It is evident that in this new era of information technology, having a website is important for almost every business. However, many business owners, usually small and medium-sized businesses, completed their websites only to find that they were not performing as expected. This is especially common for business owners setting up a website for the first time. Here are 10 common mistakes business owners make and how to avoid them.
1. Cut costs and use freelancers. We all know someone or at least know someone who knows someone else who knows a little web programming. However, the work of an entire website should not be handled by a single person. You need a creative designer to handle the aesthetics and then an experienced programmer to handle the coding. In general, you need an experienced coordinator who knows the important elements of websites and will propose the right ones for your business.
2. Selection of a web design company based on price. Even though it’s obvious, many business owners starting their website for the first time don’t understand that a quantitatively lower price doesn’t really equate or work over time. Be sure to compare the specs and not just the price.
3. Write the contents themselves or use their own friends or staff to write the contents. You might swear you understand your business more than anyone else, but if you’re not trained in website content development, you’re missing out on two benefits that copywriters can bring you. Skilled website content developer can plan specific keywords in your content to increase the chances of others finding your website after launch. Having good copywriters will also increase the chances of you making more sales as they can write better and also encourage your readers to build an element of trust and invoke a desire to accept your services.
4. Low use of your website’s capabilities. As many business owners are not IT (Information Technology) trained or knowledgeable in the field of web development, they often restrict their website to basic functions, forgetting that they can achieve greater efficiency by incorporating certain functions required by your business for your website.
5. Losing focus on the goals of the website. It is quite common for new business owners to point out that they want a Full Flash website or a website with exciting and interactive navigation. More often than not, these new business owners forget that their main goals when developing their website, which in most cases is to increase sales leads.
6. Not knowing what a Landing Page is. A landing page refers to the page your web ad will take their browsers to land on. It doesn’t have to be the home page, although it is possible to optimize your home page to make a good landing page. Most of the time, a sale is made based on the first impression of your customers who land on your website. As such, it’s important to keep in mind when selecting a web design company that you understand the importance of a landing page.
7. Not allocating a budget for website marketing. This is especially common for those who are new to the website, thinking that their website will automatically have visitors or customers. Most website design packages these days come with search engine submission as well as meta keywords. However, these are just basic elements of search engine optimization and have minimal impact in increasing your visitors.
8. Spend time and/or money experimenting with advertising and marketing. Most business owners, especially small and medium-sized ones, tend to think that they can cut costs and handle their own advertising. However, there are important lessons involved in terms of driving qualified traffic to your website, and getting professional help often results in a higher return on investment.
9. Failing to update and improve the website. A website is like your best salesperson presenting your business to passing customers. Your best salesperson must be updated with new products or services, as well as learn how to use new slogans to attract more sales. As such, it’s critical to keep your website updated with new content, especially if you’re using your website to generate business inquiries.
10. Skimp on images. A beautiful website requires beautiful photos. Fortunately, these photographs can now be easily purchased through stock banks today. There are usually two practices in the web design industry: one offers a certain number of photos for free, already including a lump sum in their packages, while another practice buys only what you like.
