“But can you service 2,000,000 contacts?” Don’t get sucked into the fad of hammering keywords into your pages just to get click throughs.There is a lot of buzz about Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and being on the first page of a Google or Yahoo search.
The reality is a lot of businesses would be unable to respond to 2 million hits. The number of inquiries from that many customers or their service is bound by geography (such as a gardener, carpenter or a computer technician). Another case is a specialty like engineering, where most potential clients are found through industry directories, “good-ol-fashion sales” or referrals. The customer may use the website like a portfolio and as part of their comparison when shopping several engineers – after the initial contact or meeting.
Look at where your favorite customers come from and where your most problematic customers come from. In your opening page state who you are and who your best type of customer is. Here’s an example,
“Good Technology Consulting is a software development company that specializes in analyzing a business and creating online (or web-based) software to meet the company and it’s customers needs. These services range from project management systems and contact management databases to the billing and online payment for commercial projects.
Good Technology Consulting has been delivering web-based software to companies in the engineering, industrial manufacturing and wholesale distribution industries since 2000. Their successful projects are being used by international and regional based businesses.”
Client Diversity
What if your company has more than one good market? One solution is two websites that speak about the same company and speak to the unique audience.
Here’s a concept, the software development company above has long-term projects developing software for complex companies. Along the way, they were referred to a group of psychics who have bustling, individual businesses and have requested a variety of duplicate websites. Speaking about both groups of clients in the same website can suggest a lack of focus or even a lack of credibility. The industrial clients might see the psychics as a hobby and the psychics (using their superior telepathy) might see the industrial software as too burdensome.
Make two websites and speak to each group about what they need to know to choose your company.
Getting Hit by the Hits
In summary, your company and website may not need the 2 million Google and Yahoo site visitors. Be aware that your company may not want or be able to handle a large number of inquiries. Or, you may not get the customers you want from a lot of search engine hits.
Identify your preferred customer
- Who is your ideal customer?
- Does your customer use your website to validate you after he or she hears about you?
- Do you have uniquely separate groups of customers with very different needs?
In your Home page and again in your About page
- Say who you are and what you do
- Say who your ideal customers are
- Create multiple pages and separate marketing materials for each unique audience