In today’s fast-paced world where almost everyone carries a supercomputer in their pocket or purse, running a business has grown beyond just providing excellent goods and services to consumers. It is estimated that 70-80% of people will research a business online before visiting them or making a purchase.
With that many people relying on online research to drive their spending, having a website is becoming a critical tool to have in a business’s toolbox. With so many resources designed to help people build their own websites quickly and easily, it is tempting to try to create your own. Here are seven common mistakes made by people who attempt to build their own website.
Planning
For a business owner planning to use online tools to help build a website for their business, it might seem from the marketing that they can simply drag-and-drop things into place and build their website in a weekend. That couldn’t be further from the truth. When it comes to web design and development, one of the biggest mistakes people make when designing their website is under planning. Before building any website, it is important to plan the following three things.
· Business Goal. Running a business requires approaching decisions with a goal in mind. Simply building a website and expecting customers to find you is not a good way of thinking. It is important to define the business expectations of having a website. A website designed to increase sales beyond those captured in a traditional brick-and-mortar store should look and operate differently than one that is intended to promote or raise awareness of a business’s products and services.
· Layout. There is nothing more frustrating to a consumer than a poorly laid out website. Failing to plan the layout of a website can cause a poor user experience.
· Target Audience. Identifying who the target audience is for a business is just as important as deciding what that business will sell. A website is an extension of the business’s brand, so the two must integrate seamlessly.
Experience
When building a website, most beginners will forget to consider how others will interact with their site when visiting for the first time. As the person building the site, you will know where every drop-down menu and contact link is located. It is important to look at every aspect of the site and always have someone else review it to identify any challenges that might be present in the user interface. This includes making sure the site is mobile-friendly.
Websites need to be functional, but they should also look good. For individuals who do not build websites every day, it is unlikely they will be up to date on all the latest design trends. Just like home decor website designs change, it is important that your site meets the current design ascetic or it could feel out of date to your customers.
Marketing
The ability of a well-designed website to reach people can not be understated. The most beautifully designed site is useless if no one sees it. A common mistake is not fully developing an online marketing strategy. Businesses need to use best practices in search engine optimization to increase the traffic on their site.
This brings us to another common mistake: not updating the website. It is not enough to have a website. The website needs to be current. Images should be changed periodically, and there should be an update anytime there is a change in the business offering or change in the industry the website supports. Keeping the website fresh will encourage the people visiting the site to return and engage frequently.
Having a well-designed website is important to any business. For a novice, building a website can be a challenge and could hinder the success of the site, so it is important to avoid some of the most common mistakes.
