10. You Hired Your Nephew
So you heard that he has created a site or two, besides he knows how to use your audio system. Thinking of the money you could save, you decide to give him a chance. If you have fallen into this trap you've with little doubt found out what the popular adage means to "get what you paid for". Not only do you now have a website that is no benefit for you, but you have lost out on the benefits of well designed and marketed website could have done for you.
9. You Outsourced Your Work to a Near-Third-World-Country
Hiring outside of the country is often difficult and disappointing. If you caved into the idea of hiring a professional for less outside of the country you've probably found like many of my colleagues and myself included that the hassle and work you received isn't even worth it being done for free. Save yourself the stress, and hire a competent firm close to home.
8. You Downloaded a Web Template and Tried to do it Yourself.
By every right you are the leading expert of your business. You figure, "why spend money when I am the best qualified to present the business to my clients?" So you find a neat looking template and try to build the site yourself. In all honesty, there is truth behind the premise, but your execution was your failure. A good designer will know how to leverage you as the expert of your business in creating an effective design. Websites just seem so simple, but there are entire degrees in college, volumes of books and other reading materials, plus years of application that are needed to make something so simple to be so effective. Look at the ingenuity of Apple Computers, there is a reason why so few people have been able to match their prowess of simple design.
7. Your Website Design Sucks
If you think your website does not look professional or looks cheap, what does that say to your website visitors? Don't ever to expect your visitors to respect your business image more than you do. And in the marketing world, we know that image is everything.
6. The First Page on Your Website Says, "Click to Enter"
Even if you think your splash page looks "cool", your providing little to no benefit to your visitors. Our studies have shown that websites with Intro or Splash Pages lose a multiple of visitors than if they didn't have Splash Page.
5. Your Website contains little to know content.
Limiting the time your visitors spend on your site is one problem, but giving them no reason to come back is your other problem. The Internet is about Content, and if your website lacks in this regard, don't expect your website to amount to very much.
4. Your Site Catches No Interest
Keep things fun, keep things light and above all keep things interesting. It is interest that brought your visitor to your site in the first place and it will be interest that will keep your visitor from leaving. If everything about your website is boring, you'll never convince them to stay long enough to take a chance on you.
3. You thought a Web Designer Was Enough.
It doesn't matter how influential, beautiful or amazing your web design or development are if you have no way of getting people to your website. When budgeting out your website, make sure to appropriate sufficient funds to attract an audience to it. It is suggested that you budget enough to build your website, and hire a Internet Market to get targeted traffic to your site. You need both to succeed.
2. Your Website is Too Broad
You can have traffic to your website, and your design might be appealing to your visitors but if you show no uniqueness or advantage over your competitors your losing more business than you should. Although Branding is often misunderstood, it is a crucial part of defining a unique business image and which should be portrayed through your site. Show a competitive advantage through your website design, style and content and you'll retain more customers and take a few from your competitors as well.
1. You Site is Not Based On Achieving Your Website Objectives.
If you didn't plan out the primary and secondary objectives of your website, then your website is probably spinning your visitors in circles. Give your website an objective, and every aspect of it should be in accomplishing it. If your trying to sell a product make it appealing and easy for them to do so, if you want them to call you on the phone do the same. Too often a website is about a company and loses its potential influence it can have to make your company more money. If you aren't getting what you need from your visitors, your website has failed. - 16459
So you heard that he has created a site or two, besides he knows how to use your audio system. Thinking of the money you could save, you decide to give him a chance. If you have fallen into this trap you've with little doubt found out what the popular adage means to "get what you paid for". Not only do you now have a website that is no benefit for you, but you have lost out on the benefits of well designed and marketed website could have done for you.
9. You Outsourced Your Work to a Near-Third-World-Country
Hiring outside of the country is often difficult and disappointing. If you caved into the idea of hiring a professional for less outside of the country you've probably found like many of my colleagues and myself included that the hassle and work you received isn't even worth it being done for free. Save yourself the stress, and hire a competent firm close to home.
8. You Downloaded a Web Template and Tried to do it Yourself.
By every right you are the leading expert of your business. You figure, "why spend money when I am the best qualified to present the business to my clients?" So you find a neat looking template and try to build the site yourself. In all honesty, there is truth behind the premise, but your execution was your failure. A good designer will know how to leverage you as the expert of your business in creating an effective design. Websites just seem so simple, but there are entire degrees in college, volumes of books and other reading materials, plus years of application that are needed to make something so simple to be so effective. Look at the ingenuity of Apple Computers, there is a reason why so few people have been able to match their prowess of simple design.
7. Your Website Design Sucks
If you think your website does not look professional or looks cheap, what does that say to your website visitors? Don't ever to expect your visitors to respect your business image more than you do. And in the marketing world, we know that image is everything.
6. The First Page on Your Website Says, "Click to Enter"
Even if you think your splash page looks "cool", your providing little to no benefit to your visitors. Our studies have shown that websites with Intro or Splash Pages lose a multiple of visitors than if they didn't have Splash Page.
5. Your Website contains little to know content.
Limiting the time your visitors spend on your site is one problem, but giving them no reason to come back is your other problem. The Internet is about Content, and if your website lacks in this regard, don't expect your website to amount to very much.
4. Your Site Catches No Interest
Keep things fun, keep things light and above all keep things interesting. It is interest that brought your visitor to your site in the first place and it will be interest that will keep your visitor from leaving. If everything about your website is boring, you'll never convince them to stay long enough to take a chance on you.
3. You thought a Web Designer Was Enough.
It doesn't matter how influential, beautiful or amazing your web design or development are if you have no way of getting people to your website. When budgeting out your website, make sure to appropriate sufficient funds to attract an audience to it. It is suggested that you budget enough to build your website, and hire a Internet Market to get targeted traffic to your site. You need both to succeed.
2. Your Website is Too Broad
You can have traffic to your website, and your design might be appealing to your visitors but if you show no uniqueness or advantage over your competitors your losing more business than you should. Although Branding is often misunderstood, it is a crucial part of defining a unique business image and which should be portrayed through your site. Show a competitive advantage through your website design, style and content and you'll retain more customers and take a few from your competitors as well.
1. You Site is Not Based On Achieving Your Website Objectives.
If you didn't plan out the primary and secondary objectives of your website, then your website is probably spinning your visitors in circles. Give your website an objective, and every aspect of it should be in accomplishing it. If your trying to sell a product make it appealing and easy for them to do so, if you want them to call you on the phone do the same. Too often a website is about a company and loses its potential influence it can have to make your company more money. If you aren't getting what you need from your visitors, your website has failed. - 16459
About the Author:
Author, Speaker and Expert Web Designer and Marketer, Matthew Henage, is a leading expert in creating successful websites. Henage is the CEO of Utah web design firm, Superior Design Inc., a premier web design firm in Utah.
