In this article, I’d like to share with you some of what I’ve learned in helping customers create a successful online presence.

The Truth About Website Success (January 25, 2009)

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When some people imagine the success they’ll have with their website, they envision it will go  something like this:

1. Hire a web designer or build a website yourself (see my article on building your website).
2. Get web hosting, put up your site, and wait one day.
3. Watch the cash flow into your bank account as thousands of people find you online and can’t wait to buy your products or services, overnight.
4. Retire to a nice, warm, sunny place and continue to earn money while you sleep.

Well, it’s possible that some people have an experience like this…but probably not very many.  I saw an ad in a magazine today suggesting that website success is just that easy. However, in my experience it takes patience, effort, and a methodical approach.

In this article, I’d like to share with you some of what I’ve learned in helping customers create a successful online presence.  I believe that knowing what to expect after your site launches (and what to do next) will help you attain the success you’d like to have, over time.  So, here’s the truth about website success, as I see it:

It Doesn’t Happen Overnight

The first thing to say is, the Internet is a big place– there are millions of websites and it’s not likely that thousands of people will find your site right away.  It’s important that you distinguish your site (and your business offering) from the thousands of competing sites out there.  Having a great-looking, easy-to-use and high quality website that truly reflects your business is a good start.  But, there is more work to be done to promote your website (see below).  It takes time and effort to get the word out.

It’s Part of Your Overall Business

As important as having a high-quality website is, it’s only one part of your business.  A great website will not make up for a flawed business plan, poor products or incorrect pricing, customer service problems, ineffective communication with customers, cash flow problems or other challenges in running a successful business.  I believe that a successful online business is best built on getting these traditional business practices right.

It’s an Ongoing Investment

Having a highly successful website means continuing to invest time, effort and money after the site is launched.  In my experience, it’s best to plan and budget from the beginning for ongoing investment in your website’s success.  Some of this work only you can do, and other tasks are best done in collaboration with a web design expert.  Modern, successful websites are dynamic and interactive in nature and I think it’s important to recognize that change is part of the deal.  Keep reading for an example and some suggestions below.

An Example of Website Success

As an example, the website I built for Unity Church of Corvallis (www.unityofcorvallis.org) has been highly successful at bringing in newcomers who want to try out the church.  Many people have found the website on Google and came to a Sunday service based on what they saw on the website.

Here are some reasons why I think the site is successful:

1. The spiritual community’s web presence authentically matches what the community is really about.
2. Events and classes are offered frequently (and the schedule and home page are updated often).
3. There is a corresponding minister’s newsletter and blog to keep the members actively engaged.
4. There are social events to help people in the community bond together.
5. People tell their friends about the church and the website.
6. Traditional marketing is integrated with the site– newspaper and radio ads point potential visitors to the site.
7. The site has evolved over time to respond to visitors’ needs, with new features such as online giving and Amazon associate product sales.
8. Last but not least, the spiritual community provides a service that is highly valuable: it enhances peoples’ lives.

All of this works together to raise the church’s visibility in the community.  More and more people view the website and link to it, which makes it easier to find in Google.  You can see there’s a lot going on here besides just the website.  The website and the community both work together to enhance each other and raise the visibility of both.

Website Success - What To Do Next

So, it helps to recognize that a website is an integrated part of your business, ongoing investment is important, and that traditional good business practices still matter.  What are some practical things you can do to improve the success of your site after it’s launched?  Here are are some suggestions:

1. Content Is Still King - You may have heard this phrase, and I believe it’s true.  Having compelling and frequently updated content on your site that is valuable to visitors, will keep them coming back.  If visitors are not responding to the writing on your site, consider hiring a pro editor to re-work the message.  If the focus of your business changes, the website should reflect that.
2. Traditional Networking Counts - I recently read an article by a successful online business owner who said that one of the most valuable things he did was go out and give lots of talks and go to business networking meetings.  This got his name out in the community and established his reputation along with good leads.  Some of my customers go to trade shows to meet potential clients in person, sell their products and promote their website all at the same time.
3. Get Social - Get the word out by engaging in social networking on sites like Facebook and YouTube.  I resisted this at first, thinking it was a marketing gimmick.  But my site traffic has increased noticeably since I’ve joined Facebook and I’ve enjoyed participating in lively discussions.  The key here is your participation has to be genuine, not just a marketing tool.  Join groups on topics you are passionate about and love to engage with others on.
4. Analyse & Modify - Use Google Analytics to see how visitors are finding and using your site.  Then make changes to your site to bring in more of the customers you want and emphasize what you’d like them to see.  You can also evaluate how people use your site with informal user testing.  For example, visitors may be missing the “Get Demo” link.  Perhaps it needs to be bigger or in a different color.
5. Optimize It - Do ethical Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to help people find your site.  This includes hiring a web designer that understands how to build an SEO-friendly site to begin with.  It also includes doing a keyword analysis for your site.  Some SEO can be done up front, but I believe that it works better after the site is launched and you can collect statistics on how people are finding and using the site.  There’s a lot more to SEO but let’s save that for another article.
6. Make It Interactive - Consider if it makes sense to add a blog, discussion forums, polls or other interactive features to your site.  These can build a sense of community around your site and your business.  You can also get valuable feedback from customers this way.
7. Be News-y - Many people experience good returns by sending out a regular HTML newsletter to their customers a few times a year or up to once a month.  The key is to not send one out too often and to provide real value when you do.  For example including discount coupons plus content that is interesting, relevant and helpful to your customers.  There’s more to creating a good HTML newsletter and list management than I can stuff into this article, so I’ll save that for another day too.

You can see there’s a lot more that can be done to build success for your business and your website, after the site launches.  It might look overwhelming, but these things don’t all have to be done at once– and a good web designer will help you plan and execute these tasks.

My hope is this article gives you an idea of what it takes to create a more successful online website and business.  Real-world website success takes an ongoing investment of time, patience, effort and money.  If this is your plan from the beginning, I believe you’ll be more likely to enjoy the success you envision.