Are you trying to launch a website for your business? It doesn’t have to be overwhelming or expensive—with the right guidance and strategy, creating an effective website can be quick and affordable.
But there are pitfalls that you need to avoid. In this blog post, we’ll cover eight common mistakes business owners make when launching a website online—and how to sidestep them, so you don’t end up costing yourself time, money, and frustration.
If done correctly, your website will become invaluable as it delivers value in helping you reach new customers, expand your operations into multiple markets, generate revenue streams from digital products or services sold directly on the site, and much more. Let’s get started!
1. Not having a clear goal in mind
One of the most important first steps in creating a website is understanding why you are designing it and what it should accomplish. Having a clear goal in mind will help you make decisions throughout the process that align with your ultimate ambitions—which may include building an audience, promoting your work, or monetizing through ad sales, among other outcomes. Once you have identified your primary goals, you can determine which features your website must have to serve those desires best.
Otherwise, you may be tempted to add excessive bells and whistles (and unnecessary expenses) that do nothing to further your purpose. Knowing why you are creating a website from the start will streamline the process and save time, money, and energy in the long run.
2. Not understanding the fundamentals of web design
Despite the extensive user-friendly website design tools available, you can only get far with your website if you know web design fundamentals. Even experienced web designers can slip up and miss the fundamentals, so it is best to select one of the best website design companies, collaborate with them, and learn from them. It can be easy to become overwhelmed by the options that one has when designing a site, from themes and imagery to logos and page layouts, but one must always remember that understanding technical details – such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript – is just as vital.
Trying to take shortcuts with web design might seem like a lucrative idea in the short term, but it is only through proper techniques, such as those shared on the createwpsite channel, that one can really ensure their site will run smoothly for everyone who visits.
3. Neglecting SEO and page optimization
If you’re running a website or blogging, you can maximize the potential of your online presence by ensuring that your pages are optimized for search engines. A properly optimized website is key, as it can help ensure visibility and engagement in an increasingly competitive digital landscape. SEO and page optimization are an essential part of any successful online marketing plan – if you neglect these elements, it could mean missing out on valuable users, who will instead flock to sites that do rank highly in search engine results. So make sure that SEO is at the top of your priority list when creating content for your site – the rewards will be well worth the effort!
4. Failing to optimize your website for mobile devices
When it comes to reaching your audience, failing to optimize your website for mobile devices can be a huge obstacle. Considering that over half of the world’s web traffic now comes from smartphones and tablets, not having a mobile-friendly version of your website can limit the potential of your internet presence.
Not only will you limit who visits your site – search engines like Google favor those with mobile-friendly designs when ranking websites – but finally, if someone does manage to stumble upon your desktop version on their mobile device, you’re likely not giving them the best experience possible, meaning they’ll likely never come back. Investing in a responsive design or a separate mobile version is ultimately worth it!
5. Not providing enough information or resources
Providing visitors with quality content should always be your priority. If you don’t give them the valuable resources they need to move forward, they won’t stick around. People are more likely to return to a website that provides helpful content that they can use in their daily lives, rather than one offering minimal useful information. As a business owner, blogger, or entrepreneur, you must consider what your visitors require and provide them with something of value in response.
This means researching and ensuring your content is interesting yet relevant and beneficial. Quality over quantity should always be the motto of choice when it comes to supplying useful content for visitors.
6. Poor website navigation
If you have a website, you already understand the importance of providing a positive user experience for visitors. One major way to ensure that your site is enjoyable is by ensuring users have an easy time navigating to different pages on the site. Website navigation can be frustrating for customers, and it even has the potential to cause them to completely abandon the website altogether. As such, it’s essential to make sure that users can get where they need to go with minimal effort so they don’t find themselves exposed to unnecessary delays that leave them feeling frustrated.
A good website layout makes it easy for people to find what they’re looking for without too much trouble. To create effective website navigation that brings value and convenience to customer experience, be sure your navigation options are clearly labeled and easily accessible throughout your site.
7. Lack of social media integration
Social media integration can be a powerful way to increase website engagement and grow your audience—but it won’t happen if users can’t easily share your content. Suppose there is no clear indication of how to do so. In that case, visitors may simply leave without spreading the word about your great work—and that’s just one missed opportunity for building relationships and generating more traffic.
Simple ways for increasing social media integration include making sure you have sharing buttons strategically placed on each page; providing “Click to Tweet” prompts within articles; and designing images that are attractive when shared on Pinterest or Instagram. Doing this will let people quickly and easily share your content with friends and followers, driving more targeted traffic to your website.
8. Ignoring user experience best practices
It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of developing a product and forget about the underlying user experience. But neglecting user experience best practices can lead to serious complications – both for your customers and for your business. Think about it: If customers can’t figure out how to use your product, they are unlikely to keep using it. Some key user experience elements that should not be ignored include an intuitive layout, well-defined navigation, appropriate typography, and accessibility options. Neglect these at your own peril! When building something for a customer, always focus on their needs and user experience goals first and foremost.
Related Posts:
- The Top 7 Benefits of Online Marketing for Your Business
- Why Your Business Can’t Afford to Ignore Website Optimization
- Importance Of A Website: Know How To Build A Great Website For Your Business
- How to Implement Effective Software Solutions for Your Business
- Designing Stuff for Your Business: Here Are 6 Tips to Help You Start
