You’ve spent days, perhaps weeks working on your new website. In order to save money you perhaps bought a website template and went the DIY route. But when it comes to creating your business and successfully getting everything accomplished (including your website), that can be an entirely different matter.
In order to help you with your creation, here are some common website problems we’ve seen over the years. This list is in no way comprehensive, and the list is long - which is why we will continue this conversation next month, maybe more. As always, if we can help you in any way please let us know!
Cross-browser and cross-platform inconsistencies are biggees. Things may look good on Safari, but on Google or Firefox everything is sized wrong. It may look great on your tablet, but on your desktop it looks entirely different. It is almost impossible to remember every class, function and element when creating a site. This is why many people trust a professional (like us) to do the heavy lifting. The more sites you build, the more you’ll be able to recall certain browser qualifications and programming parameters.
According to statista.com, in 2021, the number of unique mobile internet users stood at 4.32 billion, indicating that over 90 percent of the global internet population uses a mobile device to go online. For this reason, your website has to display well on mobile. A mobile-friendly website can be easily navigated and viewed on any cell phone or tablet. If your site isn’t mobile friendly, you’re missing out on a lot of potential business!
With the social media explosion, TikTok, Instagram and other platforms have fueled the fire, creating shorter attention spans and faster-moving content.
Most of the time this is done on a cell phone.
If your site isn’t optimized for mobile use, users will be pinching, zooming in, perhaps click the wrong line or link. Up your game and use a website company that makes mobile optimization a priority.
So you’ve built your website, then realize it wasn’t built or designed with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind. If your site is built correctly, with the right framework and with all requirements that search engines are looking for, it’s going to have a greater chance of ranking well. Website optimization does require skilled writing and technical know-how, using key phrases, words, coding, etc.
The competition is real. You are up against millions of amazing looking sites, most having had several sets of professional, trained eyes on them before publishing. If your website isn’t appealing and is filled with typos and errors, your visitors are going to jump ship faster than you can blink! Using an experienced website company such as VisionAmp ensures that everything is scrutinized, proofed and tweaked before the world sees it!
Many people just get in over their heads. Many sites we have rebuilt for clients had issues that included typos, incorrect image sizes, forms designed incorrectly or didn’t link anywhere, non-working links site wide and more.
As we mentioned in last month’s blog, according to research, it only takes about 50 milliseconds (.05 seconds) for users to determine their opinion about your site. The average online attention span ranges from 6 to 20 seconds, depending on the source. Most people only read an average of 28 percent of the words on a web page. If your site is slow you might as well start digging the grave.
In an era of instant gratification where we can place an order online and receive it in a day or two, spills over onto the expectations of your website speed and performance. Reasons for slow sites are many, but most are caused from using non-optimized photos, wrong coding, server limitations, no content delivery network and more.
According to BusinessDictionary.com, a call-to-action consists of: “Words that urge the reader, listener, or viewer of a sales promotion message to take an immediate action, such as: write now, call now - or for internet users - click here.”
Successful strategy and marketing campaigns involve a strong call to action. It’s one thing to catch their attention, but another to cause people to take action on what you are offering. Your call to action should also be consistent and clear across all of your communication channels. Website, e-mails, social media, blog posts, etc. This will bring the desired response you’re looking for. The audience should know exactly what you’re asking them to do, and your website needs to make it easy for them to take the next step.
We’ve mentioned this before, but it is worth repeating. Have you ever walked into a store that is disorganized, smells, and has a very uninviting atmosphere?
On the other hand, have you ever walked into a store that is clean, spacious, and has a very comforting feeling, such as an Apple Store?
I’m sure you’ve been in both types of businesses. Which one gives you the impression that it’s well-managed, cares about its customers, and offers better products? It’s probably the business that cares about its appearance. Working with VisionAmp you can be assured we take pride in our designs and will work to make sure your website is attractive and provide the “wow” factor!
If visitors aren’t saying “wow” (in a good way) when they visit your site, it still needs work. Do not cut corners on design. Every pixel, every picture, and every word matters. Hire a good designer if you can afford it and make design a priority!
Hiring professionals takes the headache off of you and allows you to focus on growing your company. Your website should serve as a helping hand to you, not a thorn in your side.
If the DIY isn’t going as planned, or if you just want to discuss options, give VisionAmp Web Design a call today at 855.862.5491. We do build websites that work! You would be surprised at how affordable we are - and you will be pleasantly pleased with the end result. Please visit our ONLINE PORTFOLIO to see for yourself the quality website designs we have built for others. Set your problems aside and put us to work for you today!
