Friday the 13th is almost upon us and it's the perfect time to think about things that are scary. Obviously, crazy clowns and creepy, stormy nights are up there, but what about losing money and ruining your website? Your website is your digital representative. It tells online users who you are, what you do, and works to obtain new leads and sell your products. It's an extension of your brand. Neglecting or missing certain aspects can make you lose money in the long run, which truly is scary.
13 Ways to Ruin Your Website
1. Not updating information. If you have copy on your website telling readers to check out the latest 2014 trends, that's a turn-off. No one will trust your site or you to have the latest information.
2. Music. If your website has music auto-playing in the background, then you need to fix it now. This is an outdated and annoying practice. You are more likely to chase people away than invite them in.
3. Not collecting information. If you have a downloadable offer or a contact page but are not having people fill out a form, you are missing out on valuable lead information.
4. Not having enough information. People visit your website to learn, make sure they can understand who you are and what you do. Don't make the mistake of only having a few pages of garbled text. This befuddles the user more than it helps them.
5. Confusing flow. If you have fifty buttons to click, countless ads, and complex titles, then no one will understand where to go. People will just bounce off your site rather than stay and fight it.
6. No social links. If you are putting in the effort to build your social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, it's hurting you not to have those links on your page. Social media can even help cultivate leads.
7. Not having analytics set up. You want to be able to see where people are coming from, where they're going, and what they're doing. It's your site, so you want to know what's going on and analytics is the perfect way to do this. Furthermore, you can take the data and adjust your site accordingly to fit the needs of that target market.
8. Not mobile responsive. How many times have you visited a site on your phone or tablet and it didn't work? It was glitchy and you couldn't seem to navigate the site, so you just ended up leaving. That's what people are doing with your website if it isn't mobile responsive.
9. Being static. Your website shouldn't just exist. That's like you just sitting there expecting people to notice you, which doesn't happen. You have to be proactive and be seen. Work to increase your search engine optimization ratings or write blogs, do something so that the right people can come to you.
10. Bad layout. If everything is mismatched and is so bad to the point of being a distraction, then you have a problem. Not only will users leave, but will do so running. They will just remember how terrible your website was and connect that confusion with your brand.
11. Not being optimized. The ALT text, meta descriptions, keywords, and more should be utilized to optimize your site for search engines. If you aren't on the first page of Google, you aren't being found.
12. Directories. Years ago before Google updated its algorithm, being in a directory listing was a popular practice for backlinks. Now, that's one of the biggest things NOT to do. Google sees those sketchy directory sites and knows that they're not proper links. Do not submit your site to a directory, it will only ruin your credibility with search engines.
13. No images. People are visual learners. A picture can easily help make an instant connection with a complex topic. In addition, with the proper optimization, search engines can give you credit for the images, too.
If you aren't trying, you're dying. Don't let these 13 scary situations ruin your website. With the proper attention to detail and help, your website can be an asset instead of the death of you.
If you're looking for a website redesign, contact The Marketing Squad for a quote or check out our website for more information.
