So you want a new website. And you’re trying to figure out who to hire to build it. WAIT… don’t hire a website company, a web marketing agency, or anybody just yet!
The first thing to do when you want a new website
When many companies decide to build a website, they don’t give much thought to what they want the new website to accomplish. They just know it’s dated and they want a new look.
This mistake kills your chance for success even before you start.
So consider this now, before you hire any web marketing agency, digital marketing agency or website developer:
Why do you want a new website?
Do you just want a consistent, recognizable presentation of your brand? If so, then you’re fine to go directly to a web design firm.
Or, are you looking for leads to fill your sales pipeline and bring in measurable revenue?
Did you even realize your website could do that?
The fact is, your website can do much more than serve as a digital brochure. Your website can be a lead generation machine. If that’s what you need, it’s critical to understand the full scope of services a web marketing agency offers, and how they can accomplish this for you.
Why you need a web marketing agency to get leads from your website
1. Looking good is not enough
Most web design and development companies focus on brand strategy and design. That’s what they excel at and are passionate about.
Having a consistent brand is important for your company’s image. But it’s not enough to bring you new business. What’s more, there’s no accountability: what return are you getting for your investment?
Your website needs more than a consistent look to attract buyers. That’s why you need a web marketing agency to develop a comprehensive and measurable strategy for lead generation.
2. You need SEO for buyers to find you
For your website to bring in leads, it must attract prospects who are searching online for solutions to their problems. Specifically, people looking for the solutions you provide. For those people to find your website, it needs search engine optimization (SEO).
Web developers typically don’t offer SEO. Or if they do, it’s not comprehensive enough to do what’s needed for lead generation. A good web marketing agency, on the other hand, has the expertise to design your site with proper SEO techniques that attract buyers. That means your pages rank well in search results and the right prospects find your website.
3. You need a framework to capture leads
Getting buyers to your website is only half of the job. Your website must engage visitors and convince them to share their contact details, thereby becoming a lead.
When they land on your website, buyers are looking to find solutions to their problems, and find them fast. You have a very short time to gain their interest and trust. If you don’t, they’re gone. To do that, your website must be designed with a deep understanding of prospects, their purchase process, and what people need throughout their buyer’s journey.
Very few web developers (if any) take the time to learn much about your buyers. Without buyer intelligence, the user experience is poor and there’s no mechanism to capture leads.
The right web marketing agency understands that an effective lead generation website is a marriage between SEO and the right user experience. At HELLO Marketing, we conduct deep buyer research before design or development begins. Then we create targeted, valuable content and build the infrastructure to capture leads.
6 critical steps to create a lead generation website
What’s needed to create a successful lead generation website? Here’s what a smart web marketing agency (like HELLO Marketing) does that others don’t.
1. Define goals.
It bears repeating: what specifically do you need your website to do for you? A web marketing agency works with you to quantify goals. How else will you know if you’re getting results?
2. Extensive research.
A web marketing agency takes the time to thoroughly research your industry, your buyers and your competition. That’s how we know what your buyers want so we can provide the right content and experience on your website.
Learn more: Buyer Persona: So You Think You Know Your Buyer, But Do You Really?
3. SEO the right way.
The fact is, your website won’t get found without proper SEO. And if you do SEO wrong, you won’t get found by the right people.
SEO is about much more than putting keywords on a page. It’s both an art and a science, and it’s also continuously changing. That’s why you need a web marketing agency with proven SEO expertise.
4. Align user experience with the buyer’s journey.
A quality web marketing agency knows that every aspect of your website’s design and content needs to be aligned with your buyer’s journey.
What does that mean? At every point in their purchase process, your prospects must find the answers to their questions on your website. They must find content that helps them move forward toward a purchase. That’s how we gain their trust and encourage them to engage with your company.
Learn more about how this works: Website design for lead generation
5. Develop a long-term lead generation strategy.
Creating a lead-generation website is not a set-it-and-forget-it exercise. A web marketing agency develops an ongoing strategy for continuously adding new content that attracts and engages buyers, such as blogs, videos, and social media posts.
You also need a strategy for continuing to engage the leads you capture with your website. That might include additional marketing tactics such as email marketing.
6. Provide accountability.
Measuring performance is a critical step that Internet marketing companies sometimes overlook. Every month, your web marketing agency should deliver reports that show not only what they did, but also what results they achieved.
How to evaluate a web marketing agency
The truth of the matter is, every web marketing agency doesn’t offer the same services. Or the same quality of services.
If you want your new website to bring you leads and new business, use the information in this article as a guide to vet any firm you consider.
And don’t forget: the proof is in the results! Want to see the kind of results you can expect from HELLO Marketing? Take a look at this success story.
