In today’s fast-paced world, the trends are changing and businesses are now moving from a physical to virtual setting. Most transactions and day-to-day activities are carried out online. People spend a great portion of their time online which is why a good website is a crucial factor in marking a strong online presence and expanding your business. The way you design your website is very important because when a potential customer visits your website for the first time, the features and user friendliness of your website, will help them in casting a first impression of your brand.
Your website serves as the pillar of your business and plays a significant role in the marketing of your products, creating a global consumer base and facilitating your customers. Using the right SEO tools is one way of boosting the traffic that is directed towards your website. Another advantage of creating a website for your business is that it doesn’t limit your operating hours and your business can function on a 24/7 basis.
However, if your website lags a lot, has too many pop-up ads or is generally very inconvenient and complicated for the user, then there are chances of potential customers going in a different direction. Don’t worry though, we’ve got your back! To save you from the hassle of surfing the internet in order to learn the dos and don’ts regarding your website, we have compiled a list of mistakes that you need to avoid in order to optimize your website and make it more efficient.
1. GETTING THE WRONG DOMAIN NAME
Having the right domain name is vital. Your domain name is the address of your website. This is one area where you should not make any compromises. A relevant domain name usually comes at a high price but at the end of the day it is worth it. Having an excessively long domain name or one that contains a variety of characters is not the right way to go. Your domain name should always be precise, informative and easy to remember. Finding all these attributes under one roof can be tricky since there are already a large number of a domain names that have been registered. Due to the thousands of already-registered domain names, it is also very important to choose a name that is unique and doesn’t get lost in the sea of domain names.
In order to find the perfect domain name, you can opt for extensions like .online, .tech, .edu, .gov etc. They are extremely valuable because a quick glance at them will give the user an idea of what category or industry your website falls under and the kind of services and products they can expect to find. It also gives the user the impression that you are not outdated and might be tech-savvy and innovative as your domain name is unique and is keeping in line with the upcoming domain names in the market.
2. BRAND-CENTRIC COPY
A very common mistake is making your website brand-centric instead of customer-centric. When a consumer visits your website, they’re not just looking for what site owners have to say about themselves, they also want to see the opinions and experiences of the customers as well. This helps in building credibility for your brand because it elevates the transparency between you and your potential customers. You should design you site in such a way that it offers the perfect balance between a brand and customer centric approach, where users can find adequate information about the products and services that are being offered from both, the brand and customer’s eye.
3. NO CLEAR CTA
CTA, or Call To Action, is a market strategy that is devised in such a way that when a user visits your website, they’re instantly encourage to make a purchase or get involved with your brand in some way or the other, depending on the category of your website.
Before making a website, you should have a clear idea about what you your site’s purpose and its layout. You don’t want to create a site that causes a strain and provides information in a dull manner with very few visuals. Your homepage should always be minimalistic and eye-catching with a relevant drop-down menu, relevant and easy to follow CTAs such as ‘Get a Quote’, ‘Contact Us’, ‘Learn More’, ‘Subscribe’ etc. This will prompt the user to dive into your site and get to know you or your brand more which could then increase their involvement with your brand.
4. NOT TRACKING ANALYTICS
We cannot stress enough on the importance of tracking analytics. Staying up to date with the analytics of your site and sites that are similar to yours will play a crucial role in the optimization of your website. Comprehending the traffic and the nature of the traffic that is directed to your site can be an essential tool in deciding how to upgrade your site and what features you should add that will appeal the demographic that is visiting your site.
5. UNRELIABLE HOSTING PROVIDER
We’ve kept the most important for the last. Your hosting provider is the buttress of your website and an unreliable one will cause your business to tumble down while a reliable one will help in boosting the performance of your website and make it more secure. Downplaying the importance of choosing the right hosting plan will slow down your progress and prove to be a big hurdle in achieving your goals.
CONCLUSION:
The idea of designing a site and boosting its purpose can be very intimidating, especially if you’re new in the market but it’s not that tricky or tedious. You just need to keep in mind the points that we have mentioned above and be observant of the upcoming market and tech-related trends and you’ll be good to go. We’re positive that this article will serve its purpose in helping your site grow and making it more competent instead of mundane.