What causes business websites to fail? You may not realise it, but website failure is a common problem because many site owners tend to rush the process. If they don’t have clear objectives, the website may not be targeted to the right audience, the UX is poor, or the site has many other issues that keep it from being a benefit to the company.
Problems can also be caused by a short timeframe, small budget, or the right website designer wasn’t hired for the project.
Here are eight of the common design issues that lead to poor business websites.
1). Designing for Personal Taste
Personal taste is sometimes used to design a site, rather than using the company’s branding. The issue with this type of design is that it may include elements that the site owner believes are “pretty,” or because they “look nice,” etc. Sometimes a business may also choose to use design elements that are old and outdated. This can hurt business.
Of course, individuality and creativity are to be encouraged in web design, these should be applied in such a way that it fits the target audience and their brand. The site’s design should not come down to one person’s individual preference.
When it comes to creating a new website or updating an older site, it’s essential to work with an experienced web designer. They’ll have more experience with modern website and what constitutes best practices for business websites, including which elements work and those that are best avoided.
2). The Site Talks Too Much About the Business, Not About Value
Many business sites make the mistake of talking too much about themselves. They focus on their company’s accomplishments and services, rather than on the value they provide. This is done as a way to differentiate their company from others.
Instead, it’s better to use the limited time we have with site visitors to communicate the value we provide, rather than describing them. This is a better method to market your products and services to site users.
Site content needs to be geared to the value provided, rather than the services and how better the business is than its competitors. This is a more modern approach that site visitors expect from a business website.
3). The Website is Not Used as a Marketing Tool
Does your business have a site just because everyone has one and it’s “the thing” to do? That’s all well and good, but your website should be properly utilised as a marketing tool, not just used as a web presence.
Creating a website needs to be viewed as an investment in marketing. This is your company’s tool on the web to gain website traffic that leads to paying customers. This is the goal you should have in mind when designing your site.
Planning how to use SEO to generate web traffic, convey your company’s value, and more. You need a plan on how to convert traffic into customers. This can be done with an obvious “call to action,” including testimonials for social validation and more.
When creating your business website, be sure to give a lot of thought on how the site can be built to include those elements that will ultimately make the website earn money for your company.
4). Using the Cheapest Offer
Many company’s fall into this mistake—taking the cheapest offer for building their site. This is human nature. Who doesn’t want to get the most for their money? That’s all well and good, but it may not be the best option for creating your company site.
When it comes to finding the right web designer, be sure to shop around and ask for quotes. Look for a quote that fits your budget and timeline, but make sure that the designer follows best practices and includes such design elements as:
- SEO
- Security
- Fast loading speed
- And more
These are not optional design elements but are essential for the success of your website.
5). “Do that for Now, We’ll Change it Later”
Another thing that can kill business site is the attitude that we’ll create the site and get it up as soon as possible, leaving out important sections and elements for the time being. Why is this bad?
Human nature is the problem. Leave something out now, and it won’t get done. The issue gets pushed to the backburner until it’s been completely forgotten and fallen off the list.
The goal of your business website is to attract traffic and gain paying customers. Plus, your website is the first impression visitors will have of the business. You want everything to be done in an excellent, purposeful manner.
It’s much easier to get these elements included in the beginning of the project. Just make sure there’s time to get the site done right and you’ll have a site that brings in customers.
6). Stock Images—Avoid Them
What’s the problem with stock images, including those that are royalty free? The issue is they look like stock images. They’re generally generic pictures that can look tacky and indistinct.
When you’re going to the trouble and expense of creating a site for your company, be sure to invest in the time to take your own photos. Smartphones can take great pictures these days, or you can hire a photographer to take images.
Images can include you and your team working together on company premises, products you sell, etc. This makes the images believable and valuable for site visitors. Remember, it’s all about them.
7). Don’t Forget the Backend
While the goal is to have a beautiful website, you’ll want to make sure to not forget those important backend details that make a site useful to visitors.
These elements include making sure the site is optimised for search engines, loads fast, is secure and mobile responsive. These are crucial to how the site will be perceived by both the search engines and site users.
Make sure to hire a designer who pays attentions to these backend details, as well as the site’s appearance.
These are some of the most important reasons many business websites fail. Hiring a professional website designer or developer will ensure your company’s site is both professional and usable for site visitors.