In a referral-based industry such as insurance, a website has the power to turn a prospect into a client.
A website does more than advertise, it can help define a business's legitimacy.
According to Hubspot, 78% of Internet users conduct product research online before making a purchase. People expect to be able to find everything and anyone online, which means a business without a website can be a cause for concern. And in today's Internet-obsessed age where design and user experience are critical influencers, having a poorly designed and outdated website can be even more detrimental than not having a website at all.
Many experts agree that a website should be updated every two to three years. As website trends and design best practices are constantly evolving, the three-year mark is typically when a website starts to show its age.
If you're like most independent property and casualty insurance agents, your website is the last thing on your mind. You spend a chunk of your marketing dollars to keep your website running, but you aren't really using it. Your website is covered in figurative spider webs and, as a result, you may not be receiving many, if any, referrals from it.
Ask yourself this: "Is my website working as hard as I am?" If not, it's time to kick it into gear. Here are five essentials for bringing your website into the 21st century and turning it into a lead-generating machine:
Websites that have videos tend to attract more visitors and keep them there longer. (Photo: iStock)
1. Add video
Just a decade ago, adding video to a website was a luxury. Today, it's essential for every site.
Why? Because video has a profound impact on the average time a visitor spends on your website. It slows down your website visitor.
The user's mind isn't deciding whether your website is a worthy place to spend time — he or she is too busy watching the video.
It should come as no surprise then that the average user spends 88% more time on a website with video. Video also attracts 300% more monthly website visitors and results in a 157% increase in organic traffic from search engines. Video doesn't just modernize your website — it also increases traffic and leads.
If the photos on your website were chosen when computers looked like this, then it is time for some new photos. (Photo: iStock)
2. Update your imagery
If there's one single element that can age your website, it's your imagery.
Poorly designed graphics and stock photography from the 1990s immediately reveals just how long it has been since you've updated your site.
Even if you don't give your website a complete makeover, switching out photos and adding new graphics can make all the difference to a tired-looking site.
If you currently have graphics that illustrate your many services or other elements of your practice, work with a graphic designer to update the style.
Replace any old photography with modern images. If you don't have photographs of your own, use a site like iStock to purchase images.
More people are now accessing the Internet through their mobile phones and tablets than through desktop and laptop computers. (Photo: iStock)
3. Make your site mobile-responsive
In late 2013, the way we used the Internet changed.
For the first time, more people were using their mobile devices, instead of their computers, to surf the Internet.
Today, 25% of Americans only use mobile devices to access the Internet, with nine out of 10 mobile searches leading to action and 70% of mobile searches leading to action within one hour.
It's important that your website is easy to navigate, both on a computer and a mobile device.
Take a moment right now to check and see if your website is mobile-friendly or mobile-responsive. Mobile-friendly means that your site doesn't have any Flash animation. While it can be accessed on a mobile device, it may have limited usability.
Preferably, you want your website to be mobile-responsive, which means your site changes based on the device on which the user is viewing it. For example, for a small phone screen, the layout will adjust to fit the width and height, making it easy to navigate. The layout will adjust again if viewed horizontally instead of vertically, or on a device with a larger screen.
If your website isn't easy to use on a mobile device, consider working with a developer to create a mobile-friendly or mobile-responsive design.
If your website was built before 2010, it is probably running Adobe Flash, and needs to be updated. (Photo: iStock)
4. Eliminate Flash
In 1996, Adobe introduced Flash, which completely changed the way websites looked and worked.
If you wanted to add video or animation on your site, web developers turned to Flash until around 2010 when website trends changed. Today, Flash is incredibly limited in regard to creating a modern website. This is because it isn't accessible on mobile devices, it isn't SEO friendly, and it can significantly slow down the speed of your site, among many other concerns.
If your website was built prior to 2010, there's a good chance it's running on Flash and should be updated.
Having ways for visitors to your website to contact you encourages interaction and generates leads to follow up on. (Photo: iStock)
5. Incorporate contact forms
In addition to your contact page (which includes your email address and phone number), having contact forms on several of your website pages is a powerful method of attracting leads.
Forms are a low-stakes, minimal pressure way to ask someone a question or request more information. When visitors come to your website to view any content, there should be a simple form next to or below it that says, "Have a question?" The visitor can easily submit a question and an email address to receive more information. These contact forms encourage interaction and add another layer to your website design.
Give your website some TLC, bring it into the 21st century, and start seeing results. You'll be amazed to see the power of a great looking website and its ability to generate leads.
Craig Faulkner is the founder and CEO of San Diego-based website and marketing company FMG Suite. Follow him at @craigfaulkner on Twitter.
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