WHAT DOES YOUR WEBSITE SAY ABOUT YOUR BRAND?

Over time, product and service marketing has become a lot easier. However, having the right amount of followers and good content isn’t all you need to attract the right attention.

No matter what industry you’re in, chances are, you are just one company in a sea of competition. And if you want to make waves, marketing is an absolute must. Let’s say you have your target audience’s attention, what’s next? This is where branding comes in. 

The saying; First impressions matter is the essence of branding. Often, it is the online representation of your business that serves as the first touchpoint to your target audience. That means it plays a crucial role in appealing to or appalling your audience, representing your service and products properly and encouraging people to buy into your business. 

People want to do business with a credible brand, and one that stands out from other brands in the same Niche. Having a website is one of the ways to build this credibility and trust. With a website the chances of having your products and services properly represented in a way that speaks quality, and value and shows your brand’s reputation is significantly high. 

Although having a website is an integral part of branding, it’s important to keep in mind that your website can influence your audience’s perception of your brand because it is not just the words, or look but the feel and usability that plays a determining factor.  Here’s how to know what your website says about your brand, and if it is in line with the message you want to pass across to people.

Updated website

A website that is not up-to-date can be easily seen as fraudulent and untrustworthy. Although it is inaccurate to affiliate every suspicious website to being out of date, most people are prone to exit your web page and never return because they believe that a website that is not updated in terms of design, writing content, and in-date marketing strategies will be incapable of providing them with the best solution to their problems. 

Updated information about your brand including, contact information, emails, address and social media ids is a nudge in the right direction. If your audience sees that your brand is accessible it gives them faith and makes them more at ease while buying into your brand. 

Inadequate Product/ Service Information 

The average attention span of a user in 2022 is 8 seconds! People want to digest as much information as possible in very little time. No matter how great your service or product is in use, your consumers would like to know as much as they can about it before purchasing it. Putting upfront, concise and precise information about how your product or service is the best option for them tells them that you care about their problem, and your brand’s goal is to make them feel seen, heard and special. 

The use of visual content such as videos and pictures is a way of not only relaying as much information as possible but also displaying what your service or products look like from different angles. Without picking up a product or requesting a service people want to know what that service or product feels like and this can be easily achieved with the use of videos as they can also pass emotions and feelings. 

User-friendliness 

It is not abnormal that the easiest websites to use are the most visited. If your brand is selling a service, showcasing how accessible, easy and top-notch that service is, starts from the user’s experience on your website. Navigating through your website without the complexities or complications of design getting in the way is the perfect way to translate; “you will do less and get more from us” to your audience. As hard as it is to admit modern internet users are lazy and want to do less but get the best deals possible. 

Part of serving a great user experience is ensuring that your website is responsive. People have not gotten comfortable with the buffering sign or the wait time for a web page to load especially when it’s not from network/ internet connectivity so your website must be responsive, and available so that your audience can feel cared for and factored into your decisions. 

Testimonials 

What people have said about your brand can be a direct influence on the final decision of your audience. Infusing testimonials on your website is a way to convince your audience without being outright or forceful. The end goal is to make them believe that not only do you have a perfect solution for them, but they were also able to come to that conclusion themselves with very little influence from your brand. 

Safety  

As we mentioned earlier, your website may be the first time someone sees your business. There are many aspects of your website and your brand which your audience will use to decide whether or not you’re trustworthy. However, if you’re an e-commerce website there are specific things you can do to show your audience that your website is safe.

Online fraud is always at the back of consumers’ minds whenever they purchase online, and they want to be sure that they’re ordering from a website that will protect their personal information.

Website encryption and trust badges suggest to your audience that any information used on your website is safe and secure, and you have put in a diligent amount of work to show how trustworthy your brand is

Getting much done to ensure that you cover the key things that your website should say about your business and your products, is not something that you just do once every few years and forget about. To provide your target audience with the best experience, you should regularly review it and look at what you can do to provide a better experience and be more helpful.