Any firm that wants to survive and thrive in these particularly challenging times must have a strong digital presence. But with so much online noise, how do you make your website stand out from the crowd? Here are five pieces of advice:  

1. Mind the five Ws

Who, what, when, where and why – this is where you should always begin, as these are the foundations on which you will build your site.

Let your audience know who you are and what you do – this could include a timeline of the history of your brand, a dedicated ‘meet the team’ page, as well as an overview of the services and products you offer.

Why was your business created? This will highlight that there is a purpose behind what you do and will showcase your firm’s aims.

And finally – this may be stating the obvious – clearly outline where you are located and what your opening hours are, as this can be something that is easily overlooked.  

2. Understand your audience

It is important to know your target audience and an easy way to do this is through thorough research. Who do you want to attract? This will determine the tone and style of your copy across your webpages, so it is crucial you get this right.

3. SEO rules

Everyone knows about SEO these days, but it is important to be aware of latest developments. The days of clogging up your content with repetitive key words are thankfully over, and now the spotlight is on high-quality and authoritative writing that provides visitors with easy-to-read and value-adding articles.

  4. Keep it simple

The most successful websites are short, snappy and to the point, but rich with information and embedded links. People usually decide within a seconds whether to stay on a web page, so you need to make yours irresistible to leave – and keep them coming back for more,

Don’t have people scrolling for ages to get to the article they want to read, or find what they are looking for – if this is the case, it is likely they’ll quickly move onto one of your competitors.

5. Update regularly

Last, keep your content fresh – there’s nothing worse than visiting a website three months after first viewing it, to find that there isn’t anything new to enjoy.

Written by Katie Mallinson, managing director at agency Scriba PR.