Secured Hosting (https://)

A few years back Google raised the bar on internet security and told website owners and managers that they should use secured website hosting. Also known as Secured Socket Layer (SSL) hosting, it is an internet transmission protocol that encrypts data from one point to another, in this case from your website to the visitors browser. Encrypted data is virtually impossible to decode (think: credit card numbers and other personal information).

Using secured hosting makes Google happy (i.e. Google Love), and not using it may adversely impact your ability to get top rankings at Google Search.

If that’s not bad enough, by itself, someone visiting your website may be completely blocked or get a warning message in their browser that it is potentially dangerous to proceed.

Improve Your MARCOM

MarCom is industry slang for marketing communications; the words, message, and media you use, in this case at your website.

While people make decisions based on many variables, they most often make going-forward decisions based on what’s in it for them (WIIFM), Unique Value Proposition (UVP), and Social Proof or what you’ve done for others (think: testimonials, reviews, case studies, professional credentials).

Keeping in mind that the people who visit your website likely have a problem and are looking for a solution, review the MarCom on your home page and answer these questions.

Does my home page MarCom assure them that (1) they are in the right place, (2) you have a solution to their problem, (3) that my company IS THE BEST SOLUTION to their problem, and (4) that you have a lot of other very happy customers.

All of the pages at your website should have well-written optimized MarCom, but your home page, in most cases, the first page people see, is the make-it-or-break-it page.

I’ve said for years, the #1 goal of your home page is to keep someone from clicking their back button and leaving your website.

Action Item: Check the Google Analytics “bounce rate” on your home page. Bounce rate is a measurement of how many people come to your website and then leave immediately. Are people visiting and leaving, without clicking into the other pages at your website?

Need Help With Your Internet Marketing?

Reach out if you have questions about what you are reading here, or have questions and need help with your internet marketing.

I look forward to speaking with you.

Chris Jaeger
Practical Online Marketing