In our last blog, we revisited the importance of blogging and highlighted some of the main benefits of having a blog page on your company website. Of note, we pointed out just how beneficial it is to have your website updated on a regular basis. Blogging, of course, ensures that there is always new content to check out on your site. However, your blog section isn’t the only part of your site that needs to be updated.
When was the last time you updated your company website? A site that looks the exact same today as it did a year ago isn’t likely to impress many visitors. Stagnant and stale sites lose visitors. It’s that simple. In addition, it’s vital that your site has particular components to help your brand give off the best impressions possible.
Here are three important must-haves for your company website:
1. Links to your social media accounts.
Today, just about everyone is familiar with that lowercase “f” that represents Facebook and the little bird that represents Twitter. Do those logos appear on the homepage of your company website? If not, you’re missing out on numerous opportunities to grow your online following. Be sure to update your site to incorporate links to your social media accounts by placing social share widgets at the top of your homepage.
“Did you know that only 34% of websites have a social share widget on them?” Chris Hamilton queries on SmallBizTrends.com, “Adding a social share widget on your site will allow website visitors to help you spread the word through their networks. This is the ultimate viral marketing tool.”
2. Original photos.
When you visit the MeloTel website, one of the first things you see is the smiling faces of the many individuals who have made up the MeloTel team over the past few years. These are actual team members. Stock photos are great – but when you’re trying to set yourself apart from your competitors, it’s important to utilize images that are completely original and exclusive to your company.
“When building your website, it is important to only select components that will positively impact the objectives of the website,” says Carl Taylor on Granite5.com, “One aspect of a website where this is especially true is photography. Too many dated website designs have an over-reliance on stock photos.”
3. Testimonials.
If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times: there’s no better advertising than word-of-mouth promotion. These days, the vast majority of consumers are a lot more likely to take the words of actual customers over any other form of advertising you can put out there. Ask your happy customers to share a few words about your business and be sure to share them on your website on a page full of testimonials.
“People believe what other people have to say about you, your products and services,” affirms Hamilton, “Make sure that you add testimonials to your website. A testimonial should be from someone who is real and who has used your product or service.”
Does your company website include these must-haves? The MeloTel team would be only too happy to update your company website for you! For information about our Website Maintenance Services, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 1-888-MELOTEL or use the Live Chat feature on our website!
