A web site is no longer optional for small businesses – it is (or should be!) an important ingredient of your marketing efforts. However, a poorly conceived and designed web site can do more harm than good to your business, with the potential of turning visitors away and toward your competitors. Are you guilty of any of the following common mistakes that small businesses make regarding their web sites?
Creating a site before understanding who your target market is.
Instead of focusing on how quickly your business can get a web site up and running, concentrate first on researching who your target audience will be in your specific market. The content and structure of what your site should be will become apparent and be more successful if you do this research.- Do it yourself.
There are many products out there that let anyone build a “website in a night” or DIY. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Web visitors form an impression about your web site, and by extension, your business, in under 7 seconds. Doing it yourself means missing out on the expert advice and guidance from a professional web designer who understands the best way to reach your clients, and stays abreast of current technology and trends. Don’t let a poorly designed or disorganized website drive your prospects away! - An unclear or NO call to action.
You’ve done your research and have an attractive website that targets your specific audience with content that clearly conveys what your business can do for them. What do you want visitors to do now? Call for more information? Sign up for your newsletter? Tell your visitors what the next step should be! - Out-of-date content.
You cannot simply “set it and forget it” when it comes to your web site. Your customers want and expect current information when they visit or they may assume you are not competitive, current in your field, or even that you’ve gone out of business.
Oops…did you recognize your web site in any of these mistakes? Fear not – it’s never too late to make it right! A web site is a flexible marketing tool perfect for fine-tuning your message to attract the kind of clients that want your services.
That’s great – you want to make a good first impression. But if you follow that with conversation that is all about YOU, the warm and fuzzy feeling will vanish pretty quickly. Your companion will leave feeling that you’re nothing but a conceited, egotistical person, and there will be no second date.
