iweave's top tips for website success in 2008!

Feb 8 2008 - by iweave

2008 looks to be a challenging year, so we've put together our top ten ideas for ensuring your website's success in the coming year. And it needn't be a whole new website if that's not what you want, although a new look never hurt anyone! You could just enhance your current site with a few choice features to give it that something special to set you apart from your competition.

1. Design - Web 2.0 style.

If your website hasn’t been redesigned in the last two years, it needs an update. Internet trends have changed, B2B and consumer websites are all changing in design.

2. Make Content King.

Bring in more customers by becoming an ‘authority’ in your field – what better way to get recommendations than to be seen to lead the field in your business sector? This can be achieved quite easily by creating a few articles and walkthroughs demonstrating how your service or product works.

3. Add a large footer.

Add a longer footer to your website to increase usability - they are simple to build, contain a lot of useful information that tends to get lost in a normal website, and of course they’re very fashionable and encourage clickthroughs around your website.

4. Add a Podcast.

Podcasting – it’s no longer a gimmick but a valuable business tool. Want customers to listen to you or your representatives talk about your products or services? Podcasts can be played through your website as well as an iPod - and could be emailed to your customers directly to deliver regular updates.

5. Create a social media strategy.

Ensure your customers can add your content to their social bookmarking sites such as del.icio.us or StumbleUpon. It’s not only good for your natural search results but also good for syndicating out your content - look at the bottom of every BBC news story, do you see the ‘share’ buttons? Most newspapers and magazines use this, do you?

6. Syndicated news feeds.

Is your website content available for distribution? You’ll find that customers (and prospective customers) are desperate for the information you can provide. RSS news feeds allow for automatic publishing direct to your customers. As soon as you publish a story, they receive it – what could be easier?

7. Add a blog today.

Google and other search engines like websites whose content is updated regularly through news and blogs. It only takes about two days for Google to update blog stories, and due to their ‘authority’ on their chosen subjects, always enjoy high search rankings.

8. Create a video reel.

Now your business can promote itself with a professionally-made video presentation. What better way to put forward your message?

9. Mobile websites.

With just a few minor adjustments to your website, it can be viewed by every Internet-capable device – from Blackberries to iPhones.

10. HTML Email Newsletters.

If you do are not currently sending your customers at least one nicely designed email newsletter a month because you don’t have the time, then let us do it for you!

Most of the above can be implemented with modest budgets… but could make a world of difference. Remember, to remain competitive on the internet do today what your competition will do tomorrow.

If you want to know more, you can contact us online or phone us on 01786 474 318.