3 Critical Website Elements That Will Help You Get More Traffic

Your competitors are getting more leads, more sales, more subscribers and more raving fans than you.  Why aren’t you getting better website traffic?  It’s probably because you’re missing some key website elements.

Even if you have these website elements, they may not be used to the their maximum potential.  People ask me to review their websites frequently.  It’s amazing how often I read a website for a minute and I still can’t figure out what the person is offering me!!

This was a big problem for me when I first started out blogging.  I’ve learned that it’s critically important to be clear when you’re delivering your message on your website.  You also need a clear path for people to follow in order to learn what you offer, then accept the offer and take action on it.

The best brands and the best sites aren’t necessarily the ones that win.  The brands that succeed the most are typically the ones that have the clearest messages.  You need to make your site VERY easy for people to understand.

At Storybrand, Donald Miller and Dr. J.J. Peterson teach business owners how to clarify their messages so they can build their business.  I wrote a review of their book, Building a Storybrand, that you can read here.  It’ll explain the 7 part Storybrand framework that I think will be helpful in understanding the placement of the three website elements we’ll disscuss below.

If you haven’t already listened to the podcast episode with Dr. J.J. Peterson, you can listen here.  It was a great episode that should help you clarify your marketing message so you can succeed in growing your business.  Let’s look at 3 key website elements they recommend for every brand.

3 critical website elements you need

1. A memorable one-liner

A one-liner is essentially a short story that tells a potential customer what your business does and how you make your customers’ lives better.

When someone asks what your business or side hustle is about, they’ll completely tune out if you say, “I’m a consultant.”  But, what if you say this instead:

“Most people have trouble losing weight and keeping it off.
I coach people to use the foods they actually like in a specialized way to help them lose up to 15% of their body weight so they live longer and have more energy to spend doing activities they enjoy.”

If you use the second line, people are going to start asking questions:

• You really can lose up to 15% using that system?
• You mean I can eat the foods I like?
• I can have more energy and not be tired at the end of the day?

That’s the whole point of a one-liner: to get people asking questions.  You’re inviting them to be a part of a story.  They need to find themselves as the hero in a story you’re telling. You and your business act as the guide for their hero’s journey.  Make them a part of the story, and they’ll get interested quickly.

The one-liner should appear in some form near the top of the website.  Someone should be able to look at the top of the website for 10 seconds and be able to answer three questions:

1. What does your website offer?
2. How does it make the customer’s life better?
3. What do they do in order to get it?

You can use my free guide below, “Creating a One-Liner that will Kickstart Your Business’ Growth” below.  Start by writing the one-liner and then incorporate it into your messaging.  It should be something easy to memorize so you can tell it to anyone who asks what your business does.  Start with the one-liner, and then move on to the second of the three key website elements: a lead generator.

2. A high-value lead generator

A lead generator is something of value that you can offer someone in exchange for their email address.  This could be a pdf guide (like the one-liner guide I offer in this post), a free email course, a free video training, an invitation to a webinar, or anything else that can provide the person value.

This should be something free, easy to access, and offer a quick win.  People will download a lead generator if they think it will solve a problem they have.

As you start to plan your lead generator, think about what problems you can solve for your customers.  One of the easiest ways to figure this out is to reach out to existing customers and ask them what their biggest struggles are.  If you get the same answers over and over, that’s a great subject for a lead generator!

Once you have the person’s email address, you’ve established a relationship with them.  They are the hero of their story, and they’ve acknowledged you as the guide that can help them to achieve their goals.

Put some effort into crafting a lead generator that has real value.  Yes, you’re doing this work for no pay, but it’s not for nothing!  You’re building trust and establishing your authority as someone that can help them solve their problem.  People aren’t going to give you their email address without getting some value in return.  You need to earn their trust by showing them the kind of real value that you can provide.

Once you’ve got a great one-liner and a high-quality lead generator, then it’s time to get the customer to take action.  The last of the three key website elements is a clear call to action.

3. A clear call to action

This one was hard for me to get used to.  I don’t like being “sales-y.”  I want to teach, to serve, and to educate.  I don’t like the idea of feeling like a salesman.

What I’ve come to realize though, is that people won’t take action unless you call them to it and do so clearly and directly.  What’s your call to action on your website?  Is there a button people can click to take them to a page to buy something, subscribe to a list, or schedule an appointment?  If not, you need a clearer call to action.

Here are some examples of a vague or weak call to action:

• Check it out!
• Learn more
• Take the next step

You need a clear, direct, strong call to action.  Here are some examples:

• Schedule an appointment
• Call this number
• Buy now

The call to action needs to be at the top of the website and scattered throughout the website’s home page.  As people scroll down through the home page, they should frequently encounter the call to action button.  Make it obvious.  Don’t let it blend in.  Don’t worry about being pushy.  If people like your product and you’re not acting like a sleazy salesman, then you’ll come across as assertive and direct, not pushy.

Final Thoughts

You need to have a high quality product or service in order to have a successful business.  However, you especially need to make sure you get your message clear, or your marketing becomes just noise.  Having these 3 key website elements will ensure that you have a clear path for customers to follow in order to engage with your business.

Start with creating the one-liner and lead generator, and make sure you shop the ideas around with your existing readers, subscribers, and customers.  Find out what they need, and offer solutions that help them.  They’ll see that, honor that, and you’ll be amazed at how fast your business picks up.

Further Reading

• Listen to the companion podcast episode with Dr. J.J. Peterson
• 7 Ways Physicians Can Grow Their Business By Creating Fans
• Building a Storybrand (book review)
• How to Build a Sterling Reputation

 

Please leave a comment below!  What’s something that you love about a website that you use regularly?

 

Full Disclosure: Some of the links to the resources listed above may be affiliate links, which means that I will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. But it doesn’t cost you anything extra—it’s just a way to show you appreciate what we do here. Thanks for this.