At this modern age, having a business website is no longer optional; whether you’re a startup, a small business that’s been operating for years, or an established brand, a website should be among your invaluable business tools. It should not only exist as a brochure for your business, but also as a sales and lead generation platform.
But before you start looking up for lead generation tools, or other online marketing tools to invest into your website, make sure that you don’t fall prey to these costly business website mistakes:
1 Not Having a Dedicated Website
Having a social media page for your business is essential and can undoubtedly help improve your business’ online presence, but it simply isn’t enough. If your business solely relies on social media platforms, you’re overlooking a lot of opportunities to boost leads and sales. You’ll have more freedom in terms of customizing your website to attract and engage potential customers in order to generate sales. And don’t forget to tie in your social media account with your website!
2 Non-User-Friendly Design and Flow
Those hours (and money) you’ve invested in making your website look good would all go to waste if your potential customers find it hard to navigate through your website. If you offer online checkout/payment, you should also make sure that your checkout process is as streamlined as possible and only collect essential information. In other words, make buying from your website easy; don’t subject your potential customers to too many forms and pages. On a related note, too much clutter or poor design can result in long loading time which can also deter potential customers.
3 Neglecting Device Compatibility
Your website might look and navigate well on a desktop, but how does it fare on a tablet or smartphone? Keep in mind that many of your potential customers may be looking up products and/or services that your business offers through their phones, and if they tap on a website that isn’t mobile-friendly, they’re more likely to find a different business website. You should also take note that non-mobile-compatible websites may rank lower in mobile search engine results.
4 Non-existent or Unclear Calls to Action
Ask yourself, what does your business website aim to do? Is it selling something? Does it want visitors to sign up for a service you’re offering? There should be clear “calls to action” or CTA on your website that tells them what to do next. Your CTAs should be well-placed, enticing, and clear.
5 Doing It All On Your Own
Unless you’re fully equipped with the knowledge and tools, it’s best to get professional help and invest in various tools to improve your website. You can also hire online marketing and SEO specialists to further boost your website’s reach. Even established companies such as LegalMatch are looking for and are hiring lead generation specialist to ensure a wider market reach. Startups or businesses with limited funds can even take advantage of free online lead generation tools and other online sales and marketing tools/services.
Your website is a part of your business’ marketing and sales-generating foundation, and these five simple (yet costly) business website mistakes can easily crack this foundation and cost you not only sales, but a lot of wasted time and money.