There may be lots of things you don’t know about your website, but there are three really important points that all small businesses should be aware of if they want to get great results from their websites.

1. Quality, relevant content on your website can make or break a sale.

It’s true – a report from IDG Research recently discovered that if a customer perceives the content on your website as being poor, it reduces your chance of closing the sale by 45%.

The importance of good, informative, well-organized content cannot be overstated; your customers and potential customers visit your website to learn about your products and services, and to be reassured that you are qualified to help them solve their problems. If your content is poor, or if there is not enough relevant content on your site to meet their needs, chances are that they will simply click over to the next site; probably to your competitor’s site.

Another bonus to having good, quality web content is that it gives the search engines plenty of relevant content to index, which is a key component to good search engine rankings.

2. A call-to-action on each page of your website helps boost conversions.

Each individual page on your website should be written to get your visitors to do something or take action; whether it’s to sign up for your email list, fill out an information request, buy a product, call for a quote, etc. A call-to-action is the way to let your visitors know what you want them to do – so don’t make them guess!

The more specific you can be with your call-to-action, the better. Using a simple “contact us” seems straightforward, but may not be enough to get a response. Take the guess work out of it as much as possible.

For instance, “contact us” could be changed to “click this link to request more information”, which takes visitors to an online form. “Call us” could be “Call us at 800-555-9846 and ask for John”. Let visitors know what to do, what they can expect, and when to take action, and your web conversions can improve almost instantly.

3. Your website is never really “finished”.

Your website is not a one-time project that can be completed and then forgotten about. Your website is a dynamic marketing asset for your business that must be updated, improved, and monitored over time to make sure it is working for your business and for your customers.

Often, small businesses will scramble to get a website put together, only to breathe a sigh of relief once it’s “completed” and goes live on the web. But that is only the beginning! Your web site is one of the most important, effective marketing tools your business has, but only if it changes and grows along with your business. Adding new content, adjusting search engine keywords, and showcasing new products or company news are just some of the things that any good business website must do in order to be successful and keep visitors engaged and coming back.

If your website is outdated, it will not be useful to your visitors, nor will it be useful to the search engines (and they won’t bother displaying your site in their search results). Visitors and search engines both require relevant, up-to-date, useful information, and there is certainly plenty of that on the web today already competing with your website. Make sure your site is regularly updated with fresh content, and that you keep up with current technology and user expectations (like web video, links to your social platforms, RSS feeds and web apps, etc.).

The More You Know

Your website can (and should!) be the central focus of your online marketing strategy. It is the place your existing customers return to when they need information, but it’s the first place new customers will look to “check you out” before doing business with you. Both will make many decisions based largely on what they find there.

So if you create a website that is 1) a quality resource for visitors, 2) provides the information and incentive needed to do business with you, and 3) is regularly updated with useful content, you will have created a true asset for your small business.

In case you haven’t noticed, Google recently unveiled a new design for its search results pages that gives users access to some new, interesting search options. The new design may not be immediately noticeable, but when you do a search from Google’s home page, you can now see a new, left-hand column on each results page.

At the top of the column are the different Google search “engines” (like images, videos, news, etc.). The next section in the column has a link called “Show search tools”, which expands to display a variety of new Google tools for people to use when looking for information.

The new search tools let users view results by criteria such as “time” (latest results, past 24 hours, etc.), “location” (nearby results), “related searches”, “sites with images”, etc., which may ultimately have a significant affect on your business’ search engine strategy. Why? Because with each new option a user selects, a different set of Google search results is displayed, based on the option that is selected.

So now that there are multiple new Google search options, does this mean that businesses must consider which Google search option(s) they wish to rank for, then optimize specifically for that option? Maybe.

The Importance of Real-Time Search

Real-time search was added to Google only a few months ago, and is the result of social sites like Facebook and Twitter becoming a major resource for users who wanted information that is minutes-old, not days, weeks, or months-old. Now that real-time search is even more accessible to users via the left-column options (e.g., blogs, news, discussions, “time” tools, etc.), social search has become even more important for businesses striving to rank well in Google.

Social search is all about visibility, meaning you need to have a presence on the social networking sites and get people talking about and / or sharing your content. You need to get people involved with you in order to be relevant in real-time search, and real-time search has already been shown to be a real-big factor in getting to the top of Google rankings.

Where Do You Want to Rank Today?

If you want to increase quality traffic from Google, it makes sense to optimize your pages for coverage in the search option categories that matter most to your business. For instance, if you operate a storefront in your town, you may want to show up in the local search (and “nearby”) results. Or, if you’re offering a time-sensitive discount or have tied a promotion to an event, then you may want to be included in the “time” results for past 24 hours or past week.

Know Your Audience!

The key to ranking well in Google – regardless of the search option category being used – is to find the right keyword phrases to use in optimizing your site. Do some actual research, don’t just guess! If you don’t know how to research and find relevant keywords, then hire a professional to help you. You must know what people are actually typing into that search box, or your efforts will do little to drive targeted traffic to your site or deliver new customers and leads. The more you know about the keywords your target market uses to find products and services like yours, the more you will know exactly where you need to focus your efforts in Google.

Hurry Up and Wait

Although Google’s new search tools are a fairly new development, experts are already weighing in with their opinions on how (or if) these new search options will have an impact on a business’ SEO strategy. The early consensus seems to be that yes, the new options will have an effect to some degree, but it’s probably too soon to know to what extent.

In the meantime, the best strategy is to keep your site updated with fresh, relevant content, create a strong presence on the social networking sites, build new inbound links, select targeted keyword phrases, and optimize your site using standard, white-hat practices that will help your web site be read and indexed by the search engine spiders. Then sit back and watch the results unfold over the next several months to see if the new Google search options indeed affect your SEO.

Unfortunately, many small businesses view their web sites as an item on a “to-do” list – as if it were simply one more task to be crossed off when finished and launched live on the web. But is your small business web site ever really “finished”? Can it be left alone; letting the information become outdated, and not keeping pace with technology or your customers’ ever-changing needs and expectations? Of course not – not if you want your web site to actually work FOR your business!

The official launch of your web site is definitely an accomplishment – chances are you and your web development firm have worked very hard to create the right design and branding, and to fill the pages with compelling, action-oriented content. You’ve also invested time and budget to implement the right web features and functionality that will motivate web visitors to take action – ultimately generating leads, converting new sales, supporting your customers, and establishing you as an expert in your industry. Like I said – it’s quite an accomplishment.

But once your site has been launched, how do you plan to bring traffic to the site? How will you measure that traffic? After a while, your information will become outdated – how do you plan to make updates, and keep adding fresh, interesting information to the site? What steps will you take to get on the first page of Google or the other major search engines? How do you plan to keep your site listed higher than your competitors?

Your web site is one of the most important, versatile, affordable marketing tools that you have, so you need to treat it like the marketing asset that it is – and get the most value possible out of your investment. To make sure your web site is truly working for your business, here is a checklist you can follow:

• Update your web site each month; add an article, update a product page, add a video, or use an RSS feed to ensure that your visitors and the search engines are seeing something new on a regular basis.
• Optimize each individual web page for the search engines; if you are not comfortable doing this in-house, hire a professional firm to do this for you.
• Measure your SEO results every month; if you see pages begin to fall in the rankings, take immediate action to reverse negative trends.
• Review your web site stats every month; pay attention to any pages that seem to “leak” visitors and make the necessary adjustments to these pages.
• Use social networking sites to promote your web site; make sure all of your profiles are cross-linked with your web site.
• Use e-marketing campaigns to drive traffic to your web site and convert new customers.
• Take some sort of online marketing action each and every month; issue an online press release, send an e-campaign, update your Google Place Page, build new inbound links, place an online banner ad, etc. You cannot just ignore your web site and hope that it will bring you results, you need to actively work toward creating good results!
• Keep up with technology; if the search engines cannot read your image based site (or Flash-based site, etc.), then fix it. The longer you wait, the more outdated and useless your web site becomes.
• Keep up with your customers; since a huge percentage of web users now turn to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube to get information, you need to meet them where they are and demonstrate that your business can meet their needs. Engage them in your social spaces, and then provide links that direct them to your high-value web content. Get a social marketing strategy in place before your competitors do.

Don’t treat your web site like a one-time task to be completed and then forgotten – it takes ongoing effort and attention to get real value out of your web site and show your customers (and prospects) that you take your business seriously. Put a plan in place to maximize your web investment and make sure your web site is truly working for your business. You don’t want to risk sending the wrong kind of message about your business by letting your web site just sit there becoming older, more outdated, and more irrelevant.

One of the most important parts of any marketing effort is the call to action (or CTA). This also is true for the web pages on your small business web site – each page should have a clear, compelling CTA to guide your visitors to do something as a result of visiting your site. Whether it’s making a purchase, making a phone call, or joining your mailing list, your visitors should feel so motivated by your information that they want to take the next step, whatever that next step may be.

A call to action can be as simple as “click here” or Call Us Toll Free at 800-your-number-here. But is that really enough to get a visitor to click a link or pick up the phone? If your CTAs are not motivating your web site visitors to take some sort of action, then it may be time for a Call to Action Makeover.

Easy As 1-2-3

There are three basic elements to a successful call to action. They are:

1) What you want your visitors to do
2) Why you want them to do it (the benefit to them)
3) When they should they take the requested action (so it doesn’t get put off until later)

Typically, a call to action comes at or near the end of a web page, after readers have spent some time reviewing the information on the page. When creating a call to action, you should try to maintain the connection you’ve established with your readers, and lead them toward the next logical step – taking some type of action.

For example, a landscaping services page may have great page copy that explains the benefits of using their lawn maintenance services, how their pricing can save customers money, and how their products are environmentally friendly. Using the call to action “Call Us Toll Free” does little to motivate a visitor to do anything. But using a CTA like this could work better:

“Because our lawn maintenance services get such great results, the Spring/Summer schedule for services in your area fills up quickly. We recommend you call us at 800-lawns4u to arrange for your free consultation as soon as possible. This will help us guarantee a spot for you on our 2010 schedule.”

Why does this work? Because in this call to action, the implication is that the schedule is already filling up for spring, and if you want this great service for your lawn this year, you should call right away before your neighbors get all the available spots. The three main elements have been answered:

1) You have told your readers what to do (call you),
2) They know why they need to call you (to get a free consultation and a spot on the schedule), and
3) They have a sense of urgency to do it now before it’s too late (when to take action).

A shorter version of this CTA could also work; although it is much less compelling and contains fewer details:

“Call us today at 800-lawns4u for your free lawn consultation and to guarantee your spot on our 2010 Spring services schedule.”

This CTA still tells your readers what to do (contact you), why they should contact you (free consultation and spot on the schedule) and when to do it (today), but it is much less powerful.

Managing Expectations

Another call to action element you can incorporate is telling your readers what they can expect, or explaining what will happen as a result of taking action. For instance, replacing “click here” with “learn techniques for lawn care here” or “register here for our lawn care seminar” gives readers a clear idea of what they can expect to find when they follow the call to action.

The Path to Conversions

Part of motivating your visitors to take the next step is to answer some basic questions that they might be considering before they follow any call to action:

• HOW do I contact this company? Should I call them, send an email, etc.?
• WHY should I do business with this company? Can I trust them? Are they better than their competitors? Can they help me solve my problem?
• CAN I WAIT to take this action? Is there a promotion with a deadline? Are supplies really limited? Will my coupon expire? Is there a benefit to taking action right away?

Make sure these questions have been clearly answered throughout your page copy and in multiple places on the page as well. By answering these questions on the way to your call to action, readers will already feel comfortable and have the details they need to take the desired action without any hesitation.

So whatever goal(s) you have in mind for your web pages, a strong call to action is necessary for getting your visitors to do something once they are on your site. Because having web site visitors is nice, but having visitors that are engaged and interested in what you have to offer is better. By creating strong, clear calls to action on your web pages, you can help move each web site visitor down the path to conversion, where visitors can become customers, subscribers, leads, or whatever a conversion means for your small business.

Today, a corporate web site is one of the most important marketing tools a small business has; and for many it is just as essential as having a phone number or business cards. Typically, companies rely on a variety of marketing “assets” like e-mailing lists, customer databases, and marketing materials to help them promote and build their businesses. But of all the marketing assets a business may have, its web site can be the strongest marketing asset of all, especially when it is part of a strategic, coordinated marketing plan.

A web site often includes the elements found in a marketing plan; from lead generation to advertising to online payments to customer service. With Web 2.0 interactivity now commonplace, companies can also add video, news feeds, online tutorials, and social networking integration to their web sites to further extend the site’s capability and meet their customers’ ever-changing needs and expectations.

An Online Advantage

Here are 7 reasons your web site could (or should!) be the strongest marketing asset available to your small business today:

1. Everything is in one place – web forms for lead capture, company videos, industry news feeds, links to resources and partners, online tutorials, customer service, events calendar, photo gallery, testimonials, marketing materials, etc., can all be included on your web site.
2. Integrates with other marketing – direct mail campaigns can reference online coupons or downloads on your site, email campaigns can lead to targeted landing pages, opt-in subscriptions can help build marketing email lists, social networking strategies can be integrated with the web site, etc.
3. Builds credibility with users – an outdated, unattractive web site sends all the wrong messages to your visitors, but an updated, user-friendly web site is an asset that and can instantly make you more credible and trustworthy, regardless of the size of your business.
4. Results can be tracked and measured – by using web analytics tools, you can track visitors, conversions, search engine terms and keywords, entry and exit pages, traffic stats, and a multitude of additional information.
5. Information can be changed and updated – unlike printed materials where you have to order hundreds (or thousands) of brochures or postcards that may quickly become outdated, your web site can be changed whenever information changes.
6. Local reach, global reach – and everything in-between. Depending on how you optimize and promote your site, you can target customers regardless of geographic location.
7. Works for you 24/7 – your site is available for visitors to do research or purchase products and services at their own convenience, at any time, regardless of your business hours.

Show It Off!

If you are not currently using your web site as a marketing asset for your business, here are some tips to help you combine your site with your overall marketing strategy:

• Showcase your advertising and marketing online; e.g., re-use commercials, radio spots, print advertisements, coupons, flyers, etc., on your web site to extend their reach beyond initial audiences, and also stretch your investment at the same time.
• Include your web address on everything – advertisements, business cards, vehicle lettering, name badges, logos, printed materials, etc., to drive traffic to your web site and help build your brand.
• Update your web site on a regular basis – do something at least monthly to update the information, add new content, improve search engine positions, promote the site, build inbound links, etc. A stale, outdated site is not useful to your visitors, and is not much of an asset to your business, either.
• Take it seriously! Consumers today are already online, and every touch point where you intersect with your customers and potential customers should ultimately lead them back to a great user experience on your web site!