Almost all businesses have a website to send customers to. It’s usually the first place that customers look when they want to know about your company or product. You don’t want your website to be outdated or difficult to use.

Websites now have to be user-friendly no matter what the device, and it should also have graphics that reflect your brand. This is why it’s so important to have the right team in place when you decide to upgrade your website. But who should this team be composed of? How can you get your project off to the right start?

When choosing your team, you should always think about the internal stakeholders at your company. This means that you’ll want to include decision-makers such as department heads, your Webmaster, and any marketing people. Who else manages the website or creates the content for it? Who has their contact information on the website? Include people who are directly invested in what the content says, too.

Once you’ve got a team together, it’s time to discuss specifics. The first thing to do is a website audit.

Auditing your website isn’t as difficult as it sounds. Sit down and take some time looking at the website in detail. Ask your team members to do the same. Do you notice any features that you like? What things do you dislike about your website? Are there any visuals that you think can be better?

Analyze the content of your website, too. Are there words that sound tired or clichéd? Are there gaps or is there information missing? What parts do you think need to be written or rewritten to make it sing?

Once you’ve made your opinions, it’s time for a bit of investigating by looking at the traffic patterns and visitor data. Hopefully, you’re using a decent analysis program. (Google Analytics will do but you’ll need it up and running for at least 30 days to see the patterns.) Look at the pages. Which pages do visitors land on? Do they stay on the website or do they hit the back button, giving you a large bounce rate? Bounce rate is the top indicator that a website page needs to be reworked. What was your website visitors looking for, and how did the web page fail them?

Recreating a website can help you focus on your marketing goals. What is a website if not a path to converting more sales? There are other reasons for owning a website, too. When you create a website, you’ll need a solid strategy. You’ll be successful if you think about both the short and the long-term, and focus on some of the following strategies when creating content.

When you’re building a website it’s important to think of the type of buyers that will be visiting your website. Before any content is rewritten, you should have these buyers in mind.

Every business has at least one buyer “type,” which is why marketers now use buyer personas to create content for each customer. For example, if you sold soccer balls, some of your customers would probably be 20-something moms and dads, as well as people in local soccer leagues and teenagers who hope to play professionally. 

Make sure you have content that each buyer persona can relate to.

Your website content should be focused on selling, and that means it needs to be persuasive. A conversion path will lead your anonymouse website users on a path to purchasing from you. It usually contains a landing page, an offer, a call-to-action and a thank you page. 

Value is the only thing that people are looking for online. Value is often provided by content. Studies show that conversion rates increase when visitors enjoy multiple types of content. Video itself has shown to increase conversions by over 60%. Promotions such as limited-time offers or coupons also add value for your visitors. What do you think your potential customers value the most? How can you make sure your website offers it?

One of the most important parts of building your brand online is consistency. Your Facebook, Twitter, and website should be in harmony when it comes to logos and avatars. Pick a style and include which fonts to always use, colors to use and other vital branding. Make it a rule that all employees only use typeset and colors specified, and publish a Style Guide for them to follow.

Redesigning your website can help your brand grow into its own. Make sure your content also speaks to your customers in a way that compels them. Your new website can easily be used to grow new leads and nurture older ones. Talk with the designers of your website to learn more about how to truly use it to grow your business.