Hi @sgsrecording –we are on the same page! 

I’m so unhappy with my web analytics and currently researching what I must do to improve my search stats.  It’s tempting to outsource the project, but I feel the need to learn by doing so that I can have the flexibility of making future changes.  Plus, this type of know-how is always desirable.

So, while I don’t have any concrete design layout suggestions for you right now, here are a few things to be clear about  (even if you end up outsourcing the update project):

1. Have a plan (at least an idea) for the structure of your site: the categories of services/products you provide.  Everyone says, a simple (clean structure is best for user navigation). I like to think of this as my store layout. So, what kind of store do you want? I now know I have to reorganize my existing pages and tag them better for SEO.

2. Have a reasonably good idea how users search for your type of products/services — essentially through doing keyword (keyphrase) research and learning what your competition is doing. I’m using Google Keyword Tool for this.

3. Create LOTS of quality content for each category and around the keyword research to pull in your prospects.  This is the hard part: quality AND quantity. But this is so essential to marketing, it’s a must-do. It might mean some old content will have to be discarded — if not up to your (new) quality standard.

4. Keep track of what works (say in terms of unique site visits);  keep tweaking pages/content based on outcomes.  BE PATIENT (the hardest part!). This I think is where the right kind of web host is important; one that has an uncluttered dashboard, integrated SEO, easy-to-understand analytics, etc.

Anyway, those are the things I’m working on at the moment as I plan my web re-do.

Aren’t you glad to be a member of this club???

As far as the structure of the website itself you should look into Wordpress. It doesn’t have to look like a blog at all but it’s easy for your team to update, has outstanding SEO potential, allows for mobile devices easily.

It is often less expensive to get a full website based in Wordpress than one designed in HTML from scratch.

If you take all the great advice above and wrap it in Wordpress you’re on the way to a progressive website that outperforms your current site substantially. 

Im trying to find a wordpress theme that is website orientated  rather than blogging & has a four picture slider on the home page where they link to their own content page. but the main thing is that has to be easy for me to do myself.  I dont know anything about code, so has to be simple enough for me to create!!  Any theme suggestions anyone?

thanks

@sgsrecording  Go to Situated Research and they will do a free, yes FREE, website usability report.  I don’t mean some half-assed, meaningless sales tool, but a real report that evaluates 10 elements in 2 categories (user experience and heuristics).  My report was 17 pages long.  After that, I spent 2 1/2 hours over two phone calls going over the report, getting additional feedback and suggestions.  After I got the quote for services to improve my site (which was  the amount I’d expected and very reasonable), there was NO pressure for me to do anything.

Honestly, if my budget wasn’t tapped out, I’d have hired them to do the work.  Awesome company, totally professional, and I ended up with tons of free info.  I worked with Rachel Kwee.

 So glad you asked this question because I need to help build two brand new sites for friends. @sgsrecording Thanks to all of you for the excellent answers that will guide me also along the way @abigailgorton @bethnovick @rich-brooks @jfouts @scottstroud