6 Key Website Updates to Make More Money

Published: Oct. 24, 2014, 2:10 p.m.

There is no over-stressing how important it is for your company to have a great website, yet while some business owners do, many of them are not taking full advantage of its selling potential. Your company's website nears the top of the list for the most important investments in your business, so you should know how to maximize its return and make it work for you. If you're not yet ready for a complete website redesign, here are some key updates you can make now that will increase revenue, retain customers, and make you more relevant in your field. 1. Go Responsive This year, mobile commerce sales are expected to top $100 billion due to the fact that an increasing amount of shoppers are making purchases from their mobile devices. That number is projected to hit 54% by 2018, according to Forrester. And if your company's website isn't functional on mobile devices, you can expect a lot of lost opportunities. Over half of mobile users will abandon a website if it doesn't function on their device. With the need for a responsive website growing, it's smart to prepare for the future. New devices are emerging and the way consumers shop is evolving, so ensuring your company's website has a responsive design is like having insurance for the future; no matter what new device comes next, your customers can access it with no problems. Responsive websites also rank higher in SEO so you can be found above your competitor, and make more money. 2. Implement WordPress Have you ever thought about how much revenue you're missing out on because you cannot easily manage your company's website to post a simple event, store promotion, or new product? Website management systems are moving toward novice-friendly platforms and our favorite is WordPress. It allows for owners to easily learn how to make quick, simple changes to their websites so their latest promotion or event is relevant. No more relying on your developer to make these updates, which cost you the very money you're trying to bring in. Posting new content engages customers and keeps them coming back. By implementing your site into WordPress, you are partnering with a powerful tool that helps increase sales through ease of use. Learn more about having a WordPress website. 3. Use Videos Because people have different learning styles, you should have an array of content to capture your audience so they will stay engaged on your site. One of the most engaging methods is video content. Use it to show off your office through a tour, explain how your products work, relay customer testimonials, and offer expert tips and advice. People process visual information much faster than reading text, so adding video to your company's website can be a great way to boost sales. 4. Scale Down Your Website Website abandonment is a huge loss for company profits. The average online user expects your website to load in 2 seconds or less. After 3 seconds, nearly 60% of users will abandon your site. By making a key update to scale down the images, JavaScript and CSS files, you can dramatically decrease the load time and prevent customers from abandoning your company's website, therefore increasing conversion. Here are some other tips for speeding up your load time. 5. Show Customer Reviews Word of mouth continues to be the most trusted avenue for business referrals. By posting testimonials on your website, prospective customers develop a sense of trust from reading real-life experiences from their peers on what it's like doing business with you. Even the negative feedback, if handled tactfully, will increase sales through your website by allowing customers to see their concerns are addressed and dealt with respect. 6. Add a "Buy Now" Button Simple, right? But how many times have you searched a website, looking for a way to "check out"? Adding this handy little e-commerce tool makes it stupid simple for customers to quickly get what you're advertising without having to go through a round-about p...