So you’ve got a business website.
Now the internet cashflow will just come pouring in, right?
Wrong.
The thing about business websites is, they only help your business if done right. If done wrong, they can cause potential patrons to go running for the hills never to return again. Think about any website you’ve visited that made you feel irritated enough to log off of. Chances are, they were probably doing at least one of these five things wrong.
1. Readability
Make sure visitors can read your website. Yes, this may seem obvious, but it’s shocking the amount of websites that don’t follow this simple, cardinal rule.
Don’t make your visitors squint to read your fun but illegible font. Don’t let reading your website text require a magnifying glass. Don’t condense your text in long paragraphs that make your visitor’s head hurt to find the point.
Also, don’t forget to check for proper grammar. If you accidentally skip a word in a sentence it can change the meaning completely. If your website has silly errors like “they’re” instead of “their” that will signal to your visitors you’re not a serious or reliable business. Hiring an editor (like me) can save you from headaches, embarrassment, and lost business.
Somehow, a website banner promising “We Are Committed to Exellense” just doesn’t drive the proper message home. Make sure your business website truly conveys you’re committed to excellence.
2. Balance
By the same token, it’s important your visuals are neither too cluttering nor too sparing. A good business website has enough photos, graphs, and/or friendly clip art to grab your visitors’ attention, but not so much that they don’t know where to look.
This goes hand in hand with readability. It’s not a pleasant experience visiting a website that is under- or over-visually stimulating. A good rule of thumb is if your eyes aren’t immediately drawn to the most important parts of the website, you probably have too much or too little going on.
Making sure your website is mobile responsive is part of balance as well. You don’t want the beautiful website you’ve created on desktop to suddenly look discombobulated or stretched when viewed via smart device. Many website building tools offer previewing your business website in mobile mode as a feature so make sure to take advantage.
3. Brand Consistency
Visitors to your website should leave with a clear idea of who you are as a business. They should know what your mission statement is, how you can make their life better, and your logo and color scheme should be burned into their retinas. Okay, visitors shouldn’t exactly be assailed with your business logo but be strategic. Put it at the top of the homepage, on the footer, and near buttons.
Most of all, the color scheme, font, and tone of your business should remain consistent across all internet channels. (Obtaining a good domain name is also part of this.) Don’t address customers in a formal tone on your website and then switch to kooky and casual on your social media. Not only is it confusing, but it comes off as downright disingenuous.
4. Clarity
Make sure visitors can find what they’re looking for fast!
Your contact info should be somewhere really accessible. Put your business name, address, phone number, and other relevant information at the footer and top of the page. Including a submission form just a click away from the home page where potential customers can ask questions or make requests is also a good idea.
Customers don’t want to have to scour your website for the information they’re looking for. If visitors are searching for a table to buy from your business, make sure big bold letters show the way. If visitors are wondering whether your veterinary clinic offers puppy ear cleaning, make sure your homepage either lists your services front and center or easily leads them to a page labeled “Services”.
Obvious menu bars, drop-down menus, and functional hyperlinks all improve your business website’s clarity. And don’t forget, your homepage is a chance to lure visitors toward specific calls to action, so don’t waste it. Navigate them to key landing pages.
5. FAQs
Speaking of navigation, a page on your business website dedicated to FAQs will make web visitors go “Thank goodness!” It’s best to empower your web visitors to answer their own common burning questions right away, rather than forcing them to have to wait for a customer representative to get back to them. They can and will choose to take their business elsewhere.
FAQs help potential customers assess whether you’re the right fit for them quickly and internet visitors love quick. Taking the initiative to answer questions they have before they ask shows you care about their time and will make them a lot more likely to trust you with their business.
BONUS TIP: Blog
Consider incorporating a blog on your business website. Gone are the days where a blog is merely a digital diary for the attention-starved. Successful businesses such as Apple, Ikea, and Aisle all use blogs to maximize their reach and prove to customers their philanthropy and expertise. Copywriters like me live and breathe effective business blogs and know how to help you make the most of your content.
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