Monthly Archives: December 2014

The post Are Your Website And Business Actually In Alignment? appeared first on HostGator Blog | Gator Crossing . If you’ve ever landed on a website only to feel overwhelmed and confused, then there’s a good chance that website wasn’t in alignment with their business. Often we have expectations when we visit a website, and if those expectations aren’t met then we’re probably hitting the back button. If your business and website aren’t speaking the same language, or if your website is undefined and ambiguous you could be missing out on potential subscribers, business leads, and sales. We’re going to dive into the power of alignment, what it means for your business, and a few steps to get you going in the right direction.   To Whom Is Your Website Calling Out? Whether you’re building your own website, or working with a web designer, it can be easy to build a website that’s catered to your needs. After all, building a website is an incredibly fun process and it can be easy to get caught up in the beauty of it, as opposed to focusing on making it functional and efficient. It’s not the most beautiful website’s that are the most successful, but the website that serves its customer’s needs the best. Throughout the design process it’s easy to get wrapped up in adding all kinds of widgets, interactive elements, and fun features. But, if these elements exist solely for your own entertainment, then you’re just contributing to the noise that already exists on the web and are distracting your users. Your website needs to be aimed at a single person. This single person will be your ideal customer. Although, no single customer will have all of these traits, there will be enough overlap so your website speaks to your core group of customers. When designing, or even writing for that matter it can be useful to hone in on a single person, as opposed to an entire group of people. Know this person from the inside out, and create the perfect website for this single soul.   Time To Run A Compatibility Check Are your business and website one in the same? You see this a lot with small businesses who have storefronts and are just beginning to dive into the online space. Often, you’ll find their website online, browse around for a bit, and finally make the decision to visit their storefront. When you get to their store the vibe is entirely different and their branding doesn’t match up. Usually, you won’t turn around and run out of the store, but it might leave you feeling a little confused. On the other hand, let’s look at Apple. Their website and storefront are virtual matches of each other, and they both perfectly embody the principles of their brand. You can go from one to the other and the brand is very consistent. You may even experience the same feelings on their website that you do when visiting their storefront. Your website needs to be seen as an extension of your brand. If you do business solely in the online space this is important as well. As the way you conduct business, what you’re selling, and what makes you unique will influence how your website and business reflect each other.   How To Align Your Business And Website If your website is confusing and doesn’t align with what your selling, or doesn’t feel like an extension of your storefront (if applicable), then it’s time to tweak and adjust what you currently have up:   1. Define and Refine Once again, you need to know to whom you’re selling. If you just randomly created your website last time without this person in mind, then it’s time to go back and define. Once you can imagine what this person looks like and how they act, then you’re ready to move forward.   2. Upgrade Your Existing Site Once you’ve taken the time to “get to know” your ideal customer it’s time to build them a website. This can either be implementing simple website tweaks, or building a new site from the group up. Also, make sure you upgrade your existing copy to suit the needs of your ideal buyer.   3. Seek Wise Counsel Once you’ve updated your site so it’s better in alignment it can be very helpful get a second pair of eyes on your site. This can help to buff out anything confusing or unclear that remains. Obviously, the closer this person is to your ideal customer the better.   Making sure your website and business are on the same page can be a little time consuming, but it will have a positive impact on your relationship with your customers, as you’ll be providing them with a better experience. In the end, it’s all about service. web hosting Continue reading →