Top mistakes to avoid when creating your website
In this blog post, I list the top mistakes people make when creating their own small business website and how it can negatively impact their site.
So you’ve finally made the decision to tackle the project you’ve been avoiding for your small business - creating a website. First of all, congratulations! This is a crucial step for any business or brand, serving as your personal space on the web to advertise your services and get potential clients to work with you.
However, you might not be aware that this process is a lot more detail oriented than you first thought…..
How do I lay out my content?
What pictures do I use?
What is my brand’s message?
Suddenly, you’re panicking and ready to throw in the towel.
Don’t fret, my friend. I am here to help you recognize the top mistakes people make when creating their website and how it can negatively impact your site.
Mistake #1 - Not planning your content.
The very first step before you dive in to designing your site is to plan the content you want to put on your site. This is a very big DIY mistake that makes a huge impact on converting your visitors into customers. You must have a clear brand statement. What is a brand statement? It is your businesses’ specific message that clearly defines what you do and who you serve. Anyone can follow a template for making a website - but the real strategy lies within creating compelling content first, then laying it out in a strategic way to convert your site visitors. Which brings me to the next issue…
Mistake #2 - Not having a clear brand statement.
You have exactly five seconds to make your message clear about what you do. And if you don’t? Well, you can guarantee that your site visitors are going to leave very quickly. Ideally, your brand statement will go right at the top of your site so your target customer knows they are in the right place when they land on your page!
Mistake #3 - No clear call-to-action.
The five second rule applies here as well. You have five seconds to make your brand statement clear and that includes having a call to action at the top with it, directing your visitors on what to do to get your services. Too many times I’ve seen a DIY website with a ‘Book Now’ or ‘Get Your Free Quote’ at the very bottom of the homepage. This is website suicide. Your site visitors likely did not even get that far because their attention spans are just not long enough if your site isn’t clear enough about what they should do next.
Mistake #4 - Not having professional photos.
If you aren’t taking the time and effort to get professional photos done by a skilled photographer for your website - why would your site visitors take the time and effort into your business? Yes, it is that serious. Your website should reflect the level of service you provide and having high quality, sharp photos will make all the difference. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been presented with cell phone photos for a website. It’s just not going to make you or your business shine. Period.
Mistake #5 - Not utilizing foundational SEO features.
So you’ve built your website….but how are people going to find it? Often times, people get so caught up on making a pretty website that they aren’t even aware of all the SEO features embedded on the backend that help your site get found on Google/Bing/Yahoo. Take advantage of all these free features! You have the capability to add your target keywords for your target audience not only into your site copy but also in image alt text, headings, title tags, meta descriptions and more.
Mistake #6 - Not optimizing the mobile version of your site.
Did you know nearly HALF of people browse websites on their mobile devices? This figure has risen substantially over the years. Therefore, it is so important that you optimize the mobile version of your site so it doesn’t look wonky when users are perusing the web on their cell phones.
Mistake #7 - Lack of responsive, user friendly design.
75% of people believe a website’s credibility is based on design. And if your site is not laid out clearly, you will lose potential customers. Your website should be designed in a responsive, user friendly way so that your visitors (aka potential customers) are not left questioning where they should go next or what it is that you do.
Mistake #8 - No security certificate issued.
People want to know that when they are on the web, their info is safe. Google will not allow any website to load if it does not have a security certificate issued. How do you know if a website has a security certificate? Just take a look at the domain in your browser - typically it starts with https - the ‘s’ means secure.
Mistake #9 - Website is slow to load.
If your website is too slow to load, your visitors will be sure to jump ship. Make sure your images are sized correctly to quickly load and that your site isn’t packed with too much information that slows down its’ site speed.
Mistake #10 - Following a template.
I’m going to circle back and connect this mistake with the first one - not planning your content. In order to convert site visitors into customers, you need to have strong site copy (copy = words on the site) laid out in a way that draws them in. Following a template doesn’t do that for you which is why it’s extra important to plan your content first. A template should just serve as inspiration for a design but you should always customize it according to your content, not the template itself. Essentially, your specific content is what the design should be around.