Common Website Mistakes and How To Avoid Them

Here are some common website mistakes and how to avoid them.
MISTAKES TO AVOID #1
Not thinking about the purpose of your website
HOW TO AVOID IT:
Make sure you fully understand why you need a website for your business. This may be to sell products, offer services or even just to let clients know you exist. Whatever your reason you need to know:
- Who is your ideal client?
- What do you want your ideal client to do when they land on your website?
If you consider these things before you start creating your website, you will be more likely to create a website that is going to attract your ideal client.
MISTAKES TO AVOID #2
Setting up your website on the wrong platform
HOW TO AVOID IT:
There are so many website platforms to consider, it’s hard to know which one to pick. As your business expands, how will your website need to expand with it? Very often the cheap website option will limit your website’s scalability, and therefore, in the long run, will cost more time and money to remain useful to the business.
If you need help with your website, are there a lot of designers or developers willing to work on your platform choice? Do your research and look at the most popular website platform options. Are they suited to your style of business? How long do you want to spend setting up your website? What are the upkeep costs for your chosen platform?
Also, it is a good idea to watch videos of how you use the platforms. This can help you decide if you think you are able to understand and enjoy creating your website.
MISTAKES TO AVOID #3
Thinking about how the website will look before thinking about the structure of it
HOW TO AVOID IT:
Before thinking about the look & feel of the website, it’s important to consider the website structure and user journey. Ask yourself:
- What do you want your clients to do when they land on your website?
- Do you want them to contact you, buy a product, or book a call with you?
Whatever the answer to this question this should then inform the structure of the website design. Make it easy for your clients to do these things. Once you have the structure set up, then you can bring in the design elements to enhance your website’s structure and create a seamless user journey for the website visitor.
MISTAKES TO AVOID #4
Not making it clear how customers can contact you
HOW TO AVOID IT:
If a potential customer lands on your website, you want them to be able to contact you really easily. So, make it easy for them.
The usual place for a ‘contact’ button is at the top right of a website (in desktop view). That button should then lead to a stand-alone contact page. Make the button stand out in an accent colour that is noticeable
and obvious to your website visitors.
Also, remember to include regular ‘contact’ buttons throughout the content on your website. Use the same colour and style for this as all the other buttons to ensure consistency. This will make it even easier for your visitors to understand your website — they won’t even need to think about how to contact you as it will be so obvious to them.
MISTAKES TO AVOID #5
Only using your website as an online ‘brochure’ site
HOW TO AVOID IT:
Even though you may only want a ‘brochure’ website; simply showing what you do, you should still consider using your website as a marketing tool. It’s the only place you can showcase exactly who you are in the digital world. Everyone who has an internet connection can find your website. Why would you not want to encourage visitors to contact you or buy from you using your website?
There are lots of ways to make your website more of a marketing tool. Consider free downloads (lead magnets) in exchange for the visitors’ email addresses, so you can build an email list of engaged customers. Or write regular blog posts and share them on social media to encourage a click back to your website for more information.
MISTAKES TO AVOID #6
Not making your website copy easy to read and scannable
HOW TO AVOID IT:
When creating content for your website you need it to be easily digestible and scannable. Many visitors ‘scan’ a website when they land on it, so if you arrange your copy in a ‘scannable’ way, your message should come across more easily.
Think about creating shorter paragraphs with relevant headings, broken up with engaging imagery. The use of headings can also benefit you from a Google Search Engine perspective as well; if Google understands what your website is about, it’s more likely to show your website in its search engine results pages (SERPs) when a search query that matches your website’s content is put into Google.
MISTAKES TO AVOID #7
Using industry terminology that your visitors may not be familiar with
HOW TO AVOID IT:
When writing website copy, you need to make the copy as simple as possible to understand. If it can be said in one sentence, instead of 10, then say it in one sentence.
Also, try to avoid the use of industry-specific words that a customer may not understand. If you do need to use these words, then include a definition so the user can easily understand what you are trying to say. If you use words that make no sense to the average user, then you are more likely to alienate them, and they will more likely leave your website because they don’t resonate with what you are saying. Keep your copy simple!
MISTAKES TO AVOID #8
Not considering web accessibility
HOW TO AVOID IT:
Web accessibility simply means making websites usable by as many people as possible. As a business owner, you need to ensure that your business can reach as many markets and customers as possible, and an accessible website can help with this.
I believe that websites should be available to those with disabilities, such as those with visual impairments. You should consider the font size and clear colour contrasts, and also make sure your website can be read by screen readers. A good font size is at least 16 pixels in size, and there are lots of free colour contrast websites available to test the contrast of your choice of brand colours. Also, make sure every image you load onto your website has alt text applied (alternative text). This is where you write a description of the image so that screen readers can read aloud what the image is of.
MISTAKES TO AVOID #9
Not setting up a Google Business Profile
HOW TO AVOID IT:
A Google Business profile will enable local potential customers to know your business exists. We’ve all seen a Google Business Profile: it’s when you type into Google, something like, ‘Hairdressers near me’ and a list of local hairdressers and Google Maps appear. Each listing is a Google Business Profile, and it’s free to set up. Even if you aren’t a physical business (with a shop, for example) you can still set up a profile.
A Google Business Profile will enable you to ask your clients for reviews. You will be able to display the basic details of your business, like opening times, etc. You can even link your website to your profile, so visitors can find your website more easily. And the best thing… it’s completely free to set up!
MISTAKES TO AVOID #10
Assuming that as soon as your website is live, people will visit it
HOW TO AVOID IT:
They won’t. You need to tell people your website exists. Do this by including your web address with your contact details, or share it on social media. Also, set up your Google Business Profile, as mentioned above in ‘Mistakes to Avoid #9’!
If you need more help with your website, or simply want it designed for you,
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