For BtoB Publishers, a website redesign or update is not simply about making it pretty and responsive. It’s about growing revenue. You know you aren’t just selling subscriptions anymore, and you probably imagine increasing your revenue diversity over time. That’s why it is important to make sure your website not only maximizes the revenue streams you already employ, but also grows with you, when you are ready to add something new.
Keep these features in mind when you think redesign:
- Auto-Fill Registration and On-site Checkout. Efficiency is a key to sustaining your revenue streams. If you make it as easy as possible for your registered and visiting guests to check out and stay on site, then you are guaranteeing that they will do more of that.
- Paywall Options. A healthy website provides an array of paid and free content. You should always have the option to put up a paywall in order to get more from your premium content.
- Data Development. Your website should have the capacity to track, analyze and leverage your data for greater engagement, audience segmentation and targeting. You need to know who to sell what to and how! You also might find a niche market for your data—all the more reason to have it dialed in.
- Self Serve Ads. It’s critical to offer a variety of ad options, because the ad market is ever changing. But that doesn’t mean you have to manage ad sales manually. Make it easy for advertisers to purchase their own ads and for visitors to post classifieds. Make sure they also know the best way to track their results, with custom URLs.
- Events Center. Maybe an event sounds a little overwhelming right now, but at some point, you’ll likely find yourself walking down that road. It may start with a webinar or it may morph into a full-fledged international conference. Who knows? But the point is, your website needs to act as the hub for that event. Registration, information, communication; it should all happen on your website—in a central place, where participants can gear up, get psyched and be inspired.
- Multimedia Mastery. Multimedia is not just about deeper engagement with your audience; it’s also about product development. When you have the capacity to perfect video, sound and still image into a product offering (think trainings, courses, etc.). You are creating an entirely new and diverse revenue stream.
Keep these six features at the forefront of your redesign and you’ll be well on your way to greater revenues.
