If you run your own business online, then you understand how important a website and online presence is. Although, if you created your first website, chances are you might have made some of these mistakes. See our list for the top 10 mistakes that business owners make when creating their first website, and what to do to fix these mistakes.
1. Disorganized Website due to Lack of Vision
Often times, business owners begin building their website before having a direction and purpose. This can translate to disorganization throughout the website that can have a negative effect on the user experience.
Before creating a website, you will want to figure out the layout and what reigning details you want the user to know within the first few seconds of landing on your site.
2. Overcomplicated Design Elements
Your website needs to be simple, to the point and easy to navigate. Trying to be too flashy or putting too much information on a page can overwhelm the user and lead to confusion. This goes hand in hand with creating a vision for your website. You will want the goal of your website to be a great user experience throughout your website.
3. Trendy Design
Building your website with timeless design principles will keep your website from becoming outdated quickly. Trends will come and go so you will want your website to rely on a solid foundation that you don’t have to update every time the newest fad arises.
4. Launching Your Website Too Soon
We’ve all been there. Wanting to get your website up as soon as possible to get business rolling in. Although, rushing to get your website created can lead to overlooked critical details and content that will be incomprehensible. Before launching your website, you will want to understand your market and how you can properly serve the that targeted audience.
5. Poorly Designed Logo
If you are designing a logo yourself or go with a cheap logo design, you deprive your business of the proper branding it deserves. A logo is an important piece to marketing your business that can make or break the user’s first impression. You will want to have a clean logo that properly represents your business.
6. Low Quality of Photos
Poor quality photography or outdated, irrelevant stock photos can give your website an unprofessional feel that will counteract the feeling you want to portray to your audience. It can make your website look amateur and can be an ineffective way of drawing your users further into the site.
Images help build a better connection with the audience and align your message and the business. You will want to make sure that you have either high-quality stock images or hire a professional photographer to take images.
7. Poor Font Choices
Choosing a font is another subtle element that a lot of business owners neglect. Your font choice needs to complement the design of the website and increase the readability of the content within. The simpler the font, the better. A good font will make the content legible and easy to read.
8. Outdated Content
If you currently have older content on your website, your visitors might assume you are out of business or are not keeping up with your competition. It is good to have relevant content including regular blog posts. Nothing looks worse than an empty blog and bare website with no recent information.
9. No Call-To-Actions
Leading your website visitors somewhere is critical in directing them to take further action. This can be through signing up for an email list, calling your business, or other numerous options. Without a call-to-action, your users will bounce around your website without a specific purpose in mind that can garner a connection between your business and that user.
10. Broken Elements and Links
You will want to make sure that the elements on your website are working. This prevents your users from ending up on a 404 page or dead ends. Check all of your internal links as well.
While it can take a lot of work to keep your website up to date and in working order, it will help increase business growth long-term and a functioning website will leave a better, lasting impression.