12 Web Site Errors: Are You Guilty?

Guest post by Anna Lieber

1. YOU PRACTICE DIY (DO-IT-YOURSELF) WEB DESIGN
Do you fix cars and do dentistry also? Don’t practice on your web site. Find an expert developer. Poor web design speaks to the world.

2. YOUR NAVIGATION ISN’T SIMPLE AND USER-FRIENDLY
Nothing turns a prospect off faster than getting lost in a maze of tricky sub-pages. The home page should be a direct link to all features. Elegance is simplicity and a Simple interface translates to positive user experience. 

3. YOU DON’T OWN YOUR OWN DOMAIN NAME
Nothing says amateur hour and undermines credibility more than a domain that ends in some fly-by-night company name. And a known telecom advertises their brand, not yours. Get a domain. 

4. YOUR CONTENT IS POORLY WRITTEN
If you don’t write well, engage a writer. Poor grammar, spelling, and technical jargon are a turn-off. Be relentless in proofreading. 

5. YOUR COPY IS WRITTEN FOR THE PRINT WORLD
A recent study cites 79% of web users scan. Only 15% read every word. Lengthy prose won’t cut it in cyberspace. Sound bites and good headlines will. Half of your print word count works. So does one idea per paragraph. Where’s that writer?

6. YOU DON’T PROVIDE USABLE INFORMATION
It’s not just about you or promotional fluff. What’s in it for the user? Is your site informative and relevant? Why should they come back?

7. YOU DON’T UPDATE YOUR SITE REGULARLY
Stale copy has never won readership. Change is vital. Display latest news prominently. 

8. YOU RELY ON BELLS AND WHISTLES
Fancy tricks don’t impress. They just slow things down. And waiting makes online readers angry. They won’t wait. They just move on.

9. YOU DON’T PROMINENTLY DISPLAY YOUR CONTACT INFO
Your company name, street address and phone are required for credibility. Nothing is more frustrating than having to search for how to reach you. Self-sabotage is not a good business idea. 

10. YOUR SITE IS INTERACTIVE BUT YOU’RE NOT
If you have an email form on your site, answer the email when you get it. 

11. YOUR SITE DOESN’T LOOK LIKE YOUR BUSINESS CARD,
If your brand look and personality aren’t reinforced through consistency, how will you create memorability? 

12. YOUR SITE DOESN’T HAVE A CLEAR CALL TO ACTION
Extend your offer. And make it easy for people to buy. If your business extends over a wide geographical area, list a toll-free number. If you aren’t asking the reader to take the next step, you’re blowing a huge opportunity.