14 The Linguist Vol/59 No/3 2020
thelinguist.uberflip.com
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING
Meg Dziatkiewicz on taking a strategic approach to web
design and making it a hub for your marketing activities
Building a website
G
etting a new website can be a fun,
exciting and rewarding process. Your
website allows you to reach more
potential customers, convince them to do
business with you and convert them into loyal
buyers of your translation and interpreting
services. In spite of the benefits, some people
find the process of establishing a website
stressful. It shouldn't be. So what makes a
new (or old) website effective and successful?
It is important to take a strategic approach.
Nowadays, you can actively influence who
visits your website, who sees your content
and how you present yourself online.
Building a coherent, trustworthy image that
will enhance and strengthen your profile as a
skilled professional is essential.
Many of your competitors will have digital
marketing strategies. To stay ahead, you need
to educate yourself on the marketing tools
that best suit you and your business. Shifting
your mindset to an informed and collaborative
approach will help everyone involved in
creating your website and brand. Since setting
up Websites for Translators nine years ago, I
have found that the most effective websites
are the ones with the most complete briefs
and the most dedicated owners. Here are a
few key elements that you should understand
before starting the website design process.
Know your purpose
Understanding your target audience is basic
to any marketing strategy, and I strongly
recommend defining it before you embark
on website design. Knowing the area of
specialisation you want to target, and the
people in the industry you would like to
attract, helps steer the focus of your marketing
actions. Specialising in a few key areas and
targetting a specific audience will not
automatically discourage people from
approaching you for other types of translation.
So craft your website towards your ideal
audience but add appropriate sections for the
general tasks that you are also able to do.
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