From strategy to website
If your business isn't found online today, you don't exist. You can create a business page on social media, create a Google Business Page, or have a new website built. While it often costs you relatively little, many entrepreneurs find that their pages don't perform as expected in the long run. Therefore, here are a few things to consider before hiring someone to increase your online visibility or build a new website.
The art of strategizing your website
If you operate a digital business, you have higher expectations for a new website or online store. The purchasing process then takes place exclusively online, and a robust website must meet more requirements. But even if you operate "offline," potential customers will increasingly turn online to find information about what they want to buy. When you once walked into a store, the sales assistant was the primary source of information. But today, consumers are often much more aware of the differences between your products or services and those of your competitors. Customers today are also more demanding and switch between different suppliers more quickly. Especially if you attract customers online, your competition is just a mouse click away. Therefore, you need a well-thought-out strategy to build a website that works for you.
“Building a new website takes relatively little time and money, but a successful website requires a well-thought-out strategy”
Brand positioning for your business
A successful brand distinguishes itself through a growing number of returning visitors. So, if you see the number of returning visitors increase, you know there's demand for your offering and that visitors find your brand interesting enough to revisit it. This increases your online visibility.
But even if someone finds your brand or website incredibly interesting, they might not buy right away. The price is too high, the quality is difficult to assess, or it's hard to switch suppliers… How can you still convince them to choose your brand if they already have a positive impression of what you have to offer?
A website is much more than just a place where you showcase what you do and what you offer. Consumers will only be inclined to make a purchase if they deduce from your website that you offer a distinctive advantage that is significant enough to warrant a switch. After all, your potential customers have often already gained experience with your competitors, so they already have certain expectations of your brand before they even get to know you.
© Sofie Callebaut
Four stages of The Brand Blueprint
Building a brand, not a website
A successful website is built on a well-thought-out brand strategy, which consists of four mutually reinforcing phases:
Phase 1: ATTENTION: Visibility and Brand Awareness: Your brand can only gain recognition if you're found, for example, on Google. Only when you're visible can you strengthen your brand's awareness.
Phase 2: ATTRACTION: Brand Activation: You want to encourage potential customers to take action so they get to know your brand and have a positive first experience.
Phase 3: FIRST PURCHASE: Brand Trust: People make their first purchase.
Phase 4: RETENTION: Brand Preferences: Existing customers often think of your brand for their next purchase without thinking, because they trust your brand and remain satisfied with your offering.