Almost every business needs a good website, but setting one up and maintaining it can be challenging if you’re unfamiliar with the ins and outs of the World Wide Web. This is especially important for companies that use their websites as corporate tools or sales platforms. It needs to be kept up-to-date and functioning at all times.
Not only does this involve publishing content regularly, but it also means that plugins on the back end need to be updated as soon as new software becomes available. The freshness of content and the performance of your site are two determining factors in its ranking on search engines. Websites that offer a good user experience with new and helpful content are given better rankings.
Website mistakes you may be making
With around 1.1 billion websites on the web, it’s vital to stay ahead of the competition and know where you may be going wrong. It’s easy to make mistakes and not know about them, which can have a detrimental effect on your user experience and search engine rankings. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:
A lack of content
One of the first things you need to set up is a consistent blog rollout. Many people build one-page websites to keep costs down or because they prefer a minimalistic look and feel. However, websites with blog pages tend to rank more highly on search engines due to the freshness of content that helps customers in some way.
Your online audience uses Google to search for things they want and need. By publishing content around your products and services regularly, you can answer those questions and rank for keywords that your audience is using. Having landing pages for each of your products or services is recommended, but a blog section will allow you to keep your website fresh and prevent it from stagnating.
Failure to address the needs of every customer
While publishing content is a great step to take, you need to remember that not every visitor on your site is at the same stage in the customer journey. Some people may be seeing your site for the first time, while others may be returning customers who have already purchased from your company.
You need content that addresses the needs of all visitors. There are four stages to the customer journey; awareness, consideration, purchasing and retention. Publish articles that are aimed at each of these needs. Create awareness of your brand and its offerings, then go into more detail about the specifics of your products or services and how your business differs from competitors.
Next, publish content that helps with the purchasing stage. These could be articles that compare two similar offerings, or a video that explains how to go about buying something. Lastly, you will need content that helps to retain existing customers. This can be done through after-sales advice or care and maintenance tips.
No strong calls-to-action
A call-to-action (CTA) is a short piece of copy or a button on your website that encourages visitors to perform a certain action. It could be as simple as a red “Buy now” button or a bold piece of copy that says “Subscribe to our newsletter”. These CTAs guide your audience along a journey and entice them to take further steps.
Many websites do not have strong CTAs on their various pages, so visitors often click off the page or exit the website completely. Remember, online users have short attention spans, so you need to make it very clear what action you want them to take. Be concise but obvious and you’ll soon see the rewards.
Not making use of customer testimonials
Every business gets feedback from customers, whether it’s through online reviews or direct emails. Customer feedback is a great way to learn and improve, but when the feedback is good, it should be used to your advantage. Many buyers will refer to testimonials and reviews before making the decision to purchase.
Including customer testimonials on your website is a good way to instil confidence in your offerings and gain trust from potential buyers. If a customer has complimented your exceptional service, then make it known. You can build a scroller at the bottom of your website that sweeps through recent reviews to highlight your good work.
Neglecting prices
Many businesses do not want to list their prices on their websites. This could be because they are more expensive than competitors or their prices change quite often. The number one consideration for most buyers is price, but even if your products or services are more expensive, you can easily make a justification.
People are quick to click off a website if they cannot see prices or if they have to fill out contact forms in order to get access to price lists. If you do not want to publish your prices, then you need to include a short description of how you determine your pricing and give an indication of the estimated costs.
Publishing your prices can improve your conversion rate and instil trust in your potential customers. Being transparent with your pricing shows the user that you aren’t taking advantage of them or trying to hide anything. If you offer superior quality and service, then your costs may be justifiably higher.
Too much jargon
Many businesses make the mistake of using complicated terminology and jargon on their websites. When visitors are not too familiar with your industry, they can get lost in wordy explanations. Keep your wording simple and to-the-point on your website.
Always simplify explanations and product descriptions as much as you can. The jargon could prevent a potential customer from making a purchase because they simply don’t understand what you’re on about, or they feel inadequately informed. Everything you do on your website should be to make the customer journey easier.
No internal links
It’s good practice to hyperlink your web pages to one another. Not only does this help Google crawl your pages but it also makes it easier for users to navigate around your website. Internal links allow you to join articles to product pages and make it easier for readers to get to your contact page.
You should aim to have at least one internal link coming to every page on your site. Having a blog section makes this easier as you can link to multiple pages in one article. Be sure to make the link open in a new tab so that the reader does not click off the page when they click on the link. Linking should also be natural, so hyperlink the relevant words to the right page so that it makes sense for the visitor.
All of these mistakes are common with new websites or for businesses that are not familiar with the world of search engine optimisation (SEO). Websites are an important business tool so they need to function properly and be optimised as far as possible. Working with a reliable digital marketing agency is a great way to avoid these mistakes.
Mobimeme offers numerous digital marketing services, including SEO and content creation, for companies in Africa. Please contact us today for an assessment or to get started with your digital marketing journey.
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Mobimeme offers various digital services, including content marketing, SEO, analytics, social media management and expert direction in the digital sphere. Building and growing online audiences for your business is what we do best. For more insights, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.