When industrial companies first started building websites, they were simply an online catalog to showcase their items through another medium. Since then we have seen some major changes in how websites interact with search engines, but, sadly, a larger than healthy number of industrial companies have not kept up with the latest trends. Through the years websites have shifted from a mere “online catalog” to become an interactive 24/7 sales staff for your company. However, if your site has not kept up with the latest “best practices” then your site may be doing more harm to your company than it is good, and that is a serious concern in today’s shifting industrial landscape.
So how can you tell if your site is hurting your business? The number one must have of any site in today’s search based world is a mobile friendly website. With more and more users switching to mobile devices, Google has made a fundamental shift in their requirements for websites. This means that even if you believe that your industry doesn’t use mobile devices as much, you are still being affected by not having a mobile friendly site. Back in 2015, Google rolled out an update that would shift their focus to a more natural, mobile format. This is a must! A mobile friendly website has to fit roughly 200 specific criteria that Google outlined in order to qualify. However, it’s not what happens when you have a mobile friendly website, the real issue is what happens when your site is NOT mobile friendly. When Google runs a search, it favors mobile websites over older non-mobile sites. If your site is not updated to the most current standards, it will intentionally be ranked below those that have. If you aren’t sure if your site is mobile friendly, follow this link and test it.
Without a properly built website, no amount of marketing can save you from yourself. However, once you do have a website optimized for search engines the real work begins. With the effectiveness of modern search engines, a well built and marketed website can drive sales just like your sales staff of yesteryear. This is the healthiest comparison we can make for modern industrial manufacturers who don’t see the value in a website. Buyers, specifiers, and engineers are using the web more and more to research sales. 80% of sales are now done without ever pickup up the phone. While some companies may debate the effectiveness of web sales, one thing is for certain, the rest of your industry is not.
When you look at your website, do you see a mobile friendly, sales driving machine or do you see an outdated site designed to do little more than give you a URL for business cards? If you didn’t easily answer with “my website is a sales machine” then odds are, your website is actively hurting your business. Not only is your site hurting you by not driving business, it can also present your company as being out of date and old fashioned. Don’t let your website hurt your business anymore, update your messaging and position yourself for success!