Just having a website is like building an office but not the sidewalks and roads that lead clients to it. So how do you know if your site is actually working toward your goals? Three things help: heat mapping, site analytics, and SMART goals.
1. Heat mapping
With tools like heat maps and analytics, we can see which areas of your site people click, scroll to, and actually use. A heatmap shows what parts of a page get attention, faster than digging through analytics and comparing data.
This article from the Nielsen Norman Group is a great look at what we treat as web standards, banners, side panels, and the like, and at how people ignore content that sits near anything resembling an ad. Design plays a real role in how your site gets used.
2. Go deeper with site analytics
Are your visitors finding what they want? Your site’s functions should serve your business goals, so how the site is organized to support those goals is the priority. This is where Google Analytics helps: your top five landing pages and top five most-visited pages tell you what the site’s real focus should be.
Put those “heroes” at the top of the fold, the area people see before they scroll. Heatmaps show that more than 75% of visitors interact with the top portion of your homepage.
3. Get SMART
What else can you do to make your site work harder? If you’re not familiar with SMART goals, the acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. It has been around for decades and has helped businesses and individuals stay focused and productive.
Find out if your site is working for you
Order a Website Audit & Assessment and we’ll show you exactly where your site stands.