In today’s technology-focused world, when you launch a business, regardless of what that business is, it’s customary to have a website designed to use as your main marketing tool.
Twenty years ago businesses listed themselves in telephone directories, that was how they marketed their services. Today, when someone is looking for a product or service, the first place they look is online – they Google what they want or need and use websites to determine which company can offer them the best option.
That’s why every business, big or small, needs a website, and not just any website, a professional and well-designed one.
The problem is that when it comes to business websites, there are hundreds of terrible ones. Not only are they poorly designed but there are a range of other issues with them that instantly put consumers off of the brand as a whole. There are some mistakes that, when it comes to website design, you really don’t want to make.
Bearing that in mind, below is a guide to the website mistakes that will, without a doubt, prevent your business from reaching its full potential.
Choosing the wrong domain name
An error that you don’t want to make when it comes to your business website is selecting the wrong domain name. Ideally, what you want to do when it comes to your domain name is to pick a name that is the same as your company name.
If your company name is too long, say it’s White Rabbit Media, for instance, which is too long for a domain name, you could opt to have the acronym WRM in your domain, instead of the full name. If you plan on target a certain area, such as a specific city, you could opt to incorporate that into your domain name.
This can help with local search engine ranking. The most important thing is not to rush when picking a domain name and choose something that is the same as your business name or links to it in some way.
Not having the right hosting
One mistake that you don’t want to make when it comes to your business website is failing to choose the right hosting. Hosting is an important factor as if you pick the wrong hosting option; you may end up with a server option that isn’t suited to your business’s needs, such as a shared server that causes your website to run slowly and freeze constantly.
The best server option to opt for which won’t cause your site to freeze and won’t be too expensive is a virtual shared server.
Going DIY with the design of the site
When it comes to the design of your site, a mistake that you don’t want to make is going down the DIY route. If you are serious about getting your web design spot on and ensuring that your website is a good fit for your brand, it’s best to hire an expert to create your site for you, that way you know that it will be professionally designed and laid out.
Having badly written content
Last but by no means least, it’s vital that you don’t make the mistake of publishing badly written content. All content published on your website, from your page content to your blog posts, should be of high quality.
If you want to ensure that your brand creates the right first impression, professional content is a must. It’s also vital that all content on your website is SEO optimized and isn’t stuffed with keywords, as this can impact your search engine rankings.
There you have it, your guide to mistakes that will prevent your business from reaching its full potential.