5 Website Blunders That are Hurting Your Life Science Brand

 

Websites are a lot like houses: without constant upkeep, they can fail. If you’re trying to impress guests that are coming over for dinner, you don’t want a bunch of trash lying around on the floor. If you’re trying to sell your home, there’s a slim chance that potential buyers will be impressed by peeling paint and broken appliances. Whether it’s a new coat of paint or a total remodel, every house needs a steady amount of TLC, and websites are no different. If your life science brand isn’t being perceived in the way you want, there’s a strong chance that your website needs some updates.

The life science marketing experts at Forma have assembled this list of 5 common mistakes that can result in less traffic and reduced engagement. If you’re interested in how Forma can help you achieve your marketing goals, don’t hesitate to contact us today.

A Guide to Keeping Your Life Science Website Current

1) Blog early and blog often

When it comes to curating your life science brand, there’s no stronger tool than continual content updates to your site. The best way to achieve this is to maintain a blog that is consistently updated and relevant to your audience. There’s a good chance that your website already has a section for a blog, but if it doesn’t, starting one isn’t nearly as intimidating as it sounds. While publishing blogs a few times a week is best, there’s nothing wrong with a baseline of one blog post per month.

Consistency is more important than frequency

One common misconception is that frequency is the key to blogging success. The truth is that consistency is more important than frequency. If you establish a consistent posting schedule, whether it’s twice per week or once per month, your audience will be able to rely on your life science brand for continual updates and information.

2) Keep your Press section updated

If you have a press or news section on your site, it’s important to keep it updated. Your press section isn’t only used by members of the media, but also by potential prospects who are interested in exploring your brand’s history. This is your chance to show off your achievements and proudest moments, so make sure to keep this section updated. If you’re lacking in press, it may be wise to hold off on creating this section until you have some press to speak of. After all, sometimes having an empty trophy case is worse than having no trophy case.

3) Keep your copyright date current

This may seem like a small detail, but it’s crucially important. When a user scrolls to the bottom of your homepage and they see “Copyright 2017”, that sends poor signals. If you want your life science brand to be recognized as current and relevant, you need to take every step to make sure that your website reflects that. An easy way to do this is to set a yearly reminder to update your copyright date. By doing this, you are guaranteeing that your website is always current, which sends positive trust signals to users and search engines.

4) Avoid the word “new”

When it comes to websites, “new” gets old fast. The problem with touting a “new” product or service is that many brands will forget to remove the “new” once the service has been available for a substantial amount of time. An alternative to this is using “featured” products or services. Since “featured” isn’t tied to specific point in time, you can roll out new features whenever the time is right, and even feature older products to gain more traffic and engagement.

5) Doublecheck your contact information

This is a big one, especially since many workspaces have shifted or changed due to the 2020 Coronavirus pandemic. It’s more important than ever to make sure your contact information on your site is accurate so that interested users can easily connect with you. Beyond your own website, it’s important to update your business listing on Google My Business. Google My Business can help potential prospects connect with you and is a crucial tool for any life science brand.

These are just a few ways you can bolster your online presence and improve your website’s performance. If you want to learn more, please reach out to Forma today.