Your marketing is only as good as your website
In 2014, my friend got a job with a well known tech company in Vermont. As part of his training, he was shown “the worst website ever”, which he of course wanted to share with me.
I was trying to remember the name of this site today so I did a Google search for “worst website ever” and there it was. More than 10 years later, lingscars.com is in three of the top five blogs about it on my search results page. To be fair, they have clearly made significant improvements, and their current site isn’t as aggressive as the one I remember seeing years ago, which is archived here.
So. That’s a really bad website. A masterclass in what not to do: slow to load, chaotic, confusing, and visually overwhelming. An assault on the eyes and the mind.
But what if your website isn’t that bad? Does it matter if your site is not very good as long as it’s not that bad?
Yes. Totally.
All successful marketing starts with a high quality website, and here’s why.
Your Website is Where the Conversions Happen
Your ads, social media accounts, your newsletter - all these tools drive traffic to your website, which is where your customers actually convert. If your site is dated, slow to load, confusing, untrustworthy, or an assault on the eyes, you lose momentum and possibly the user, and the money you’ve spent to get there is wasted.
First Impressions Matter. A Lot.
It takes a user 0.05 seconds to form an opinion about your website. Clutter, disorganization, poor or outdated design instantly lower your credibility and trust, and can drive a user away quicker than you can say “bounce rate”.
Your website is a direct reflection of you and your brand, and it’s important that your site instantly creates a good impression. Users know that there are plenty of other websites to go to if they don’t like what they see when they get to your site. Make every marketing dollar count by giving them a reason to stay on yours.
Quality Content Brings Organic & Paid Success
Search engines, paid ad platforms, and AI driven search tools all value clear, well-organized, helpful content. A solid website has logical structure, fast performance, and compelling copy, all of which help SEO rankings, and make your paid ad traffic more likely to stay and convert.
Good Landing Page Experiences = Better Ad Performance
Google Ads and Bing Ads consider the landing page experience when scoring, pricing, and ranking your ads. This makes sense, given that the best, most well set-up campaign won’t work if the users don’t like your site once they get there.
A bad site can mean higher cost-per-click charges, lower ad placements and lower quality scores. In other words, a better website doesn’t just convert more, it also stretches your advertising budget further. It’s crucial to have a strong website in order to make the most of your marketing efforts.
You Don’t Need an Extravagant Website. You Need a Website with These Three Things.
The good news? You don’t need a massive budget to get it right.
Just because you need a good website doesn't mean you have to break the bank to do it. You don’t need an extravagant website, you need one that is fast, clear, trustworthy, and easy to use.
✨ Simplicity
Remember the 0.05 seconds it takes a user to form an opinion about your website? Simplicity is a huge part of that.
It should be immediately obvious what you offer and what you want a user to do next.
Clear design, sensible navigation, and straightforward messaging will always be better than a flashy design on a widget-ridden page.
Your goal is to guide the user to a conversion. Always keep that in mind.
✨ Speed
Who among us hasn’t felt the frustration of a slow-loading website? You check your service, maybe refresh the page once or twice and, if it’s still not loading, you leave.
Your users are the same way.
Good websites load quickly (ideally in 2 seconds but definitely no more than 3) and work smoothly on all devices, especially smartphones. If you don’t have speed and mobile optimization, nothing else matters because very few people will stick around to see it.
✨ Trust
Can your users trust you? How do they know?
Your website should instantly convey a sense of trustworthiness.
Some of the most effective trust signals include:
Secure connections (HTTPS protocols and SSL certificates)
Customer reviews
Accreditation and award badges
Consistent branding across colors, fonts and tone
Clear and visible contact information
Who else has trusted you? Display their names and/or logos on your site as proof that other businesses trust you.
If you’re a member of an association, such as the Better Business Bureau, display that logo. Recognizable associations can build your credibility quickly.
Another great way to build trust is to show the real people behind your company. Add photos and bios of the people on your team - give your customers a face to put with your name.
Share candid shots of real people using your product or service. User-generated content from social media can be incredibly powerful.
The more genuine human connection you show, the easier it is for users to trust you, and the more likely they are to become customers.
✨ ✨ ✨
Every marketing effort you make - from ads to SEO to newsletters to social media - is ultimately judged by the quality of your website.
Make sure it’s pulling its weight.
You don’t need a flashy or grandiose website, you just need one that’s fast, clear, trustworthy and easy to use. By starting with this good foundation, your marketing campaigns will go a lot further.
Wondering if your website passes the test (or are you worried that it definitely doesn’t)? Let’s talk about it and get you where you need to be!
