Getting a business website up and running can be a daunting process. Every company wants to launch a site that will set them apart from all others in their industry. However, with thousands of new websites being connected to the internet every day, along with the hundreds of millions already on the web, the fight for attention is fierce. While there is no one-size-fits-all instruction manual for success, there are many things you might do, which could result in your failure. With that in mind, here are ten huge mistakes to avoid when building a website for your business.
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1. Work Without A Website
Every business, no matter what shape or size, must have a website to match. When consumers are looking to purchase something specific, they very often search for the item online first. This means that, if you didn’t have an online presence, these potential customers would have no way of finding you. At the very least, you need a page that explains who you are, where you are located, and what you sell. This will give you a small chance against competitors.
2. Design The Site Yourself
A website matters so much to the health of your business. Even when you have a site, it will do you little good if it isn’t effective. While you could easily get a basic website up and running with a site builder, you’re going to want a web design that ranks. For this reason, you should consider leaving the task to an expert. Although this will result in additional costs, you’ll find that the time you save is much more valuable. Plus, a professional design will do its job a whole lot better.
3. Fall For SEO Myths
Improving your site ranking is much more difficult than many so-called experts would have you believe. A good SEO strategy takes money and smarts, not to mention time. You can’t buy site visitors or cut corners in any other way, as Google will notice and punish you accordingly. It also doesn’t help to litter your content with keywords and phrases. Instead, you should write content for the user themselves. When you’re helpful and comprehensive, you will often be rewarded.
4. Write Poor Quality Content
Posting content frequently and regularly is important, but what’s more crucial is ensuring that the blogs you post are of high quality. You must take your time and write posts that truly resonate with your readers. If your blogs are full of spelling and grammar errors or aren’t of interest to your readers, it suggests that your website can’t be trusted. This will hugely impact your site ranking. If you haven’t the time to write quality content, then turn to a freelancer or writing service.
5. Play Videos Straight Away
While it is the most popular type of content on business websites, blog posts aren’t the only way to share your message with site visitors. You can also publish videos and podcasts, among many other ideas. Switching up your content like this will make your website more interesting to visitors and can also improve your ranking. However, you shouldn’t have clips or audio play right away. This can be very frustrating and might even embarrass visitors if they’re in a public place.
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6. Hide Your Contact Information
There are many reasons why someone might decide to visit your website. Some will want to learn a little more about your business, while others will want to purchase goods. Many other consumers will want to get in contact with you or someone from your business, whether it be to offer their compliments, make a complaint, or ask a question. These visitors shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to speak to you, so don’t try to hide your company contact information.
7. Clutter Up The Page
When it comes to web pages, whether it be for a business site or something else entirely, less is often more. While you will want to fill your website with as much information on your brand as possible, you shouldn’t write it all on the first page. This can be both distracting and confusing to readers, making navigation difficult. You must have headers and subheaders on all posts, as well as images and blank space to break up information, Categories and search bars can help too.
8. Forget Trust-Building Elements
The internet can be a dangerous place. While the good that it can do is unlimited, so too are the risks. Every day we hear a new story about someone being hacked or scammed online. This is why most consumers are wary about the sites that they visit. To show that your website is safe, you must display an HTTPS certificate, as well as trust badges. Comments and reviews from past customers will also provide proof that working with your business won’t pose any danger.
9. Ignore Those Mobile Users
Although we used only to be able to gain access to the internet through clunky desktop PCs, most people these days do so using their smartphones. If you overlook this change and only design your site for much larger devices, you risk alienating a lot of your site visitors and potential customers. Rather than stick with you and wait until they have access to a computer, they’ll visit a different website. To avoid this, you must optimize your site for many different technologies.
10. Take Ages To Load
As devices have gotten smaller, so have loading times. If you thought that your customers were impatient offline, then you’ll be surprised at just how little time they have to waste online. They don’t want to wait for anything, and, as such, expect your website to be fast. If your site takes ten or more seconds to load, then you’ll notice that a lot of your visitors don’t stay visitors for very long. Your website must be ready to browse in under five seconds, if not even faster.
An effective website is crucial in business, so ensure that you don’t make any of the mistakes listed above.