What is website optimization and how does it help tax professionals attract clients?
Visitors to a tax website want to know whether that particular tax professional can answer their questions or provide the specific assistance they need. By making sure people can find the answers they seek quickly and easily, you give yourself the best chance of capitalizing on opportunities to grow your client base. Website optimization refers to the process of ensuring that a site functions as smoothly and efficiently as possible for all users.
By providing a first-rate visitor experience, an optimized website helps people feel confident about taking the next step and reaching out to you. Optimization can also catch the attention of Google and other search engines, improving the odds that they will recommend your site to those seeking tax help. This article explains the basics of site optimization and the benefits it provides.
General performance optimization
The category of general website performance encompasses all the basics of how well, how smoothly and how quickly a website does what it is supposed to do. For example:
- How quickly does the site load (become fully visible and usable)?
- How easily can a visitor navigate between different pages and/or sections of a page?
- How quickly does the site respond to user actions like clicking on links, filling out forms or clicking on call-to-action (CTA) buttons?
Websites that seem sluggish or unresponsive frustrate visitors, with the potential for cascading negative impacts. Unhappy visitors leave sites quickly, a trend that can make search engines reluctant to recommend that website again. Annoyed users might also post hostile comments online, steering others away from ever giving your site a chance.
Conversely, a site that hums right along and seems poised to act on every user input conveys professionalism and a deep interest in helping people succeed. Admittedly, one major factor in a website's loading and response times is the speed of the user's internet connection, which you cannot control. However, people with slow web connections are generally well aware of that reality. The critical issue is ensuring that your site performs well relative to others, regardless of the visitor's baseline internet speed.
There is no magic bullet to ensure sleek website functionality, but rather an array of best practices that work together in harmony. If you do not have training in site engineering, there could be a great deal to gain by seeking help from someone who does. To further enhance your site's performance, consider adding a secure file portal, so you can safely and instantly exchange records and documents with your clients.
Mobile optimization and adaptability for various screen sizes
While many tax professionals spend a lot of time in front of a laptop or desktop computer, the majority of website visits actually occur on mobile devices. A site that looks great on a computer might be a hot mess on smaller screens, derailing potential new client relationships before they begin.
Common problems with the mobile version of websites include unreadably small text, pictures or menus taking up far too much screen space, endless scrolling to find needed information and tiny buttons that seem impossible to click. Mobile optimization is the art and science of ensuring that small-screen users get the same great experience as people who visit your site on computers. The methods employed may include rescaling images, providing an option to hide menus and sidebars and converting displayed phone numbers into "tap to call" buttons.
The gold standard of mobile optimization is known as responsive design. A fully responsive site automatically adapts to any screen size, giving all visitors the feeling that the site was designed just for them. Search engines are increasingly favoring sites with this sort of clever construction. You can test your site for responsive design by opening it on your computer and resizing the browser window to smartphone-like dimensions. You should see site elements rearrange multiple times to fit the various window sizes. If not, then it is likely time for a design upgrade.
Content optimization
Even with every state-of-the-art technical optimization imaginable, a website dominated by articles about tax rules that expired a decade ago will not win you many clients. Content optimization involves making sure that all the information on your website stays current and relevant. Unlike technical optimizations, keeping content optimized depends more on attentiveness than on engineering know-how. However, it can play an equally critical role in selling site visitors on the value of your services and expertise.
Content with a high degree of relevance to today's web surfer shows that you stay on top of the tax game. That message, in turn, reassures visitors that you can help them achieve the best possible outcome, not just this filing season but potentially for years to come. If you do not have the time to monitor the state of your site's content yourself, enlisting someone else to perform that role could make a major difference in your marketing efforts.
At cyberspeed, first impressions really do mean everything
Many potential clients will form their first impression of you and your services from your website. Imagine replacing the flooring in the entryway of your office with quicksand. A slow, clunky website can give visitors those same feelings of, at best, facing unnecessary hassles and, at worst, being downright unwelcome. By contrast, a fully optimized website can awaken positive feelings at light speed. Sometimes, just a few refinements can transform a poorly performing site into a reliable client recruitment tool.