2020 Website Predictions
It’s around this time of year that I like to make a few predictions for the coming year, it’s always risky, but actually this year I might make a few predictions that will take place in the next 5 years. Let’s see what happens.
It’s an exciting time, but also one of increasing consolidation and essentially everything gets more difficult. Or more accurately one needs an increasing amount of intelligence to navigate through the world of websites and making money online. There’s just more of everything.
What do I predict… for smaller business life gets tougher. I’ve often suggested that we have to join the ‘big-boys’ or die. Partner collaborate, join forces with others that seemed to be the name of the game. Spread your wings beyond just your website and utilise everyone else’s websites.
Before I give a bit of practical advice on that – let me explain a few why’s:
- Amazon – the world of eCommerce is being turned upside-down again… and even if you have a thriving eCommerce website – you will know all to well that to stay on top is requiring more and more energy, SEO is being particularly badly hit and there are times when it must seem a never-ending game to maintain your website and have people find it.
Or are Amazon just stealing your traffic and selling products similar to yours… The answer is to join them and sadly to put your offerings on Amazon.
We can actually help you put your products on Amazon if that is an attractive proposition for you. - Google My Business – if you have an Address then probably I or someone has recommended you list your Business on Google… the result is better SEO, you will rank higher, particularly for your company or brand name. The downside is that Google don’t want people visiting your website any more… if they want to contact you, Google My Business has the answer, if they want directions to your office or shop, GMB has the answer. The result – less traffic to your website.
We have ways of tracking all visitors to Google My Business and seeing what people do – so if you want us to help you analyses why people re not visiting your website – call us.
However, it makes sense… people type in your company name, see your address or phone number and call you… There has to be a way to remove Brand Traffic from your SEO results. - Revenge of the High Street, I mentioned this one a few years ago… and likened it to what happened with out-of-town supermarkets in the latter half of the 1900’s. Put bluntly, the High Street is a very rich place… in the 1900’s when supermarkets moved out of the High Street they had an enormous advantage for a while, low rents, easy parking. But then came the Shopping Mall. and all the High Street Brands joined the Supermarkets… we were back to square one.
The same is happening online.. in the early 2000’s all sorts of innovators moved online, Amazon for one… and really shock things up… But the idea was the Internet was a cheaper place to shop. What has happened… the High Street has moved online, Next, John Lewis, Gap, they are all online.
Trouble is they have unlimited funds for advertising, eCommerce, the websites, they also hold clout with Social Media and even Google, they have a massive advantage over the smaller retailer and they are advancing with revenge for all the years they have lost out on the High Street.
We might think the High Street is going bust, but it is not – it’s just moving online.
Practical Advice
We’re going to have to up the game to survive. Google have set more rules… the competition is higher than ever and the demand to offer a better service is a must.
- Delivery – if you send customers products – then can you simplify delivery – offer it free. Amazon does and so do most big retailers. If you are not offering Free Delivery you risk losing 40% of all sales. Free Delivery used to be optional – today it is not.
- FAQ’s – the rise of Voice – another Statistic for you – Google predict 50% of all search will be Voice Activated by June 2020 (6 months away). To make sure you have a chance you need to format your content in a way that answers people questions… Q&A or FAQ.
- Reviews – still seriously important… if you are not collecting reviews today, people will be writing about you behind your back. Google places huge emphasis on what others think of you… If it is not positive, what chance will you have.
- Accurate Data – you need to know what is happening and to be measuring your success across a wide selection of platforms. If you don’t know what people are seeing then how can yo know what to offer. Google My Business is the new kid on the block, you need to be tracking insights here.
My predictions
Sadly, my prediction for ordinary websites is not all that positive, it’s going to be a really tough year for small websites – fewer people have computers, fewer people look up ‘business-services’ online – Social Media continues to rise or mature at least… People have to look harder than ever to find a truly suitable option.
But people are lazy too… they go for the easiest solution – often that means the wrong solution, often that means the Big Business Deep Pockets Advertised solution which is not you.
The Good News
I’m ending on a positive note – embrace it all… get involved and make it happen, that is the only way to deal with the issues described above and enjoy it.
If you use Instagram – it will work well for you – why shouldn’t it… If you love your business – why not write a blog about it – if you sell great widgets – why not sell them everywhere you can.
We’re here to guide – we’ve got experience of all of the above – there’s much donkey work to be done – we can at least do that for you. get in touch.