The Ultimate Guide to Website Optimization Strategies

Businesses who develop a website have a greater chance of reaching a larger consumer base. This effectively widens the net for them, which can lead to a result in increased sales. However, while developing a website can help a  business grow, it cannot ensure long-term survivability.

With the online world becoming      more competitive by the second, businesses need to focus and invest in website optimization strategies to enhance the usability and ensure the success of their websites.

Keep reading to learn what website optimization strategies are, and some of the things that a businesses can do to improve their market presence and increase their online profitability.

What is a Website Optimization Strategy?

Website optimization is the careful use of certain strategies and specific tools to improve and enhance a website’s overall performance, appearance, usability, cohesiveness, and thereby increase conversions.

The more a business invests in website optimization strategies, the more likely they are to keep a customer on their website, guide them through the sales funnel, and capture new business.    

Five Popular Website Optimization Strategies

Increasing Site Speed

Whenever a customer land on a business website, one of their main reasons why they decide to stay and explore is due to whether the website loads quickly, and runs smoothly.

If the website lags and web pages fail to load in the expected time, the customer will lose interest and switch to a competitor’s website where they find a better user experience.

In general, any business website has as few as 3 seconds to catch the customer’s interest and encourage them to consider making a purchase. If the site speed is too slow an impatient customer (and even potential customers who are patient) can easily become dis-satisfied and go elsewhere. Slow website speeds are an easy way to lose a potential sale or new client.

Investing in a Better UI Design to Improve the Customer Interface

Generally, a website has two major interfaces that are meant for two different audiences. One interface allows the website owner or the IT team to look at the website from a technical viewpoint, while the other user interface is the webpage frontend, the one that an interested customer views and shop from.

When a business has invested in improving its website’s user interface (UI) or customer interface design, they basically enhance the customer’s overall shopping experience. The online customer can easily navigate the website to reach the content most of interest to them.  Navigation between products and services is smooth, and the user can finalize a purchase, or reach out for more information without having encountered any bumps in the road along the way.           

The main goal of UI design is to develop the website or customer interface that has a ‘clean design’ where all the options, pages, and associated content are well-organized and easy to reach. Make the user experience as smooth and effortless as possible and your website will see increased conversions as a result.

Creating a Smooth Mobile Experience

One of the most crucial tips for improving a website’s optimization is to develop a special website experience meant for mobile users. The site content that can be displayed and presented on a desktop is significantly different when compared to what a mobile device can handle. In order to present a smooth mobile experience, website content will need to be resized, shifted, and adjusted to fit with the smaller screen size on a smartphone.

If customers open a desktop version of a website on their mobile devices, the website options and buttons will appear much smaller and more challenging to locate, read, or click on, as compared to what one might encounter when using a larger screen. As a result, the mobile users may get frustrated or confused and will probably  give up on making a purchase. Google’s Page Speed Insights tool is a good way to help identify areas of concern in need of improvement.

When a business invests in having its website specially redesigned for mobile users, that website then has a more compressed view, its graphics are more well-organized and spaced out according to the standard mobile screen sizes, and customers can easily locate the menu button and surf through the different product and service your company has to offer without any confusion. Another tool that can be invaluable is the Mobile Friendly test. Simply plugin your website URL and get an in-depth report as to what changes you should consider making in order to provide a better mobile user experience to potential customers.

A smooth mobile experience optimizes site visitor satisfaction and greatly increases the chances of an interested customer finalizing their purchase.

Improving the Website’s Content and Graphic Appeal

Just the way brands need to create and launch new products and services to retain the attention and interest of their targeted customers, they also need to put in an equal effort to improve and update their website’s overall content and appeal.

While a website’s primary design or the structure that makes it unique from its competitors can remain virtually the same, the surrounding content and graphics should constantly be updated and improved to have a more modern and refreshed appeal. Update your website and show that your company is active, and continually seeking to improve the user experience and your clients will notice.

Offering Exclusive Promotions on the Website

Finally, to enhance a website’s optimization, consider offering discounts or exclusive promotions to its online audience.

For instance, if a brand offers a 10% discount to the shoppers that visit the physical outlet, they can offer an additional 5% off first time sales made online through the website. This will instantly generate traffic toward the website and will encourage customers to use your website for making a purchase.

How much easier is it for someone to buy something from you by clicking on a few things on their phone, as compared to having to drive to your physical outlet store to make the purchase? Show your customers that they can accomplish the same shopping online and save the trip, and you’ll increase the chance that they will buy from you in the future.

Website Optimization Thoughts

There are a lot of things that a business can do to increase how well it’s website performs online. All of the techniques listed above are just a few of the things that a business can do to increase traffic and sales through their website. Knowing what to do, how to do it, and when to do it can be a bit overwhelming. Consider contacting us about your website optimization needs, and keep your focus on growing your business other ways. We have almost 30 years of experience helping customers get the most out of their websites. We’d love to hear from you. Consider booking a free discovery meeting to see how we can help your website perform better!