Site redesign - www.taxassist.co.uk

[Taxassist Accountants]

Hi,

Our website is due a redesign and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on how we can offer more information. We have more and more services to offer small business clients and it's just about how we fit them in.

The website is - www.taxassist.co.uk

If you think we are missing anything or have example sites you think ours could gain concepts from then do let me know.

I understand we don't list our offices and it's a big part of our business so please don't spend time commenting on this part because we are aware but it needs to be this way.

Thanks in advance!

James Mattam

[mrbigdog]

Hi James,

Welcome to the forums.

We could help you get a much improved website up and running relatively quickly having looked at your site. Let me know if you need any help on this.

In terms of ideas, I would suggest some of the following...

The site needs 'focussing'. The users eye, needs to be drawn to your main message or service to keep them browsing. The site is a little bit 'wordy' so needs to be cleaned up so that the user can quickly focus and get to the information that interests them. Finally, the logo/main picture could be improved as it seems to give (from first visual impression) - an image of almost 'driving school'...

Let me know if we can help. Otherwise - hope the feedback helps, and good luck with your redesign.

Paul.

[Taxassist Accountants]

Hi Paul, thanks for the speedy response. I appreciate the time spent.

We have a team in house so my Directors will expect us to use them rather than outsource but thanks for the offer. If I know of anyone who wants web design then I will send them your way.

I like your feedback about the photo. We are a little hell bent on using that image, any thoughts on these alternatives:-

www.taxassist.co.uk/images/shopin.jpg
www.taxassist.co.uk/images/shopin2.jpg
www.taxassist.co.uk/images/shopin3.jpg

The text is quite necessary (helps with SEO) but maybe we can present it in a more appealing way...

Thanks once again.

James

[fisicx]

Before you begin the redesign, stop and think about your target audience. You offer a wide range of services but most seem to be focussed on small to medium businesses.

In this respect a company employee will be looking for an someone to 'do their books'. Depending on their search criteria they could land on any page on the site.

Supposing they land on this page: http://www.taxassist.co.uk/Services/paye.php

It's a really useful article but the page itself offers little in the way of incentive for them to get in contact. I know you have the freephone number and 'contact us' links but by the time I read the article my interest will have waned somewhat.

Your redesign (as Paul suggests) needs to make it quite clear what you can do for the customer.

Number one would be to make the logo bigger, I can hardly read the tagline.

Next up, move you telephone number up the page - make it prominent and make the attached text into a page specific anchor. Sort out the left column navigation (it's not consistent throughout the site).

Use intelligent page titles and headers that reflect the page contents. So for example, instead of 'Payroll (PAYE)' use 'Complete Payroll Service'. Follow this with a description of what you offer (with prices) and have a link to 'more info about PAYE'.

A few suggestions for you.

[peterjhale]

May I ask why you are considering re-desiging ?

Is it because you think the design is out of date, or you are receiving some negatives from customers ?

[Peter Bowen]

Took a look at the site.

Agree that it could use some changes but...

Have you measured what it is doing at the moment vs what you think it should be doing?

A couple of quick suggestions:

Put an email contact form as well as the phone number for the free consultation - many small businesses only think about taxes after hours and unless the number is manned 24/7 you're losing out.

Get rid of the picture of the car - it doesn't clarify the message - adds noise not signal

The first paragraph "TaxAssist Accountants are the largest network of accountants who focus their accountancy skills specifically on small businesses and taxpayers in the UK." could use talking a bit more about how you can relieve the pain small business owners feel about tax and accounting rather than possibly alienating small businesses by talking about how large you are. Unless this is of great benefit to the business owners - (perhaps you charge less because of economies of scale?)

Cheers

Pete

[admagic]

Originally Posted by Taxassist Accountants

Hi,

Our website is due a redesign and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on how we can offer more information. We have more and more services to offer small business clients and it's just about how we fit them in.

The website is - www.taxassist.co.uk

If you think we are missing anything or have example sites you think ours could gain concepts from then do let me know.

I understand we don't list our offices and it's a big part of our business so please don't spend time commenting on this part because we are aware but it needs to be this way.

Thanks in advance!

James Mattam

Your site BADLY needs a redesign....not of the structure but of the copy

- Your copy is all about you not benefits for the customer

- You fail to say why people should deal with you, not any other business

- The headline is a feature not a benefit.

- Worst of all, you make no offer and no call to action - you should offer seriously valuable information for free in exchange for an email address

- There is no credibility or value building stuff

Your objective should be sign ups , not selling - yet you offer nothing to get people to sign up on your list.

Your pages dont target keyword expressions likely to attract traffic.

So IMHO you could easily multiply the number of useful customers by at least 500% for noextra traffic, just getting your landing page copy right.

Right now I would put your website on the liability rather than asset side of your balance sheet!!

Dont think web design, think attention grabbing copy

[Taxassist Accountants]

Originally Posted by peterjhale

May I ask why you are considering re-desiging ?

Is it because you think the design is out of date, or you are receiving some negatives from customers ?

Hi Peter, nothing negative at all, our website receives 25,000 hits per month on average and we deliver nearly 3,000 qualified enquiries out to our network of 160 accountants. Just looking at delivering more business and making the site more pleasing to all.

We don't dislike the website, I just feel we could do more to sell other services we have available. We have so much to say but getting it across on one page is tough!

[Taxassist Accountants]

Originally Posted by Peter Bowen

Took a look at the site.

Agree that it could use some changes but...

Have you measured what it is doing at the moment vs what you think it should be doing?

A couple of quick suggestions:

Put an email contact form as well as the phone number for the free consultation - many small businesses only think about taxes after hours and unless the number is manned 24/7 you're losing out.

Get rid of the picture of the car - it doesn't clarify the message - adds noise not signal

The first paragraph "TaxAssist Accountants are the largest network of accountants who focus their accountancy skills specifically on small businesses and taxpayers in the UK." could use talking a bit more about how you can relieve the pain small business owners feel about tax and accounting rather than possibly alienating small businesses by talking about how large you are. Unless this is of great benefit to the business owners - (perhaps you charge less because of economies of scale?)

Cheers

Pete

Hi Peter, thanks for your response, some really valid points here. Our size is important but not explained really. We do have a contact form which is highly used but maybe again that's not clear straight away.

Thanks for your feedback.

[Taxassist Accountants]

Originally Posted by admagic

Your site BADLY needs a redesign....not of the structure but of the copy

- Your copy is all about you not benefits for the customer

- You fail to say why people should deal with you, not any other business

- The headline is a feature not a benefit.

- Worst of all, you make no offer and no call to action - you should offer seriously valuable information for free in exchange for an email address

- There is no credibility or value building stuff

Your objective should be sign ups , not selling - yet you offer nothing to get people to sign up on your list.

Your pages dont target keyword expressions likely to attract traffic.

So IMHO you could easily multiply the number of useful customers by at least 500% for noextra traffic, just getting your landing page copy right.

Right now I would put your website on the liability rather than asset side of your balance sheet!!

Dont think web design, think attention grabbing copy

Thanks admagic you have given me a lot to think about here.