As small business owners, we’re always looking at the next big thing on our to-do list, and the number one priority is usually “Grow my business”.
But how do you actually do that? In a world where we’ve constantly got so much to do while juggling all of the things. How are we supposed to find the time – and the know-how – to grow our business?
If we break it down, growing your business is all about serving more people. Extending your reach to grow your audience of dream customers. And the #1 tool that allows you to do that is your website.
Your website is your little slice of the internet that’s 100% authentically you. It’s your branding, messaging and tone, done your way, and it’s all about you and your business.
Social media trends come and go. Algorithms change. But through it, all your website is quietly waiting to welcome your ideal customer. A place where you have full control, with visitors who already want to learn more about how you can help them.
Ultimately, if your website isn’t the most powerful sales tool in your business, then you’re leaving money on the table.
That’s why I’ve invited Karen Martz, founder and lead creative at Duende Studio, to share how a beautiful website redesign can give your business and your SEO visibility a much-needed boost.
1. The all-important competitor review
Whether you like it or not, you have competitors. When redesigning your website, not only does your website designer take a good look at your competitors (because we want to ensure your website stands apart from theirs), but it’s also a primary opportunity for you to review who they’re targeting and what they’re featuring as their key services.
Competitor analysis is also a key part of the research in your new website’s SEO strategy because your next client is checking out the competition, too. So when you find out what your competitors are doing and how they frame their message? You can do it better.
2. The right keywords in the right places
Keyword research isn’t just about knowing what the popular search terms are; it’s about putting them in the right places so Google can read them. And, importantly, we’re not just here to please Google – a properly optimised website will also get your human visitors excited with a crystal clear understanding of what you do.
When redesigning your website, we ensure your target keyword is always within an H1 – that is, the top-level heading of your page that captures the eye of your user. Your keyword also must appear in your next level heading, page title, meta description and throughout the copy – all presented in context and woven in to feel natural and human.
3. Content is king, queen and all the other members of the hierarchy family
Content and context are key in a website redesign. To move forward, you’re going to need fresh content. That’s all the words, headings, and even the button text for your call to action, all thoughtfully written just for you.
Carefully crafted copywriting works in tandem with design and SEO to skillfully disperse target keywords and key phrases into complete sentences that are informative to both your user and to search engines. A well-written, technically structured page with original copywriting also lets search engines know you’re an authority in your field, as well as allows your audience to gain a real sense of who you are and what you do. And what happens when you’re seen as an authority? That’s right – you get bumped up the search rankings.
In addition to written content, imagery is also key to creating a beautiful website and providing context to your website visitors. You should always include photographs of yourself as well as contextual images of what you do. Correct image naming and alt tags will also speak to search engines and assist visitors who use screen readers and adaptive technology to understand your website.
4. Structuring your website correctly
A well-structured website makes browsing a breeze. When redesigning your website, it’s important to determine your top-level content, cover the bases of the most visited pages and also build a solid structure within each page that improves your user experience (UX).
A combination of building internal links across your website, plus external links with backlinks lets Google know that your content is relevant and related to other pages on your site, which again builds that all-important authority.
5. The push and shove to be re-indexed
When your new website is ready, you want to give Google a not-so-gentle shove to reindex your site. Even though we’re sometimes at the mercy of the machine, this is a prime opportunity to tell the Google bots that you have great new content ready for review (and between us, they LOVE a content refresh).
