What is the purpose of your website?


If you’re thinking that the purpose of your website is to explain what your business does, you’re in good company.  About 90% of small business websites have this as their focus:

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But, your website is not an information site.  It’s not Wikipedia.

Its purpose is to galvanise people into spending some of their hard earned cash.

And if you want your website to actually SELL your product or service, there’s something quite different your site should be emphasising.

In marketing speak, to get your website really working for your business, you need to focus on benefits not features.

Say what?

You’re trying to turn them into CUSTOMERS

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Ultimately, you’re trying to convert someone who is minding their own business, sitting on their sofa, not buying anything from you, into someone who sits up, takes notice and takes action.

You want them to BUY something from you!

Your website needs to INSPIRE them towards a purchase

The purpose of your website is to nudge them towards this goal.

In marketing terms, you want to move them forward through your marketing funnel:

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And to inspire me, talk to me about ME!

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Soooo many small business websites are all about the business.

It’s a huge instant upgrade to refocus your website’s language around your customer.

Tell me benefits not features

So a core tenet of marketing wisdom is to always highlight BENEFITS to the reader if they get involved with you.

WHY it will feel great to them if they make a purchase from you.

Every angle of what you do should be described to highlight what’s in it for THEM.

Each thing you’d like to say about your business?  Don’t!  It’s not about what you DO.  It’s about what you have to OFFER to your reader.

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Join the 10% of businesses doing this well

So, pretty simple, right?  Well, it can be challenging to articulate in practice.

I’ll be happy to help.  Just get in touch.


About Jessica Kennedy

Authored by Jessica Kennedy, the Marketing Chihuahua. Jessica writes text for the websites of small businesses and charities, and provides coaching in blogging and social media. She really enjoys helping people and organisations express themselves fluently online, in painless and practical ways.