A website is not just a URL and a bunch of coded files magically transformed into a colorful brochure that visitors see in their browsers. It is a powerful interactive tool that helps you present your brand to the public, promote your ethics, products, and services, and, last but not least, generate leads.
Many Small Businesses Skip the Importance of a Good Website
Many small companies often choose to skip hiring a marketing expert and dive deep into building a website “just so it’s there,” postponing good practices for the future… which usually means a lost budget and time.
What to Avoid When Building a Website
- Poor use of language, spelling mistakes
- Low-quality visual material; low-resolution images or distorted logos. Make sure you acquire good photos…they’re your first point of sale
- Awful user experience; no clear way to navigate back and forth between products or pages
- Non-licensed material, like images, downloaded randomly from the Internet (that don’t actually belong to the brand). This practice can get you into legal trouble. It’s better to use stock photography or properly licensed free stock than download pics that don’t belong to you. That’s stealing.
- Minimal text information about the products or services
- Non-proportionate use of fonts; heavy use of uppercase headers that are ‘shouting’ to users
- Outdated or broken landing pages
- Web pages with no call-to-action
- Search functionality with low-quality results, especially in e-commerce sites or product catalogs
- External links that drive the visitor away; they ought to open in a new Tab/Window
- No GDPR, terms and conditions, privacy, or security information
- Low page speed, not optimized for mobile devices
- Useless 404 page with no functionality helping the visitor find his way to the desired content page
What to Pay Attention to When Building a Website
On top of avoiding the things mentioned above, here are some things you should pay attention to when building a website:
Build, Design, Layout, Texts
The visual part of your website is what registers with your visitors first. Use professional copywriters to write your texts; it’s worth the cost.
Navigation
Do not pack your navigation menu with too many links; keep it simple, focusing on the most important things. The About can go in the Footer.
Footer
Experienced users head for the footer when looking for specific information. Your website footer should be well organized with all the possible information someone may need.
Landing Pages
A website needs to be seen as a tool. A tool that you use every day to reach users. Landing pages are a great way to create content specific to marketing campaigns.
Texts, Fonts, Images
Build a design guide, even if it’s rudimentary before you start developing your website. What colors will you use, fonts, and how will you treat your logo… will it appear in black? White? Only colored, and if so, what happens with a background that doesn’t help it pop out?
Learn from Others
Analyse competitors’ websites and write what you like or don’t like.
Analyse established high-traffic websites. If you have strong opinions on design or disagree with other team members, A/B testing and analytics monitoring is the best way to know what works.
Use events in Google Analytics or Hotjar or whatever else you use to see how people use your website.
Conclusion
A good website is an investment in your business. It can help you generate leads, increase sales, and build your brand. By following the tips in this article, you can create a website that is both beautiful and effective.
