Anyone can build a website. There’s no rule that you have to be a web designer in order to do so. In fact, there are thousands of websites online, and hundreds created every day, not all done by web designers. However, not all websites created are considered to be great websites. Sure the website you created may look good, but does it serve its purpose and is it functioning properly. There are many reasons why your website may be poorly done, but the most common mistakes are having an outdated website, that is slow and unresponsive. You may not know it yet but this a deadly combination, now let’s find out why.
1. Outdated Content
Having a website with outdated content is a huge problem for your business. When a potential client comes to your website and sees that you haven’t updated the information on it for some months or even years, they’re unlikely to use your services. At this point, you have lost all credibility and that’s not good. In this day and age, potential clients and even current clients like to do online research on the company or person they’re doing business with. So if your company is solely online, your online presence is everything and you must update your information constantly. Not only will you lose credibility if you don’t have an amazing online presence you’ll also lose clientele. You can’t keep your business going without clients. Most people are not ready to buy the first time they come to your website. They may visit again and again before they’re actually ready to make a purchase. And as soon as they realize that your website is not being updated regularly, they’re on to the next, totally forgetting who you are and what you have to offer. You never want this to happen.
2. Slow Server
The speed of your website can have a drastic effect on visitors as well as sales. Sure your website is the bomb.com, but that means nothing when it comes to the load time. Whenever I go to a new website and it takes more than 10 seconds to load I instantly get out of there. I know the same goes for you. No one wants to wait forever to see what you’re selling. The way the world is now people are very impatient so if your website is taking up more time then they deem necessary, they move on. You don’t want anyone moving on from your website.
Not only that, Google uses many factors to rank your websites credibility and one factor just so happens to be speed. Having great content and utilizing search engine optimization properly are also factors to get you on Google’s first page. However, because Google knows that people aren’t willing to wait forever just to view a website, it has a huge impact on your search ranking. And, most people almost never go on to the second page of Google search results, and definitely not the third page. Google understands that a poor performing website results in a poor user experience. If Google has you on its first page and the user is not satisfied, they’re also not satisfied with Google because they are relying on Google to bless them with some great content on the first try. This shows Google as not being credible. Because Google wants to stay credible they have no choice but to penalize you for search rankings.
3. Non Responsive
A huge mistake in creating a website is failing to make your site responsive. Responsive web design is simply web design that responds, or adjusts, to any web browser. If your website is responsive it looks good on any device from a smart phone to a desktop computer. Basically, it’s made to fit the screen. Now more than ever, more people are shopping from their mobile devices than in-store or even on their computers. To avoid frustrating yourself as well as clients, be sure to make your website responsive.
We talked previously about Google’s rankings. Did you know that another factor in their rankings is whether or not your website is responsive? Crazy right? You may be feeling like, “well damn, they’re not making things easy,” and they’re not. Google’s whole purpose is to find you great information quickly without any hiccups. So if your website is not up to date, running properly, or made to fit any screen, Google will not suggest your website to the millions searching for what you have to offer.
You want people to want to come to your website first and if they can’t find it how will they know it even exists. And, if it’s slow, unreadable, and outdated, why will they stay? So be mindful of these common mistakes, and avoid them like the plague.
