Once upon a time (say, around 1998), accessing the internet was an intricate process. First, you needed a computer with a wired, dial-up connection. Next, you needed a subscription to an online service like AOL or CompuServe. And, finally, you needed patience, because getting connected oftentimes felt like a game of chance. If all of those pieces fell into place, you were then free to type in a URL and visit the site of your choice.
But, now? The Internet can be accessed on-demand by little more than a smartphone or smartwatch. It has spawned this new, shiny Internet of Things (IoT) that’s connected and intertwined with other devices, exchanging data as if this is how it was always meant to be. And it’s a double-edged sword when it comes to getting your brand noticed. With so many entry points and so much content saturation, the difference between getting seen or falling through the cracks can be thin.
Here are five things that can help your website in the fight for visibility in today’s IoT.
Mobility
It’s vital to understand how your audience will see your website on the go. Options are aplenty in regards to how your site will interact across numerous devices, from mobile friendly (essentially fitting your entire site to the mobile device) to mobile optimized (reformatting your site to make it more “thumb” friendly) to responsive design (completely flexible to fit screen size rather than device type). Understanding how your site differs across many devices will help you maximize your content design and planning.
SEO Strategy
SEO helps your site get noticed by affecting a search engine’s unpaid (or organic) results. Writing content with frequently searched key words and making it easy to share, as well as tagging titles and adding descriptions to pages are some of the simplest ways to boost your site’s search value and ultimately boost your traffic.
Social Integration
Can your consumers access content specific to your products and offerings from anywhere on the internet? The only answer to that question should be, “absolutely.” It can be an uphill battle to try and get your audience to continually come back to your traditional website, but all it takes is the click of an app to get them looking at their social feeds. Your social sites should act as extensions of your website, providing consistent messaging throughout all of your platforms that gets retweeted, shared, liked, reposted and everything in between.
Fresh Content
Making sure your homepage doesn’t remain static is the best way to ensure consumers will continue coming back. Whether it’s incorporating feeds to your social content, keeping your press releases and blog posts front and center, having a revolving content block of new products, or simply changing out graphics to familiar topics, establishing your site as a hub for new information can increase your search results and generate more traffic.
Brand Consistency
So simple, yet so misunderstood. This includes everything from making sure you are using the same color of blue throughout your website and social media presence, to not mixing Calibri and Arial and any other combination of fonts throughout your site hierarchy (visitors to your site will notice the difference, even if you don’t). Following your established brand guidelines or style guide throughout everything you touch is the easiest way to make sure you maintain your brand’s integrity, leading to increased recognition and awareness.
