When most of us think of digital marketing, we think of creating social content or optimizing ad campaigns. But one key area often ends up on the sidelines: your website. It’s the heart of your digital strategy—yet all too frequently, it becomes a decayed version of what it was when it launched, patiently awaiting the next redesign cycle that comes approximately once every six years.
Sure, websites come with their own challenges. (How many times have you heard “Our CMS has limitations” or “Our hands are tied with the third-party ticket path”?) But they also present some of the biggest opportunities to hit your institutional goals. Instead of waiting for the next big redesign, start prioritizing incremental improvements today that unlock your website’s immense potential.
A DIGITAL PRIORITY THAT PAYS DIVIDENDS
Every single one of your channels—whether paid or organic, digital or offline—drives people to your website. It is the go-to location where people learn about your organization, find inspiration in your art, and discover key information about your venue and productions. It is where purchase decisions are made and where transactions take place.
Since the website is the nexus of your marketing efforts, it makes sense that improving the site will also improve the performance of your marketing channels with a multiplier effect. Optimizing an event detail page, for example, will not just improve website conversion; it will improve the performance of any ad campaigns or email newsletters linking to that landing page.
Plus, an optimized website is central to a strong first-party data strategy. Your website is the one digital property you fully own and control, which means any tracked behavior is yours to help target and optimize your campaigns. In a world where third-party cookies are going away* and organic reach is minimal, now is the time to grow the data you own and future-proof your organization.
*On July 22, 2024, Google reversed its decision to deprecate third-party cookies. Here’s the latest guidance from CI on this change.