10. You Hired Your Nephew
So you heard that he has created a site or two, besides he knows how to use your audio system. Thinking of the money you could save, you decide to give him a chance. If you have fallen into this trap you've with little doubt found out what the popular adage means to "get what you paid for". Not only do you now have a website that is no benefit for you, but you have lost out on the benefits of well designed and marketed website could have done for you.
9. You Outsourced Your Work
Hiring outside of the country is often difficult and disappointing. If you caved into the idea of hiring a professional for less outside of the country you've probably found like many of my colleagues and myself included that the hassle and work you received isn't even worth it being done for free. Save yourself the stress, and hire a competent firm close to home.
8. You Purchased a Template and Did it Yourself.
How hard can building a website be? The honest answer, not very hard at all. HTML is one of the easiest things to learn. You can find tutorials or a class that can get you started in building a website within hours. Templates make it even easier. Just about anyone can create a website, but being able to build a website that brings success takes a lot of experience and a lot of talent. If you've decided to try it out as a hobby, go for it, I personally find very few things more enjoyable than crafting new designs and programming new systems. But if you want a website that gets results, turn it over to the professionals.
7. Your Website Design Sucks
If your website looks junky, how do you think your visitors think about your products, services or business. Invest in your business image, or you'll see that you'll fail fast.
6. You Have an Intro Page
Even if you think your splash page looks "cool", your providing little to no benefit to your visitors. Our studies have shown that websites with Intro or Splash Pages lose a multiple of visitors than if they didn't have Splash Page.
5. Your Website contains little to know content.
Limiting the content on your site is a very ignorant maneuver. There are so many opportunities your website can take advantage of, but without content virtually none of it is possible. Content is king, build it and they will come.
4. Your Site Catches No Interest
Keep things fun, keep things light and above all keep things interesting. It is interest that brought your visitor to your site in the first place and it will be interest that will keep your visitor from leaving. If everything about your website is boring, you'll never convince them to stay long enough to take a chance on you.
3. You thought a Web Designer Was Enough.
Whats the problem with this picture: You build a state of the art sports arena, its beautiful, has many sought out commodities and was built in Antarctica. You may ask, "What's the point of a sports arena if you aren't going to have anyone use it?" A silly scenario, but a common pitfall for many websites out on the Internet, because they are or have a professionally made website with no budget for marketing. When budgeting out your website, make sure to appropriate sufficient funds to attract an audience to it. Use the following flexible rule of thumb for a website budget: a quarter of your budget for design and branding, a quarter for development, a quarter for public relations and SEO, and a quarter for advertising.
2. Your Website is not Unique
You can have traffic to your website, and your design might be appealing to your visitors but if you show no uniqueness or advantage over your competitors your losing more business than you should. Although Branding is often misunderstood, it is a crucial part of defining a unique business image and which should be portrayed through your site. Show a competitive advantage through your website design, style and content and you'll retain more customers and take a few from your competitors as well.
1. You Didn't Monetize Your Site
If you didn't plan out the primary and secondary objectives of your website, then your website is probably spinning your visitors in circles. Give your website an objective, and every aspect of it should be in accomplishing it. If your trying to sell a product make it appealing and easy for them to do so, if you want them to call you on the phone do the same. Too often a website is about a company and loses its potential influence it can have to make your company more money. If you aren't getting what you need from your visitors, your website has failed. - 15359
So you heard that he has created a site or two, besides he knows how to use your audio system. Thinking of the money you could save, you decide to give him a chance. If you have fallen into this trap you've with little doubt found out what the popular adage means to "get what you paid for". Not only do you now have a website that is no benefit for you, but you have lost out on the benefits of well designed and marketed website could have done for you.
9. You Outsourced Your Work
Hiring outside of the country is often difficult and disappointing. If you caved into the idea of hiring a professional for less outside of the country you've probably found like many of my colleagues and myself included that the hassle and work you received isn't even worth it being done for free. Save yourself the stress, and hire a competent firm close to home.
8. You Purchased a Template and Did it Yourself.
How hard can building a website be? The honest answer, not very hard at all. HTML is one of the easiest things to learn. You can find tutorials or a class that can get you started in building a website within hours. Templates make it even easier. Just about anyone can create a website, but being able to build a website that brings success takes a lot of experience and a lot of talent. If you've decided to try it out as a hobby, go for it, I personally find very few things more enjoyable than crafting new designs and programming new systems. But if you want a website that gets results, turn it over to the professionals.
7. Your Website Design Sucks
If your website looks junky, how do you think your visitors think about your products, services or business. Invest in your business image, or you'll see that you'll fail fast.
6. You Have an Intro Page
Even if you think your splash page looks "cool", your providing little to no benefit to your visitors. Our studies have shown that websites with Intro or Splash Pages lose a multiple of visitors than if they didn't have Splash Page.
5. Your Website contains little to know content.
Limiting the content on your site is a very ignorant maneuver. There are so many opportunities your website can take advantage of, but without content virtually none of it is possible. Content is king, build it and they will come.
4. Your Site Catches No Interest
Keep things fun, keep things light and above all keep things interesting. It is interest that brought your visitor to your site in the first place and it will be interest that will keep your visitor from leaving. If everything about your website is boring, you'll never convince them to stay long enough to take a chance on you.
3. You thought a Web Designer Was Enough.
Whats the problem with this picture: You build a state of the art sports arena, its beautiful, has many sought out commodities and was built in Antarctica. You may ask, "What's the point of a sports arena if you aren't going to have anyone use it?" A silly scenario, but a common pitfall for many websites out on the Internet, because they are or have a professionally made website with no budget for marketing. When budgeting out your website, make sure to appropriate sufficient funds to attract an audience to it. Use the following flexible rule of thumb for a website budget: a quarter of your budget for design and branding, a quarter for development, a quarter for public relations and SEO, and a quarter for advertising.
2. Your Website is not Unique
You can have traffic to your website, and your design might be appealing to your visitors but if you show no uniqueness or advantage over your competitors your losing more business than you should. Although Branding is often misunderstood, it is a crucial part of defining a unique business image and which should be portrayed through your site. Show a competitive advantage through your website design, style and content and you'll retain more customers and take a few from your competitors as well.
1. You Didn't Monetize Your Site
If you didn't plan out the primary and secondary objectives of your website, then your website is probably spinning your visitors in circles. Give your website an objective, and every aspect of it should be in accomplishing it. If your trying to sell a product make it appealing and easy for them to do so, if you want them to call you on the phone do the same. Too often a website is about a company and loses its potential influence it can have to make your company more money. If you aren't getting what you need from your visitors, your website has failed. - 15359
About the Author:
Author, Speaker and Expert Website Designer and Marketer, Matthew Henage, is a leading expert in creating profitable websites. Henage is the CEO of Utah web design firm, Superior Design Inc., a leading website design firm in Utah.
