Can Your Industrial Website Run on Ice?

Here in Minnesota, there are many wonders.  Being a California transplant, one of the wonders for me is seeing people jogging in 20 below weather on icy, slick sidewalks.  I can’t help but shudder and think, “How do they not slip and break a leg?” I got my answer this morning, when I heard a piece on the radio about a specialized niche of walking and running shoes that are specially designed to allow you to traverse icy surfaces. 

Made with carbon rubber, Gore-Tex, and other materials used for winter clothing, these shoes feature special soles that allow you to run safely across rough terrain or ice.  The man on the radio said “You could run across a hockey rink in these shoes!”  Amazing!  (Now I know how those runners do it, but you still won’t see me out there scampering across the tundra!)

The point is, these runners are prepared for all seasons and are able to exercise and be at their physical best year round, even in the harshest winter.  All it takes is a highly specialized product to make it possible.   Your industrial website is the specialized online presence for your niche product or service, whether it’s laser marking or waterproof fluorescent lighting.  It’s easy to ensure that your website is ready to perform at its best for you year round.  Here are a few strategies to help your website run on ice and outperform other websites that just don’t have the right shoes.

Contact, Contact, Contact!

Each step you take is one step forward.  The same applies to visitors making contact with you.  Every contact has potential.  Make sure that you provide easy and accessible ways for a potential customer to contact you.

• Strong calls to action-Every page of your website is a potential landing page, and web users searching for your services using search engines will rarely reach your site via the homepage.  A strong call to action offers visitors the chance to make contact, no matter where they are in the site. It’s important to make it easy for a visitor to find a link to your contact form, your RFQ page, and your phone number on every page.
• Multiple lead generation options- Every industrial site should have a contact us form, a request for quote form (if you offer quotes), an easy way to make a purchase in as few steps as possible if you offer online purchases, and a toll free number.  Also, offering a regular newsletter with specials encourages users to maintain contact with your company.  Make sure the sign up form for the newsletter is prominent and short.
• Keep your forms simple-No one wants to spend half of their morning filling out a form with too many fields.  Web users want things to happen fast.  The only information you should require on your contact us form is the name, email address, and possibly a phone number.  The RFQ form should only ask for information that is absolutely critical to being able to make contact with the person who filled out the form.  You can gather the details of the RFQ directly from them when you call or email them.

Diverse Content and Professional Copywriting

You might be the best technician in your field but you may not have the writing skills to talk about your products and services in a way that is appropriate for the web and that will drive visitors to make contact with you.  That’s okay!  There are professional industrial copywriters who can help you.  Their job is to create web copy that is appropriate for your visitors’ interest and reading levels and that encourages search engines to find and rank your pages well.  A professional industrial copywriter understands your niche and can help your website put its best foot forward.

There are also types of content that should appear on an industrial website that are geared specifically for industrial and commercial clientele that you can help generate, if you do have the ability to write well. 

• Definitions or glossary page-Help your visitors understand your products and services better while incorporating important keywords.
• Resources-You can include spec sheets, white papers, case studies and more.  These show the range of your company’s abilities while offering great content for the search engines.
• News page-You can talk about the latest piece of machinery or process, changes in the company or any other important information.  Tie this into submitting press releases online with a link back to your site and you’ll be generating interest in your brand and services both onsite and offsite!  By archiving news releases on your website, you are ensuring that you have plenty of relevant content available for the search engines to offer potential customers.

Video Optimization for Industrial Websites

Take advantage of this multimedia opportunity to tell a story about your products or services and to engage and educate your customers.  Video optimization for industrial websites is a powerful method of increasing your brand recognition and reaching an audience you might not have with a website alone.  Read more about how industrial companies can benefit from video optimization!
 
Year-round runners stay focused and fit, and make sure to do what’s necessary to stay one step one ahead, even in the depths of winter. Their specialized footwear let’s them go where people like me and my summer sneakers can’t follow.  Make sure to take advantage of specialized optimization techniques when developing your industrial website and stay ahead of the pack!

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