Is your website missing a strategy to actually book clients?
“Strategy” is becoming a bit of a buzz word in the online business world. And while it usually means thoughtfully mapping out a plan to achieve some specific outcome, strategy also pulls from tried and tested methods figured out by those who have come before you.
So while, yes, it’s a bit trendy to talk about website strategy, it’s also a foundational aspect to any successful business website.
In this article, I’ll be sharing what website strategy is, what it can do for your business and how to get started creating your own strategic plan for your website.
What is website strategy?
I’ll bet you use dozens of websites each day and rarely do you think about how those websites function, how they’re laid out, and the underlying structure of the website that compels you to stick around. Those are some of the key elements that go into creating a strategic website.
When working with a website designer, like myself, you’ll lean on their professional experience building websites for a lot of the structural pieces that go into making a well-functioning website. And if you’re using website strategy, you’ll then go a step further and figure out how to design the website to support your business goals and objectives!
The core of a great website strategy is a solid understanding of the business, the brand, their target audience and the offers to be presented which all go into crafting the structure and design of the final website.
What results can I expect from my website strategy?
At its core, a great website strategy should be based in achieving business and marketing objectives. So a well-designed website will match your overall business goals and fit in seamlessly with your marketing efforts.
When working in harmony with your business, your strategically designed website can:
Grow your email list so you can nurture and sell to your website visitors for (potentially) years to come
Nurture website visitors into warm leads who book sales calls or send inquiries to your inbox
Sell your products or services directly, without needing you to close the sale
Build your brand awareness and authority in your industry
Book PR and speaking engagements to help boost your visibility and credibility
Bring in affiliate income through your optimized content for some true passive income
And so much more!
What your website does for your business is truly up to you! And your well-cradted website strategy of course.
What goes into creating a strategic website?
Most professional web designers spend years learning the craft and skill of strategic design, so you can bet there’s quite a lot that goes into creating a strategically designed website!
Some of the most important elements that go into designing strategic websites are:
Your Customer Journey
This is the path a potential client or customer takes from complete stranger on the internet to handing over cash for something you offer
The User Experience
This is the experience that a website user has operating and navigating the website. The way your website is designed has a major impact on its usability.
Visual Design
This is the aesthetics of the website which impact how a visitor feels and understands the brand they’re interacting with
Technical Functionality
This is the behind-the-scenes setup of the website including the website domain, hosting and any third-party technology integrated into the website.
So, when mapping out your website strategy, make sure to consider these elements to craft a cohesive, functional and effective website crafted to achieve their business objectives.
How to create your own website strategy
Now, I never said creating a website is simple and this might be sounding like a lot right now. But you can definitely use these same website strategy principles when DIYing your own website!
Step 1: Start with your customer journey
When thinking about your website strategically the first thing you’ll need to figure out is your end goal: what is the purpose of the website?
Do you want people to purchase a product or service directly on the website? Or perhaps fill in a contact form? Or book a call?
Knowing the ultimate end goal for the website makes it a whole lot easier to then craft the rest of your website towards it. Then map out steps that a potential client or customer would need to take to get to that end goal.
Want some help planning out your customer journey? Check out Work Your Website for step-by-step guidance on creating your entire website strategy and implementing strategic updates to get better results from your website!
Step 2: Then consider your website user’s experience
Crafting your website to be easy to use, accessible and enjoyable for your future client or customer is key to increasing your conversions and ultimately getting the results you’re looking for.
Shifting the perspective of your website being all about you and your business to being a resource for your prospects is a game-changer for most businesses!
Thinking about how a stranger would see your website, how they would navigate your content and work through your customer journey is an easy start to creating a great user experience.
Step 3: Create a compelling design that draws in the right people
Your website layouts, branding and images say a lot about the type of brand and business you are. And will do a lot subconsciously for your potential clients and customers as they decide if you’ve got something that can help them.
Consider how your dream client would react to your visual design and what their expectations might be for the look and feel of your business.
Step 4: Pull together the right tech to make it all happen
The technology you use to create your website can be quite a personal choice, but giving a strategic look at your tech stack and considering how well the different tools you use add to the experience you’re creating on your website is always worthwhile.
Perhaps there are simpler options out there that can make it easier for your potential buyers to complete their transitions?
Maybe your business is missing a key bit of automation to make the flow from stranger to the client as seamless as possible?
Or maybe your website tech isn’t all that easy for YOU to operate and you’re finding yourself avoiding making critical updates that keep your website running smoothly?
Final thoughts
Giving thought and attention to each of these areas is a great start to crafting a strategic website that not only looks good but also supports your business goals! Thinking through how your website leads potential clients and customers towards the sale, the experience they have using your website, the overall design and the technology you use all impact the results you can see from your website.
