The web is always changing. What worked yesterday may not work today. The way websites are built has changed dramatically over the last 5 years, and shows no signs of slowing down.
In 2007 the first iPhone was launched and completely changed the came and the way we access the web today. In fact, 64% of American adults now own a smartphone of some kind, up from 35% in the spring of 2011. Think about it, when is the last time you went somewhere and didn’t see anyone using their phone? When you leave the house, your phone is as much of a necessity as your wallet and car keys.
Our phones allow us to do some pretty amazing things. We have computers in our pockets and information at the tips of our fingers. What is the first thing you do when you hear something you don’t know or want to get more information about something? You reach for your phone. I know I do. It’s like washing your hands after you go to the bathroom. I hope.
The first place someone who is looking for your services will go is the internet, and an even greater change they will be on their phone. More Google searches take place on mobile devices than on computers in 10 countries including the US and Japan. People are going to find you and you need to make sure that when they do, your website is ready for them.
Here are 5 things you need to fix on your website today.
Images are not high-res
Now, what do we mean by high-res and shouldn’t just having some photos be enough? Having photos of your work is certainly a great place to start. However, phones these days come equipped with Retina Display screens. The screens on newer phones have a higher pixel density than their predecessors. Retina? Pixel density? What does that all mean? In layman’s terms, your photos need to be 2x the size they used to be to look crisp on phones, tablets, and even some monitors. The good news is all smartphones come equipped with HD cameras, so you have no excuses for not taking great photos yourself. Although, if you have the money, hiring a professional is the way to go.
Wrong or Missing Contact Info
Please, please, please make sure that your phone number is not only correct but easily accessible. Make it easy for the customer to contact you. They want to do business with you, make it easy for them to do so. Do you have a contact form and does it work? If your phone number is an image, replace it with live text immediately. Smartphones today, are well, smart, and can call phone numbers when clicked. You could be losing business and not even know it.
Not Responsive
What the hell is responsive? Responsive is a web industry term, coined by Ethan Marcotte in 2011. (He wrote a book on it aptly named Responsive Web Design.) What does this mean to you? Well, frankly, you need to make sure your website works on all devices. How does it look on desktop, tablet, and mobile? Does the content adapt to the device that your website is being viewed on or are you serving them a website on their phone that is best viewed on a desktop? Responsive design alleviates that issue but displaying it for the appropriate device.
No Social Links
Not everyone is willing to buy just yet. Social media allows them to see a side of your business that they may not be able to get from your website. How often are you posting? What are you posting about? The whole point of social media is to connect with other people. Never in the history of the world, has it been easier to have a 2-way conversation with customers and potential customers. Get on social media and start being social.
No Call to Action
What’s a call to action? Also known as a CTA for short, a Call to Action, in its simplest form, is any action you want the visitor to take. Do you want them to contact you? Are you running a promotion? Want them to subscribe to your e-mail list? What is it that you want them to do? Don’t just direct them to your website and expect them to know what to do. Make it easy for them to take the action you want them to take.
Speaking of calls to action. What are you struggling with? If you need help with any of this or would like to talk about your website and getting more leads using the internet, contact us today for a free strategy session.
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See what I did there?