The Covid-19 pandemic impacted the way consumers shop and conduct their business, accelerating a digital transformation already well underway. A recent report published by the Pew Research Center shows that even older adults are closing the tech adoption gap between them and younger adults on many fronts including Smartphone and tablet ownership, social media adoption and internet usage more broadly.
Is your website up to snuff? Does it provide clients and potential clients what they need and expect? Your website reflects your agency brand, service, and values. While design trends come and go, and aesthetics do matter, functionality and security are the table stakes of every reputable business website.
1. User friendly navigation
When it comes to finding your way around a website, simple wins the day. Site navigation should allow users to easily select which pages to visit, tell visitors where they are and how to get back. Your mobile users with big thumbs will thank you for making your navigation large enough, and with a wide margin for error so they click what they intend to.
2. Data security
Fact: Hacks happen to all sized businesses. Work with your web partner to make sure your security plug-ins are installed and up to date. If you want people to trust your agency, invest in an SSL certificate. This secures the transfer of information, including client information and data, between your website and the server. It also provides the important “S” in HTTPS protocol (preceding your web address in the browser bar) that consumers are trained to recognize as a sign that it is safe to provide information.
3. Fast load times
Load time is the amount of time a website takes to entirely load its content and can make or break a website. People have little patience for sites that are slow to load. Data shows the probability that someone will leave a site increases by 32% if the page load time increases from 1 to 3 seconds. While hosting and other issues can adversely impact load speed, one of the major reasons for a slow-loading website is the use of images that are not optimized for the web. Large, high-quality images may look nice, but dramatically slow things down.
4. Responsive design and mobile friendliness
Screen sizes vary dramatically across the abundance of devices available today, from super-sized monitors down to tablets, smartphones to wearables. Responsive design refers to web development that will adjust the layout based on the size and capabilities of the device. Other considerations for mobile users? Click-to-call allows your visitors to phone your agency with one tap. Do you have forms on your site? Make sure they are large enough and function across devices.
5. Self-service
Clients may appreciate your rock star customer service, but the reality is their needs are not limited to the hours your agency is open. Integrating a portal or virtual assistant on your website allows clients to request policy changes, certificates of insurance and update their contact information outside of your office hours.
Your website is a window into your agency, and an opportunity to put your best foot forward. What does yours say about you?