Can making a change to your website actually pay dividends when it comes to leads or sales?
The short answer is… that depends.
Now, before we go any further I have to point out that one of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to their website is changing something for the sake of change.
Who knows, maybe they get bored by the way their site looks. Or they decide to change the copy on one of their sales or quote pages.
Let’s get real for a moment…
We all change our clothes each day for the sake of hygiene, right? After all, if I didn’t my wife would probably throw me out of the house after a couple of days or so. In this case making a change makes sense.
But when it comes to your website proceed with caution.
Here are 3 case studies for you to help illustrate how making a smart update can make sense…
Is it time to update your website layout or template?
For the sake of confidentiality I’ll use fictitious names for the folks we’re going to discuss here.
Case study #1 – no guts no glory
Let’s start with “Sandra.”
She contacted me about two years ago wanting to update her site to a more SEO friendly one. And that meant converting her old html site to a WordPress type site.
So far, so good.
She was totally on board with the changes. But when it came to updating the look and layout of her site she was adamant about one point… we had to make her new site look EXACTLY like the old one.
Why?
Okay, maybe I should have walked away at this point. But she seemed like a nice person and I knew I could help her, provided she would budge a little.
She wouldn’t.
So I asked her… “did your old site generate a lot of leads?” Her answer was, surprisingly, “not one.”
“So let me get this straight, you want me to exactly copy a site that got some traffic but never generated a single lead for your business?”
“Yes,” she replied.
Well, okay then. Now let me ask YOU a question… if your site fails to generate leads or sales why on God’s green earth would you want your new website to LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THE OLD ONE, in effect replicating a failed site?
But that’s what she INSISTED I do. So I did.
I guess at the end of the day some people are just wedded to their “stuff” I suppose…
Case study #2 – be careful who you listen to
“Jillian” contacted me about a month and a half ago.
The problem?
Since hiring an “expert” to keep her site updated she went from getting 3 leads a week to getting none. And during our phone conversation it became apparent that all of her online marketing problems started about a week after hiring this person.
And when I reviewed her website the problems were obvious, such as:
- ugly website template
- the home page was too crowded with information
- confusing layout
- annoying “light box” with opt-in form that wasn’t easily avoided
- poor use of a contact form
By digging into her Google analytics I was able to determine when the problems started by analyzing factors such as “bounce rate” and “average time on page” for the past 3 months (about the time this “expert” was “helping” Jillian), and then comparing the data to when the site was working properly.
The outcome?
After updating her theme, killing off all unnecessary plugins, getting rid of the light box, cleaning up the home page and revamping her contact page she is now getting 2 to 3 leads per week for the past 10 weeks in a row.
The lesson for you is be very careful who you hire to update or maintain your website.
Sure, anyone can come along and claim their a “WordPress wizard” — but can they demonstrate a proven track record of improving your leads or sales as a result of the work they do for you?
For her it was mission accomplished… and another very happy client.
Case study #3 – beauty is in the eye of the beholder… or not
“Mitch” first called me up ready to delete every site he owned.
After years of designing his own themes and posting content he had next to nothing to show for his efforts. And that lack of success is mind-numbingly frustrating.
So after talking him off the cliff I offered to host ALL his sites until he came to his senses. And then I asked if he was ready to hear some constructing criticism. He was. The first question I asked was whether or not he was colorblind.
Why?
Because his websites looked God-awful. Mismatched colors, ugly colors, colors that made your eyes hurt. So updating his websites by giving them a professional look (but not corporate) would help. Big time.
One by one redid his websites, updating the look and layout of each one, adding “calls to action” at the bottom of his “action pages,” fixing and simplifying his web forms.
The outcome?
For his private practice website he is now getting 1 to 3 new clients per week! And that’s been consistent for the past 6 months or so, maybe more. And for the site where he sells a product (available by digital download) where he used to make 1 to 2 sales per year, he is now averaging 3 sales a month.
Not exactly setting the world on fire (yet!), to be sure, but 40 sales a year is a damn sight better than 4.
Schedule your website audit and consultation today
Since starting this web marketing firm in 2008 we have helped a dozens of businesses get better rankings on Google, generate more leads and sell more product.
And we can do the same for you.
Whether you’re looking for an SEO friendly website, local SEO optimization or website optimization we can help you generate more business through your website.
To get started simply schedule your no-strings-attached phone consultation by clicking the link today.
I look forward to hearing from you…
