Today, developing an online presence is a given. If you’re not online, customers assume you don’t exist. But starting a website is more than adding a few photos and an address online. And while there are many tools that now allow business owners to design their own website, there are also many pitfalls. To build an online presence that will send customers your way instead of driving them away, avoid these four common mistakes when building (or updating) your website.
Being inaccessible.
With a website, your business can be open 24/7 — if people can access it. Today, an accessible website is one that can be viewed both on a desktop screen and a mobile device. Can visitors read your text and access your links from the smaller screen of a smartphone? If not, an update could help bring you additional customers, since many use smartphones to surf online.
Accessibility can also go further with more convenient features — websites can allow for 24/7 orders, make it easy to get questions answered, book appointments, find directions and more. Brainstorm the questions customers may have and dig into ways to make them accessible at your website. Many apps offer added connivence outside of basic web design, like online booking, online proof galleries for photographers and more.
Failing to be brand-consistent.
A website is just one extension of your company, but it needs to match all the other parts. If you run an upscale business, don’t use a playful web design scheme. If you run a laid-back, casual business, don’t use an upscale design. Your website should reflect your brand as a whole, from the design to the text.
Find website inspiration from your logo, the design of your store and your company’s goals. When potential customers visit your website first, they should be able to walk in to your store and immediately recognize the brand.
Failing to incorporate reviews.
One of the reasons websites are so powerful is that it allows customers to communicate with other customers — not just a brand trying to market themselves. Many businesses are afraid of bad reviews, so they don’t have any reviews at all. That’s a mistake — customer reviews help make new customers comfortable even though they’ve never actually bought anything from you before.
If your website platform doesn’t include reviews, there are many third-party programs that allow businesses to add reviews to any website.
Trying to market.
A website is a marketing tool — but it shouldn’t be treated as one. Customers know when they’re being marketed to. So what should a website do? A good website will start a relationship. Avoid marketing speak in your content and keep it casual, more like the way you’d talk to a friend than the way you would talk to a stranger.
A blog is a great way to use a website to reach out to customers without hardcore marketing. A blog shares glimpses into your business — or, if you’re a solopreneur, even your own personal life. Blogs are also great places to share tips and explore the multiple ways customers can use your products or services.
Today, a website is a given — but exactly what you do with a website can be harder to navigate. When building an online prescience, avoid the most common mistakes to get your website started on the right foot.