Website Redesign Checklist for CEOs

I ran across this fantastic article on the OneCoach blog called “10 Most Common Website Mistakes” where they outlined some of the basics of what should be and should NOT be on your web site.

And this inspired me to write a take on this with my own checklist which includes some of their points — and then some.

If you’re currently unhappy with the state of your web site and are considering a redesign, I’d like to lay out a web redesign checklist for you to consider.

1. Do you have a form to capture (generate) leads? Think of your web site like fly-paper.  I know it’s not really an appealing thought, but your web site should contain information so appealing to your target prospect that they should fly towards it, stick to it, read it and then give you their name and email to get more information.
2. Does your content educate and help your prospect choose? Your customer shops just like you do (even if they are an industrial buyer).  They ALL get on the web.  They Google your product or service and they look for information that will help them choose.  Instead of showing them a building or talking about YOU and your company, talk about what they are going through.  What frustrates them when they are buying what you are selling?  What information do they need when they are choosing your product?  Make your content about THEM and they will make their buying decision about YOU.
3. Do you have an easy to find call to action? Tell your visitors what you want them to do.  Don’t worry, they will love you for it.  Tell them to download a report or to register for tips.  Tell them to call.  Think of yourself as the expert and doctor of what you do and give them the prescription for success.
4. Do you know your baseline statistics? BEFORE you redesign, make sure that you collect a baseline for what’s happening NOW.  How many visitors?  Where do they come from?  What pages do they visit the most?  What are your keywords.  There are many, many statistics that you can collect that will help you set goals for your next design.
5. Do you have a blog? A blog as a necessity for every web site.  The more fresh content that you have on the web, the easier it will be for those leads to find you.  You don’t have to blog every day, but you do need to update the content regularly.  You don’t need to be the writer either – ask members of your staff or maybe several customers can contribute now and then.  This isn’t new anymore, but it is the equivalent of FREE advertising and public relations where you control the story and the information.
6. Is your site too beautiful and technically or graphically complicated to be useful? Don’t get me wrong.  A well designed site is lovely, but not if your customer can’t read it or see it on their mobile device or when they print the text, they can’t read it because the color of the font is too faint.
7. Is your writing too technical and too long? The most effective writing is in active voice; where your customer and their frustrations are the focus.  Go through your web site and eliminate acronyms and technical terms that your prospect may not understand.
8. Have you promoted your web site? No one can come and visit your site if you don’t tell them about it.  The best way to market and promote your site is by updating the blog and by adding video.  If you’ve been avoiding social media sites – this is the best reason to get involved in several focused communities such as industry web sites and LinkedIn and Facebook Groups.  If your specific industry isn’t active – target groups focused on your customers.  Got a restaurant?  Join a local group of foodies.  Do you own a gym?  Get involved in a local weight loss group.  Or maybe you have an industrial company that makes widgets.  Think about where your widgets go and get involved in those communities.  If your company makes parts for medical devices, join a nursing group or automotive products?  Join a group of dealers who sell that brand of vehicle.  There are lots of opportunities.

In several articles, I’ve said that you should re-design your web site if it hasn’t been updated in about three years or more.  But one thing that I didn’t say is that you should focus on updating your site so that prospects and leads can find you, learn about your products and how to choose them.

So go ahead and update your site – but follow this checklist first.

Tagged as: Design, Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Social media, Web Design and Development, Website

Author: Ivana Taylor

Name: Ivana Taylor
Email: ivana@thirdforce.net
Site: http://diymarketers.com
About: Ivana Taylor is the publisher of DIYMarketers.com and the President of Third Force a firm that specializes in helping companies find their best customers and be the one they choose – regardless of price. She's an expert and book editor for Small Business Trends and a contributor to AMEX Open Forum.See Authors Posts (261)