Five Things You Can Do Today To Start Getting Better Results from Your Web Site Immediately

1) Create a FAQ Page

A Frequently Asked Questions page is a web page brides love. Why? Because they came to your web site looking for information and that's what FAQ pages are all about. Put your top twenty questions with answers on a page at your site that is easy to find. Draw attention to it with a colorful or animated button. At the bottom of the page put an online inquiry form (not just an email link). Watch your stats. I'll bet lunch it's one of the most popular pages at your site (visits) and generates inquiries. FAQ pages also help the sales process and in a sense weed-out unqualified customers. Are you a reception site with a 75 person minimum? Let people know this type of information on your FAQ page and it will save you time chasing after couples not qualified for your products/services.

2) Create a "Site Map" page

You know your web site, your webmaster knows your web site, but brides/grooms are likely visiting your web site for the first time and don't know a thing about your business. Sometimes they can get lost, particularly if there is a lot of information presented. A Site Map page that is easy to find in your main navigation solves this problem. It should have a description and link to each page at your site. I like to present them in order of the pages I want a bride/groom to visit. I've seen them created and presented alphabetically also. Site maps are a nice "user-friendly" touch and I'm a firm believer that user friendliness is a critical component of conversion. Site map pages should also be optimized for search engine indexing, or "spidering", using good page title tags, keywords, keyword phrases, and keyword anchor text/links. 

3) Get An Objective Opinion

If your site isn't generating at least ten inquiries a week something is very wrong. You may have a traffic problem, you may have a conversion problem - or both. While you might think your web site is "great", and brides might even tell you "your web site is great", if you're not getting at least ten inquiries a week your site isn't that "great" (you should be getting 20-30!). I know what you're saying: "Chris... are you nuts? How can you justify that or say that across the board?" I can because I'm seeing it first hand. If you're not getting the results you expect, or think you should be getting better results, have a qualified professional give you an opinion and recommendations.

4) Track These Stats Weekly

Track these statistics weekly and you'll be able to properly analyze the results you're getting from your site. Over time are they going up, down, or are they flat?

Total Number of Visitor Sessions
Unique Visitors
Total Page Views
Most Viewed Page (Top 5)
Average Time Per Visit
Referrers: Other Sites
Referrers: Search Engines

Also track:

Number of Online Inquiries (via email and online inquiry form)

5) Get Rid of Flash

If your home page is all FLASH you're not helping yourself any. Actually, you're probably hurting the overall effectiveness of your online marketing. Why? Search engines don't index FLASH pages very well and for the most part a Flash presentation isn't going to impress a bride or groom. I'll put any Flash site (front page) up against ANY well designed html page and can get 5x better results. Yes, it's that bad. Flash is a gimmick and for the most part a waste of time and money if you ask me. This might change in a year or so, but right now that's my position and I'm sticking to it. If you have a Flash home page get rid of it or make it optional. If you're webmaster thinks it's the hottest thing since sliced bread ask them (1) how will they compensate for the lack of search engine indexing and optimization of a Flash page and (2) to show you a study that says Flash actually improves conversion and turns web site visitors into inquiries and sales.

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