(And Why a Good Website is Worth Gold)
If your business has an old, outdated website, or – shudder – no website at all, you need to get with the program.
And we’re not just saying that because it’s what we specialize in here at Hashtag. We’re saying it because having a bad website is, in business terms, a giant no-no.
But why?
Because having a clear, engaging, useful website is not a luxury anymore, it’s a necessity. New and existing customers expect it.
And having a bad website is the online equivalent of having a date turn up with their mom. No thanks.
So, we’ve put together a list of 10 website faux pas that make us break out in a rash. Ladies and gentlemen, avoid them like the plague…
#1 Too busy
Wow. Some websites look like the designer used all the crayons in the box, right? Perhaps they liked all of the templates and couldn’t pick their fave so they used all of them. Maybe it’s cluttered with text and images. Either way, you’re left with a headache forming, right behind the eyes.
Website designers should carefully choose a color palette, themes, and tasteful design. These are what represent your brand, after all.
#2 Slow
Ugh. We enjoyed the ’90s but we’re happy to leave the slow-loading web pages in that era. Don’t annoy the website user if your site is slower than a Backstreet Boys love song.
#3 Homemade
The cookies you made weren’t half bad, but when it comes to websites, we’re here to tell you: amateur hour is over. If you save money by designing a business website yourself, you’ll pay in the long run.
#4 Bland
If we visit your website and come away thinking
- We still don’t know what you do
and
- Who cares, we’ve lost interest
then may we suggest that your website is dull? When it comes to website design, show us your personality. Keep us engaged by telling us what’s special about your business.
#5 Not helpful
The pages of your website should consist of helpful, quality, content written by an expert in your field. If not, well, we’ll move right along.
#6 Annoying
A top website has a call-to-action, but a bad website has too much form-filling and pesters us with pop-ups when we try to navigate. Yuk.
#7 Confusing
When a site is hard to navigate, we end up frustrated, lost in the maze, and unable to locate the info we need. That’s not a good user journey.
#8 Unfriendly
Most of us browse websites on our phones or tablets so your site needs to be optimized for mobile platforms.
#9 Sloppy
Missing apostrophes, misplaced commas, and poor spellings are unforgivable when representing your business. Why should your website be any different?
#10 Stuck
Why are some websites frozen in time, and never updated with current news, blogs, information, or promotions? Snore. If your site is stuck in a time warp, we ask ourselves are you even still open?
Did your website make the list?
If your website needs some work, we’re ready to get started.
But make us one promise, OK? Let’s not simply tick the box with a new or improved website. Let’s get it right.
And once it’s sparkling, let’s make sure the world can find it. We can advise on SEO so that your site can be discovered by many.
Website design is a specialty here at Hashtag Creative, so leave it to the professionals. Our team of web design masters will ensure that your new website will look and feel professional.
We also kick ass with logos, branding, social media, and content creation. We do marketing people love.
Let’s talk about e-commerce and brochure websites today.
