When it comes to success on the web, everyone has differing opinions on what is most effective.

For many people, a good digital marketing strategy should help capture and generate leads, and bring the desired web reputation through strong content. For others, a well-designed website is key to a strong first impression and can help businesses get leads.

Each camp has its own experts, as well as its own pros and cons, but we’re here to tell you that neither is a cure-all for total web domination. Instead, content marketing, web design, and even user experience should all be brought together to ensure a successful strategy.

Integration and the Web

The No. 1 mistake people make when building, or even redesigning a website is taking the Field of Dreams approach.

If you build it, they will not come.

Unlike the days of the classifieds and yellow pages, it is not simple enough to throw your contact information out there with your logo and wait for the phone calls to come streaming in. Digital has shifted the way we purchase, and with it, the buyer’s journey has changed as well. With the advent of Google, keywords play a strong role in making sure your website is found. That means your content has to be strong and relevant, and your SEO implemented.

Wait. That sounds an awful lot like content marketing. Surprise! A website alone cannot bring leads in, no matter how great it looks. Likewise, people are going to click the back button quick if your site looks like something Matthew Broderick fiddled with on WarGames. But let’s say your design and content are on point. How does your information architecture look? Does your site menu make sense? Can people find things, or are they wandering aimlessly like a student lost in the stacks of a library?

Finding a Balance

Building a website that serves as a functional extension of your business requires more than good looks and fun features — it requires balance. It should manage both form and function: design that pleases aesthetically, while still servicing the user’s needs.

Are things easy to find? Does the content make sense? Are there places to capture leads? Furthermore, is the website optimized as a marketing tool? Are there ways for leads to find what they want and progress down the marketing funnel? Is sales getting the information they need?

A website without these components is no more than a glorified digital brochure. These components without a website? Useless. With no way to turn visitors to leads, you would be operating marketing components instead of a full marketing funnel.

So, now we’ve got you convinced: Your website and your digital marketing need to work hand in hand for optimal efficiency. Now you’re ready to go. Hold up! You’ve forgotten one key thing — is it usable?

Web Design: Turning Narcissism Into a Labor of Love

Websites can be a source of pride for a lot of companies. When it comes to design (and redesign), everyone from C-level executives to the sales team has opinions on what the site should look like. The end product usually results in a site that’s visually pleasing but serves as a company’s trophy case — talking solely about the company and its accolades.

It’s understandable that a company should be proud of its offerings, but the people who end up using the website quite frankly don’t care about the same focuses the company does. This is a pretty common approach to web design, and by association, even digital marketing.

Fight for the User

As our beloved ’80s friend Tron once said, it’s important to “fight for the user.” In all things digital, this holds exceptionally true. The user is the end all be all — if the service or product doesn’t speak to your user, it may as well cease to exist. And this is where companies often get in trouble. They don’t use testing or research; therefore, they fail when it comes to digital presence.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as not using the right keywords because they didn’t consider how their user might search for their product. Other times, the error is more fatal, and what the company is offering doesn’t meet the user’s needs. Does this mean you can’t talk about your company when designing your website or building your marketing materials? Not at all. But you should be taking careful considerations in understanding who your user group is, the kinds of information they need from you, and how they prefer to see that information.

It’s a difficult and time-consuming methodology to incorporate user experience in all that you do, but it’s one that can help all your endeavors work together in the long run. In marrying these components, you end up with a fully integrated experience that works for your company and your user.