Guest post by Jessica Kane.
Every marketing pro and modern business owner knows the importance of a solid online presence. In today’s digital world, the first impressions you make on potential clients will more often be through the internet rather than in person. Putting your best face forward online is essential to the success of your business.
Unfortunately, many businesses don’t properly invest in making their website the best it can be. Here’s a list of five common mistakes that may be driving down your sales.
1) Poor Design
Think about the last time you visited a website that looked like it had been designed by an amateur. What kind of impression did that leave on you? Were you inclined to give them your business?
Investing in quality design can be likened to the old adage of “dressing to impress.” A clean, professional look will not only make people want to stick around, but it will imbue a sense of authority.
In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, your design should be optimized for mobile devices. Studies have shown that 57% of mobile users will close out a webpage if it takes more than three seconds to load. Since mobile users are making up an increasing percentage of the online population, optimizing a website for mobile use is a step no business owner should overlook.
2) Difficult to Navigate
No matter how elegant your design, nobody wants to spend a lot of time digging for the content they need. Thanks to today’s lightning-fast technology, we’ve become a rather impatient generation of consumers. If what we’re looking for isn’t readily available and easy to find, we’ll move on.
Similarly, if it’s difficult for users to find your contact information, they might give up and head to another source. Make sure your contact information is readily available on every page of your site, and make the link to your “Contact” page so obvious no one can miss it.
3) Unreliable Hosting
Poor hosting leads to slow response times and frequent crashes, both of which can prove detrimental to your business. Statistics show that a 1-second delay can lead to a 7% reduction in conversions. That’s a lot of business to lose in a really small amount of time. Investing in proper hosting will help your website satisfy even the most click-happy customers. Look for a hosting service that guarantees 99.9% uptime to maximize your website’s effectiveness.
4) Unclear Call to Action
No matter the industry you’re in, you want your audience to feel compelled to contact you. That’s where your call to action (CTA) comes in. Your CTA is what urges your audience to take immediate action.
It’s not enough to just have a CTA; it needs to be a clear-cut, no-nonsense message that can’t get lost in translation. Every major element on your website should point potential consumers in the direction you want them to go.
5) Lack of SEO
So, you’ve finally built the perfect website. It’s optimally designed, easy to navigate, and hosted on a lightning-fast platform. Unfortunately, none of this will do you any good if you’re not getting traffic.
Search Engine Optimization – or SEO – is the bread and butter of any business’s website. By using relevant, commonly searched keywords, you increase the chances of people stumbling upon your website in the first place.
Conclusion
Running a business comes with its fair share of challenges. Ensuring that your website is well-designed, user-friendly and full of relevant keywords will help you avoid the mistakes that might hurt your business in the long run.
Jessica Kane is a professional blogger who has worked in eCommerce for the last five years. She currently writes for Rakuten Super Logistics and recommends them for all your order fulfillment needs now available at many fulfillment centers.