In:
Web Design
Small business owners approach me every day regarding their website performance. They have a website, which they feel is great, and are confused as to why the website is not producing clients. There may be many reasons why websites lack optimal performance. The most common reasons are listed below.
- Search Engine "Unfriendly" Design – When a small business makes the decision to get a website, they must be aware of the different ways a website can be designed. There are web designs that are search engine friendly and a whole lot that are "unfriendly" to search engines. Flash websites may be pretty, but they have a very tough time getting indexed by search engines. Websites designed using frames may be inexpensive, but your site will actually be invisible.
- No Website Plan – Every website must have a plan and goals. The biggest mistake small businesses can make with their website is not clearing their website goals. Ask yourself "what do we want the visitor to do when they land on our site?" If you're not sure, then your website goals are not clear. Clear goals help convert visitors into customers.
- Lack of Calls to Action – There is nothing worse than landing on a web page and having to search for the information that you're looking for. By placing clear calls to action on your website, your visitors will be more likely to make an action instead of hitting the back button.
- Poorly Written Copy – Small business website owners typically work within a tight budget when launching their website. Here, they tend to write the website copy themselves. If you do write your own website copy, make sure you have other business professionals proof your website before it goes live. Grammatical errors or typos will cause the website visitor to immediately leave your website.
- Ignoring Search Engine Optimization – Websites do not attract visitors by themselves. Your website needs to be positioned high on search engines in order to reach your target visitor. Search engine optimization is the process of improving the online visibility of a website by researching keywords your target visitor uses to search, implementing these keywords in specific areas of the content and code, and building links to the website. This process takes time and energy. When in doubt, it's best to consult with an SEO professional .
The great thing about websites is they give small business an even playing ground to compete online. Follow these five simple steps, and your website will soon be very successful.
