’t helping you market. Things need to change, my friend! Your website can be your most powerful tool in a successful marketing strategy… if it’s not, you’re leaving money on the table. No buéno!

Thinking about how you can improve your site for the new year?

Let’s talk – and get started unlocking your site’s potential!