Episode 559 Marketing With Bridget Willard When Was The Last Time You Looked At Your Home Page

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Show Summary

The SDM show, features host Rob Cairns and guest Bridget Willard discussing the importance of regularly reviewing and updating a website’s homepage. They emphasize that the homepage should clearly communicate the business’s purpose, be easy to navigate on various devices, and feature up-to-date information. The discussion also highlights the need for websites to be fast, accessible, and viewed as essential business infrastructure, not just an afterthought. Key takeaways include using clear language, avoiding jargon, optimizing for mobile users, and ensuring basic elements like contact forms and social links are functional and prominently placed.

Show Notes

Introduction

In this episode, Rob Cairns and Bridget Willard dive into the critical importance of regularly reviewing your website, starting with your homepage. They discuss why a “set it and forget it” mentality is detrimental to your business and offer a comprehensive checklist of what to look for, from messaging and design to user experience and technical functionality.

Why You Need to Regularly Audit Your Entire Website

• Things Break: Links go bad, and contact forms can stop working without you realizing it.
• Information Becomes Outdated: Your business evolves, and your website needs to reflect your current services, messaging, and corporate information. A website is a living document, not a one-time project.
• First Impressions Matter: Your homepage is often the first and most visited page. A poor experience can deter potential customers and it can take up to ten interactions to overcome one bad experience.

Homepage Checklist: What to Look For

Bridget Willard’s quick-fire list of essential checks for your homepage:

• Relevance: Does it still accurately reflect what you do?
• Clarity: Is the messaging clear and easy to understand, avoiding industry jargon?
• Social Links: Are your social media links present and correct?
• Contact Information: Is your address and phone number correct?
• Footer Links: Do all the links in your footer work?

User Experience (UX) and Design

• Mobile-First is a Must: With 60-70% of searches happening on mobile, testing on various devices is crucial.
  • Think about users on 13-inch laptops, iPads, Chromebooks, and smartphones.
  • Web developers often use large monitors, which don’t represent the average user’s experience.
• Avoid Wasting Real Estate: Giant headers and footers can obscure the main content, leaving as little as 40% of the screen for what the user came to see.
• Scrolling: Be mindful of excessive scrolling. Bridget suggests that if a user has to scroll five times, it’s likely too much.
• The Footer is Key: Users are trained to look in the footer for important information like contact details, social links, terms of service, and a privacy policy.
  • Pro Tip from Rob: Include key menu items in the footer. On mobile, users who scroll to the bottom don’t want to scroll all the way back up to navigate.
• Say No to Sliders/Carousels: They are often a waste of valuable “above the fold” real estate and can slow down your site. The most important information should be immediately visible without scrolling.
• Website as a Tool, Not a Brochure: The primary goal of a business website is to generate leads and convert them into sales. It’s not meant to be a static, print-like brochure from 1995.

Content and Messaging

• Focus is Everything: Your homepage should be “bing bang boom super focused.” It needs to quickly answer:
  • Who are you?
  • Who is your target audience?
• Don’t Overwhelm: Avoid listing all ten of your services on the homepage. Link to two or three key services instead.
• Speak Your Audience’s Language: Avoid “robust solutions” and other vague corporate jargon. Talk to your audience in a way that resonates with them.
  • Bridget’s Example: Instead of complex marketing-speak, she says, “If you’re a one-person marketing team and you need help, you’re overwhelmed and marketing is supposed to be fun, I’m your girl.”
• Define Your Jargon: If you must use industry-specific terms (like “design-build contractor”), make sure you define them for your audience.

Technical and Accessibility Considerations

• Form Functionality: Regularly test your contact and lead-generation forms. If they don’t work, you’re losing business.
• Website Speed and Hosting: Your website should be fast. If you can’t afford quality hosting (e.g., $30/month), you may have bigger business problems to address.
• Accessibility is Non-Negotiable:
  • Readability: Avoid designs that are hard on the eyes, such as white text on a black background. While it might pass an accessibility test, it provides a poor user experience.
  • Color Contrast: Ensure there is sufficient contrast between text and background colors. Pink text on a white background is a “no-go.” It’s the web professional’s responsibility to guide clients on this.
  • Alt Text for Images: Provide descriptive alternative text for all images. This is crucial for screen readers used by the visually impaired and also benefits your SEO.

Key Takeaways

• Your Website is Your Digital Foundation: Before you start outreach like cold calls, ensure your website and online presence (Google Business Profile, social links, etc.) are solid.
• Invest in Your Online Real Estate: You’re paying for your domain and hosting; make sure you’re getting a return on that investment. Don’t be afraid to hire a professional to maintain your site so you can focus on your core business.
• Start with the Homepage: If you only have time to fix one page, make it your homepage. It’s your most valuable digital asset. Then, move on to check every other page on your site.
• Regularly Test Everything: Don’t assume things are working. Click your links, fill out your forms, and view your site on multiple devices.