3 Slightly-Techy Website Tweaks to Get More Business Leads

We’ve previously established that the main purpose of your website is to capture leads. Anything you can do to optimize it for this purpose is well worth the effort.

Here are 3 website optimizations you should consider. Each of them is slightly technical. If modifying your website isn’t easy for you, and you don’t employ a web designer, it’s still fairly easy to find freelancers who can do these for you.

Install Analytics & Tracking

Knowing how visitors actually use your website is a massive help in improving your content, layout, etc. Many web analytics services are available to collect this data, and a lot of them are free to use.

Analytics can be intimidating, but installing them is quite easy. Once you setup an account, you get a snippet of tracking code to place into your web pages. At minimum you should consider Google Analytics – it’s free and rock solid.

Knowing how visitors actually use your website is a massive help in improving your content and layout. Click To Tweet

You should also consider linking your site to Google Search Console, which reports how people find you through organic search. Knowing what keywords people use can help you create more effective content and paid advertising campaigns. Search Console usually requires you to install a verification code snippet, but there may be other less technical methods you can also use depending on your configuration.

A third tracking code you might want to set up is a Facebook Pixel. Even if you’re not currently using Facebook to advertise, you can install the pixel for free and begin using it to track visitors and build custom audiences. You can advertise directly to these audiences with paid Facebook campaigns later.

[PRO TIP: If modifying website code is difficult for you, consider using Google Tag Manager. With this service, you put a “container” on your web pages as a one-time installation. The container can then run any code that you set up and manage in the Tag Manager interface. It’s well worth learning how to use if you’re the do-it-yourself type.]

Switch to HTTPS (Secure Certificate)

HTTP is the standard internet protocol for connecting your browser to a website server. (You see it at the front of web links all the time.) But HTTP is unsecured, meaning that any information sent back and forth could be intercepted.

HTTPS is the secured version of HTTP, encrypting the connection. You set it up by registering a Secure Certificate and then adding the certificate code to your website. Some additional configuration may be necessary to make sure that your site defaults to HTTPS if visitors don’t use those letters at the front of their link.

Obviously, this is a no-brainer if you collect personal information and/or collect payments through your site. But it’s also worth doing because browsers now show a “Not Secure” message when connected to unsecured HTTP sites. Not the best for your professional image, especially if your business handles personally-sensitive services.

An unsecured website isn't the best for your professional image, especially if your business handles personally-sensitive services. Click To Tweet

Securing your site may also help with your SEO. Google has admitted that HTTPS is a contributing factor in search engine rankings, and they’ve even been experimenting with labeling unsecured sites in search results. This, along with making your website mobile-friendly, are two great ways to boost your visibility for organic search.

The annual renewing cost to get a certificate ranges from a few bucks a month up to several hundred. Most businesses will only need a basic Domain Validation (DV) certificate – your web hosting provider may offer one at very low cost. Certificates are also available for free through the Let’s Encrypt initiative. Note that only Extended Validation (EV) certificates cause browsers to show a green padlock icon signal. EV certificates are generally the most expensive and really only necessary for financial transaction sites.

Not only does HTTPS help your professional image, you’ll be doing your part to make the web more secure!

Make it easy for people to contact you

You can never fully control when or how people contact you through your website. Everyone has their own preferred method of communication – the more options you provide, the less friction there is for them to respond.

The simplest thing you can do is add your contact info to the header and/or footer of every page on your website. You can also add contact forms, and install any number of widgets for things like live chat, Instacall, Facebook Messenger, and others. These installations may require you to dig into your website layout and code.

Extra contact options are nice, but you don’t have to go overboard. Limit channels to what your or a delegated assistant can handle without distraction. You can always test these additions and remove them if necessary.

Of course, if you can put each of these contact methods close to a Call-to-Action for an Incentive Offer, that’s even better.

 

Optimizing your website is just one of my “9 Ways to Get More Clients in 7 Days or Less!” Click here to get a copy of the free report.