Your Website Is the Hub and Foundation of Your Marketing

In my role at The Squad, I have many discovery conversations. Most of the initial dialog involves how folks plan to grow and use digital marketing to generate more sales opportunities. After learning what they are currently doing and what they have tried in the past it comes back to the condition or state of their most valuable marketing asset – their website.

It usually comes back to their hub because without a good foundation there's only so much you can do in terms of digital marketing and a strategic content plan.  Similar to a car with new tires and a great sound system, it is not worth much without a good engine. A sub-par website, regardless of your story, will not take you where you want to go.

Here are four fundamentals that a lead generation and performance-driven website should have.

A Solid Strategy 

 It can be basic or in-depth, but it needs to include these big rocks:

• Target market or "buyer persona" profiles and behavior research.
• A mapped out buyer’s journey path for each type of prospect.
• A basic editorial calendar-driven content strategy. Basically, the "gas for your engine."
• A visitor engagement and nurturing plan that aligns with your sales process.

Wire Frame

Just like a blueprint for a house, a thoughtful wireframe will direct the design in a manner that aligns with your "solid strategy" and the points listed therein.

Great Design

Ask any homeowner that has built a custom home and they will tell you that, "the details make a difference."  Not every business needs a custom built website, but for those businesses that it makes sense for, in terms of investing for a marketing ROI, this is a crucial piece. So, it will be well worth it to not skimp here.

The Right Platform

There are many website platforms to choose from, such as HubSpot, WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla, to name a few. Make sure that the platform you chose aligns with your website’s needs in terms of short and long-term strategy.

WARNING: Site builder systems such as Wix, Weebly, and SquareSpace can be a good solution for some very small businesses; however, they can pigeon hole and thwart your longer term marketing initiatives pending on your objectives and functionality required to achieve them.

At the "end of the day," your website is a reflection of your organization and that reflection (bad or good) will be perceived by every visitor.  Since perception is reality your website is one of your most valuable brand assets and the foundation of your marketing.

Let us know if we can help in this regard.