With the growth of inbound marketing (thank you, HubSpot, for being the leading pioneer in this field), companies have realized the value of switching their company websites from ‘brochure’ style infomercials to engaging sites that ‘work’ for them. So what are some key tips for making your website work for you?

Create goals for your site. Before you change your website, think about what you want your website to “do”. Many companies talk about themselves and their products, which is important, but often misses out on sharing information that will likely get people to interact with your company. Lead generating sites are full of content that is customer-focused; i.e. content that helps your audience.

Think about the site visitor. Building on tip #1, what kinds of content can you share with your customers to help them in their day-to-day activities? Start by jotting down a quick list of the people you want visiting your site, and then write down some ideas about what their needs might be. Then develop content around educating or supporting those folks! Decide which content should be shared freely and which pieces should be form-gated.

Use landing pages. When offering free and form-gated content, it’s a great idea to use individual landing pages where you have a specific content offering. After awhile, you’ll be able to see which landing pages are getting the most traffic and this may help you determine which pieces of content perform best, so more of that kind of content can be created.

Use Action Words. People underestimate the power of good website copy. The words you have on a webpage must tell the person exactly what you want them to do while on your site – so use action words like “read, learn, download, subscribe…” to direct folks on what action they can take. And for the sake of usability, make sure your site navigation is simple and buttons are easy to find!

Use forms. What kinds of forms generate leads? Short ones. Too many companies want to qualify the lead at the same time it is captured – but having a form with 20 fields is a fast way to discourage anyone from leaving your landing page. If you’re offering a piece of content, keep the form short and simple to acquire the lead. Once the lead is generated, it can be nurtured and further qualified to move through a company’s sales and marketing pipeline.

Make engagement easy for the site user. Whether your site has a phone number or short contact form in the side bar of every page, just make it easy for a person to engage with the site and reach you when they have questions. Having your social channels listed visibly is a great way to gain new followers who want to stay connected with your brand.

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