Don't Rely on Ads Alone!
Tim Absalikov
CEO at iFix New York - electronics repair chain. Former top NYC search marketer.
Hi everyone!
There are some nightmares that have marketing pros waking up in cold sweat. Mine usually looks like this. I'm doing an advertising campaign for a law firm that has invested heavily in the project. I carefully develop a marketing strategy and spend a lot of effort on PPC. I'm running an ad campaign, but IT DOESN'T WORK!
Such a situation means that users click on ads, go to the site - and immediately leave! Each click like that on my ad is expensive, but all this money gets wasted.
I think this nightmare plagues many marketers and website owners. Every time we launch an advertising campaign, we fear it will fail. And this feeling is based on good reasons. Advertising on the Internet does not always give the desired result.
Therefore, to prevent this nightmare from becoming a reality, I always follow one crucial principle: I never forget about organic traffic. Of course, when the need arises to get quick results promoting a company, I use some good old PPC. But in the long run, I'm betting on website development and SEO.
In particular, I pay great attention to the usability of the client's site. Much of my previous articles have been about that exact thing - the convenience of online platforms for visitors, although we've covered only a few aspects of this complex topic. Now it's time to talk in general.
Usability is a qualitative indicator of the simplicity and convenience of working with the site. A site can be considered successful if users quickly find the information they need, do not get confused about the functionality, and easily perform targeted actions. Moreover, the functionality and ergonomics are important here, not the beauty and aesthetics of the site.
If a person, having entered the site, does not find the necessary information about services and does not see action buttons or online forms, they will go to your competitor. Who'd utilize the features of your website if a similar but more thoughtful and user-friendly site is available?
How to improve the usability
To improve the site's usability, you first need to audit it - this will help identify problems and give a full assessment of all processes. Based on the received data, it will be possible to start optimizing the site.
A site audit involves examining its numerous characteristics and searching for answers to various questions. For example:
How many clicks do you need to make to find the information you need?
Are the vital pages of the site closed from visitors and search robots?
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How well do links on the site work to optimize navigation?
Do headings reflect the essence of the text? Are they necessary to generate user interest?
Is this option available on the site?
Are they easy to read?
How is the site displayed on various gadgets?
How fast is the site?
Of course, this list is far from complete. You only see the tip of the iceberg. Audit means that many technical parameters of the site are up for checking, so you cannot do without SEO specialists here. Moreover, I recommend conducting an audit at least once every six months. It is very helpful in terms of the promotion of your site.
The fact is that users are becoming more demanding and impatient when browsing sites. Few of them scroll to the bottom of the page. If your site is inconvenient, you will have even less chance of getting their attention. Yes, these are the realities of the modern world. It is necessary to improve the site constantly - then it will have a higher chance of bringing success and new leads.
When was the last time you updated your website?
Good luck!