Depending upon what sector in the tech industry you’re in, you may spend your time creating amazing online environments for your clients while neglecting your own presence. A well-designed website shows customers you’re at the top of your game. It can also attract top-notch employees.
Putting a figure on the number of websites isn’t easy. The number of purchased domains isn’t a true reflection of activity as some remain dormant. Vast parts of the internet remain undeveloped, lost in the shuffle of a great idea that never fully took root. According to the Hosting Tribunal, about 400,000 active sites live on the internet. The number fluctuates daily as sites get taken down and new ones go up.
If your design isn’t current, compelling and engaging, you risk losing site visitors to one of the billions of other pages they could spend their time on. You’re also competing with social media, video streaming and live feeds.
If your tech company needs anything to funnel traffic toward lead generation, it needs a compelling website. Here are the top things you should focus on to ensure you draw users in and keep them coming back.
1. Add Animation
With faster connectivity speeds and higher screen resolutions, today’s modern websites embrace concepts such as video and animation. You can grab user interest and show a lot without words by adding animated elements to your pages.
Zap offers autonomous charging stations for electric vehicles. Note how they use an animation to show how the station works. They provide an overview of their equipment for site visitors. The page is simple, focusing only on the animation, a few words and a call to action (CTA) button.
2. Reach Your Target
Who is your target audience? Your customers are likely quite different from the clients of an e-commerce children’s clothing store. Take the time to create buyer personas reflecting who your leads are and what they want.
Once you have an idea of the demographics and psychographics making up your typical customer, it’s much easier to design a website to meet their needs.
3. Use Relevant Video
Users claim video stays with them longer than text alone. How can you utilize video footage to showcase your products or services? Think about your unique value proposition (UVP) as a business. How do you highlight it with a reel?
Cimon adds a hero shot video flipping through some of the processes they use to provide to power industrial companies. Note how they highlight machines and automation in the footage. Make sure videos are relevant to your message and objectives for your page.
4. Tap Into User Emotions
If you’ve done your homework, you have a nice description of your average buyer. Use the persona to figure out the language and colors your customers respond best to. For example, if most of your clients are working women, you might know blue is a favorite color amongst them. What shade of blue you choose may depend on their age range and colors competitors use.
Think about what pain points drive them to your site in the first place. How can you address those issues and offer a solid solution?
5. Tweak Your CTA
Your calls to action can make or break your conversion rates. Make sure your button placement is one users respond to. Try different colors, wording and offers until you hit on the combination people respond best to. Split test your CTAs until you find the one with a high optimization.
Passbase uses two CTA buttons to grab user interest. One reads “Start free trial” and the other reads “Book demo.” The free trial option is in a bright blue that grabs user attention. Both CTAs reach different needs of site visitors and some may even click on both buttons.
6. Minimize Elements
Reduce the number of items on your website to just the most essential things. Heat maps and traffic details allow you to see where people go when they’re on your site. Do they bounce away at a certain point? Do they completely ignore some of your text? Look for things you can cut and narrow the focus only to the goal of the page.
7. Improve Your Headline
What is the first thing people see when they land on your pages? Your headlines appear in search engines results, so people see them even before they come to your site. Think about how to best grab the user through your headlines. You must use a font and size that is readable on all device types.
Language also makes a difference. It’s vital to speak directly to your target audience and draw them into a discussion. Your headline should let them know what the page is about.
Docspo gets right to the point of their software with the headline, “Send it. Win it.” They offer proposals you can generate on the fly. Their service is meant to help businesses who pitch offers to land more contracts. Note the bold and large font they use to showcase their words. It’s the first thing to grab user attention on the page.
Meet User Expectations
What is the one thing people expect from your business when they land on your website? Making sure you meet or even exceed what customers expect ensures they’re more likely to engage with your brand and turn from visitors into leads. Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. She was the creative director at a digital marketing agency before becoming a full-time freelance designer. Eleanor lives in Philly with her husband and pup, Bear.
