EXAMPLE Q&A: Writing a Website Analysis for a Potential Client

Here is an example of how I write a website analysis - www.mediamation.com

Q: What should be the goal of the website?

A: Website goal

Mediamation’s website should reflect the experience as you would get from the product - dynamic and unique with global attraction.  The site currently doesn’t sell the “sizzle” of your products or services.

?Prospective customers should find what they are looking for, learn what Mediamation has to offer, solve the prospects challenges or problems, and  understand why the right choice is Mediamation products and services.

Q: How should your audience perceive your company?

A: Additionally, site perception should be that Mediamation is a B2B GLOBAL ORGANIZATION - The leader in interactive exhibits, motion seats, MX4D? and 5D motion effect theaters and systems integration.

Q: What are the "musts" that must be in the website?

A: Site Structure

Every customer is different but, seventy-six percent of consumers say the most important factor in a website's design is ability to find the information they need, easy-to-navigate structure, advanced functionality, dynamic content, and content that align with the interests of your target market.

No Testimonials Featured

An exciting product that doesn’t feature any testimonials?  Testimonials are gold during the Attraction stage of Inbound Marketing.

Q: Does the website feature lead generating opportunities?

A: Lead Generation

There are no real lead generation opportunities around the website.  The site is simply informative.  The one existing opportunity on the site is the newsletter sign up, and that link is broken.

Q: Does the site feature call-to-action, lead generation activities?

A: Call-to-Action

What type of action is the next step for a website visitor?  

Are you assuming, “contact us”?

What if they aren’t finished gathering information...where do they go for more information without feeling sales pressure?

What opportunities are you giving a website visitor to provide their contact information?

How are you rewarding website visitors for surrendering their contact information?

Q: Does the site address the marketing needs for the Buyer’s Journey?

A: The Buyer's Journey

No detection of available information to visitors throughout the buyer’s journey.

There is no inbound marketing opportunities, on the site, to let marketing help sales attract leads.

Q: Is it easy for site visitors to discover other sections of the website?

A: Discovery

There are no keyword links, within the website, to lead a visitor to discover other parts of the site or pages that will offer them the product experience/services/support information.

Q: Is it easy for Google to find the website?

A: Keywords

Throughout the site, keywords or long-tail keywords aren’t being utilized throughout the site.  There are so many more opportunities to bring Mediamation up in a Google search.  Inbound marketing takes the important keywords and longtail keywords and creates meaningful content out of it for the sales journey.

Q: What's the visual sizzle level?

A: Visual Sizzle

Site is wordy, dark and utilizes outdated design; no real sizzling visuals to stimulate or excite the site visitor about Mediamation’s highly dynamic product line and services.  

Q: Is the website "mobile-friendly"?

A: The Site is Not Mobile-friendly

Website needs to be “mobile friendly” with a responsive design.

FACT:  Mobile digital media time in the US is now significantly higher at 51% compared to desktop (42%).

Q: How is the site performing?

A: Site Speed

Slow page speed (10.2 and should be in the 5s)

FACT: * According to Google mobile sites that load in 5 seconds vs. 19 seconds revealed:

• 70% longer page view
• 35% lower bounce rates

62 / 100 Desktop version speed test

53 / 100 Mobile version speed test

This site will not pass Google's Mobile-Friendly Test.

Q: Are there broken links within the site?

A: Broken Lead Generation Links

The one place where you can obtain leads (newsletter sign up) is a broken link.

Broken article links on Mediamation News section.

[INSERT YOUR SUGGESTIONS HERE]

A few marketing suggestions to create a Lean, Mean, Lead and Sales Generating Machine

Lead Generation

Only the development and integration of a comprehensive Inbound Marketing & Sales strategy will turn the website into a lead generating machine and visitor education resource.

Establishing Mediamation as the Thought Leader within the Marketplace

This strategy is also intended to develop Mediamation into a Thought Leader in interactive exhibits, motion seats, MX4D? and 5D motion effect theaters and systems integration marketplace.

Did you know - 79% of would-be buyers say thought leadership is critical for determining which companies they want to learn more about.

Thought leaders can truly stand apart by filling the void with timely, relevant, insightful ideas.

Here are some ideas:

• Industry Thought Leadership (a point of view on news, trends and the future)
• Product Thought Leadership (how-to’s, best practices, strategy)
• Generate Thought Leadership content to drive brand differentiation

Lead Management Strategy Creation

Marketing assumes responsibility for designing a lead management program to provide sales with highly-qualified, highly-nurtured leads.  Marketing’s intent is to totally educate the buyer until they are ready to buy...this is where sales steps in.

Here are some ideas:

• Web - create opportunities, on the site, for lead conversion
• Tradeshow - create a solid lead management/nurturing flow with sales
• Inbound Marketing - other areas we can inject lead generating ideas

Lead Nurturing

• Create effective lead nurturing content, to support the sales team, as the buyer travels down the buyer’s journey.

Responsive Website Design

Since users are moving away from using a desktop computer, creating a website that is responsive across type of device will allow a better user experience.

Bring the Technology to Life

Embedded videos of product being used

Video the reaction of product use (the seller!)

Get a new customer excited about the install by showing how seamless and organized working with Mediamation can be. 

Feature Mediamation’s Recent Projects

• A PROJECTS page needs to bring alive your projects with short videos instead of images.  At least a visitor can “see” the magic that you’re bringing.
• This page needs to feature a lead generating / sales conversion strategy.
• Feature a behind-the-scenes of a project - “Oh, that’s how it’s done.”
• Feature the type of technology that is used - “How do they do that?”
• Feature customized projects and why a customer needed them - “That’s a good idea for our demonstration, too!”.
• Google loves videos and people like to share.  This is an opportunity for this information to have legs and be passed around to other potential customers.
• Videos can be featured on YouTube, Social Media, used as information tools to potential customers further down the sales funnel.
• Excellent source of inbound marketing content.  Can be used in multiple ways.

Better to have many “short” videos than a few long ones.  

Video marketing best practices say that sweet spot is about 45-60 seconds.  However, 3 minutes can work in cases of training videos and infomercials.

Featuring Mediamation’s Clients

• Feature the recent clients you have served on the site.
• Bank the names of dated clients in an information bank for sales to utilize when a lead gets further down the sales funnel.
• Recent client testimonials - video or text (preferably video).
• A quick video overview of recent client projects.
• Create potential leads by asking them to forfeit their contact information; then supply a link to other client projects.

Featuring Mediamation’s Service

• Feature short videos of service segments (quickie overviews).
• Make these videos available on-site so visitor doesn’t leave the site.
• Each one of these video pages should have a call to action and lead generation opportunity.
• Service solutions make excellent Thought Leadership fodder to write content about.

Blogging

Inbound marketing relies heavily on blogging. Lead generation relies heavily on blogging. Blog posts help drive traffic to Mediamation’s website!

• Visitor comes to the blog
• Visitor sees call-to-action for a free offer from the blog
• Visitor clicks call-to-action and gets to a landing page to fill in with their information
• Visitor fills out form, submits information, and receives the free offer
• Thank you page displays link to the website

If prospects find answers to their common questions via blog posts written by people at your company, they're much more likely to come into the sales process trusting what you have to say.

Social Engagement

Social widgets on your site illustrates that Mediamation takes advantage of other communication channels to promote goods and services. Social engagement is another marketing channel that will offer theatre solutions, solve prospects challenges or problems, and help visitors understand Mediamation products and services are the right choice.

For example: B2B Inbound Marketing Loves Linkedin

• Join influencer groups to spread the message
• Joining groups allows Mediamation to “listen” to the needs and challenges of the target audience
• Offer thought leadership content to groups
• House thought leadership content for professionals to access
• Target, engage, build audience and generate leads on LinkedIn's Feed
• Competitive research