Having a website is essential for just about every business these days. Not only is it expected, but it helps improve your image and your accessibility for customers. Putting together a website doesn’t have to be complicated, but it isn’t just a snap and to go project either. It takes work. Businesses often tend to make the same mistakes. Keep an eye out for these common errors and correct them before they become a problem.
Unprofessional Or Too Large
“The Importance of Visual Content States” that people tend to respond to pictures and videos more than words. If you have a local market to tap into, then having local pictures can help you give that needed flair. But that doesn’t mean you should just go out, snap some shots, and then post them. Make sure that the images you use add some value to the site and are at least semi professional looking.
Being professional doesn’t mean you should load up your website with massive images. The larger the file, the longer it will take for it to load. “Top 30 Web Design Mistakes” lists slow loading speed as one of the more common devastating errors. If your website doesn’t load within a reasonable amount of time, your potential customers will go elsewhere. As a general rule of thumb, your website should load within 4 seconds on the average system. If it doesn’t, then look at cutting down your image file sizes until it can. Remember that people are coming to your website to find out about your business and what it can do for them, not look at all your pretty pictures.
Now if you are in an industry where you need a portfolio or plenty of high quality images, then have a clearly marked portion of the website where viewers can check those out. You can use simplified versions on the home page and about pages. Some businesses even have two versions of a website, allowing customers to access a site with higher resolution if they would like to.
Poorly Proofed and Developed Copy
Even if the only pages you have up on your website are about your business, your contact information, and the basic details, you still need to make sure it’s well developed. It doesn’t matter how long or short it is. Make sure that it is crisp, clean, and accurate. Always double check contact information and other similar details. If, for instance, you’re taking advantage of the new domain extensions or you have recently changed your phone number, make sure that that information has been updated.
Nothing says unprofessional like simple mistakes. It is advisable that you go through published resources from reputed online players like Shopify to understand how you can best benefit from domain name extensions.
Unnecessary Information
One of the benefits of a website is that you can put up as much information as you want. But the “5 Major Mistakes Businesses Keep Making with Their Website Homepage Design” lists “company updates” as one of the most unnecessary bits of clutter likely to show up on a business website. It’s not that you can’t tell everyone about what you’re doing, but you need to make sure it’s put in its place.
Many businesses start by putting it on their home page rather than on a separate page. Likewise, you can post announcements on Facebook and Twitter so that people know what’s going on. But those activities should not be the front and center of your website.
Disputable Claims
It can be tempting to make yourself look more important than you are or to suggest that your business is doing better than it is. But if you haven’t actually won the local award that you’re listing on your site or you haven’t actually been voted the friendliest business in town, don’t put it up there. You need to remain above board. So don’t put up any details or descriptions that aren’t accurate.
One of the best ways to tank your reputation is to lie on your website. You might not think anyone will catch you, but if they do and you get called out on it, you will have a reputation for lying. Whenever you make a claim on your website, it’s best to use one that’s verifiable. This way if someone fact checks you, they know you’re telling the truth.
Conclusion
Having a website is practically a necessity for your business. You can put one together fairly quickly, but it does require some work. A recap of what we covered in this article: using unprofessional photos or images that are too large. Your website should look professional and load swiftly.
All of your copy should be proofed, and your information must be accurate and pertinent to your customers. Additionally, you should make sure that any claims you make on your website can be verified. Never try to pull the wool over your customers’ eyes. By avoiding these common errors, your website will be in much better condition and better suited to serving your customers.
Editorial Staff. (2014, December 15). "When Launching a New Website: Avoid These Four Simple Website Mistakes" http://creativeoverflow.net. Retrieved March 26, 2015, from http://creativeoverflow.net/when-launching-a-new-website-avoid-these-four-simple-website-mistakes/
