Website Assessment Checklist

Every now and then we wonder how our website is doing. You can have a third party assess your website, but here's some of the things that Eclectic Tech looks for when they evaluate your website:

1. Nearly every page on your website should have a single primary call to action. Here's some ideas: click here for more information, fill in this form, pay/order here, mailing list sign-up for a special offer, watch a video, phone # to call, make a donation. Avoid extra clicks whenever possible: put the action on the page with the information. Also, your contact information should be on every page: however you want to be contacted (email form, phone number, etc.)
2. Does your home page answer "Am I on the right website?" -- a quick summary of what you do and who you do it for. This is not the place for how. Keep it short and sweet. You may have a marketing issue if you can't do this.
3. Does your About page cover who you are and why you do what you do? Your mission, your passion, your direction, your vision? It doesn't have to cover all of it. If you're a small business, your About page should also cover why you're qualified to do it.
4. To give you credibility, you should have quotes, testimonials, product or service reviews, or a portfolio and/or case studies.
5. Are your services "Why" oriented rather than "How"? You may be very proud of how you provide your value, but the customer needs to know why they need this service or product from you, rather than someone else who does it differently. In other words, the customer usually wants an end result. If your process avoids a particular downfall of how it's usually done, make it part of the end result, not a discussion of the process. Have you given pricing or pricing guidelines on your website?
6. Do you have any legal notifications you need on your website? You can cover these individually or in an FAQ: privacy policy, copyright notice, legal terms, warranty and return/refund policy, guarantees, etc.
7. If you have membership in professional associations, the local chamber, the BBB, awards, certifications, qualifications -- make sure they're at least on your About page -- that's where customers go to find out more about your qualities & qualifications.
8. Do you have social media badges/links on your website? A link to your blog, a Facebook like button, the last 5 posts on your twitter feed? Only put the things that you actually use on your website, because an old blog isn't better than nothing.
9. I know you're really proud of HOW you do what you do. Put it into your FAQ page. Some people really want to know this level of detail -- while others are overwhelmed by it. Don't bog down your sales pages with technical information. Create a tech specs page, a methodology page, or several questions in the FAQ about it, because people looking for more detail will be willing to click for it.
10. How will you follow up with website visitors? You need to collect information (see #1 and call to actions) so that you can follow up with an email autoresponder, mailing list, tweets, etc. Whatever your favorite prospect contact point is, make sure your prospects will receive your communications.

I know this looks like a lot. That's why Eclectic Tech will do a brief assessment of your website and point out a few things that need attention. If you want a complete website evaluation, please give us a call. We can make the changes you need to your website, and we look forward to helping you out.

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