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So you’ve decided you need a website? Although I strongly believe the web can be a powerful tool to help you build and promote your business, there are common pitfalls that can be easily avoided. Following these helpful tips should could potentially save you time, money and put your website on the right track to success.

1. Failing to consider the role of your website

When many clients decide they would like a website for their business they fail to consider what the website can do for them. Simply getting a website “because we need one” can cost you a great asset to your business.

Websites are often used merely as a brochure for the business when it can easily be used to sell products and services online. promote company activities and be used to invite potential customers to events the business is taking part of. It could also be used to show previous work carried out, show customer testimonials and be used to help build a relationship with clients through the use of promotions and offering a chance to give feedback.

2. Creating a website to please the board

Another common pitfall is to build a website that pleases company directors but does not take the client into much consideration. This often occurs in larger companies that are worried about what information is given out about the company and what commitments they are making. This could lead to ongoing problems with the site as it fails to perform its desired function and attitudes towards the site are formed.

A good way to avoid this would be to meet with key members of staff and discuss the role of the site. This should include what the site can do to add value to your business and how to go about achieving goals set. This should include discussion of the site funnels to each goal.

3. Deciding who will build your site

Deciding who will build your website can make or break a project. Be sure to find as much as you can about the agency or contractor you plan on building your site, check online for testimonials and ask to see previous samples of work completed. Further to this, just as much consideration should be taken when updating the site to help maintain a high standard, prevent the site becoming bloated and stop it looking eclectic.

4. Undervaluing the role of content

Many customers seem to undervalue the role content plays on their website. The site content can impact on people’s opinion of your business and decision making regarding the products and services it promotes. Website content should be broken down with images and videos that add value to the site.

The content should be reviewed and improved on throughout the sites lifetime and kept relevant. A helpful tip for doing so would be to break the content down into two categories evergreen and seasonal. Evergreen content can include information about the company, services offered and staple products. Seasonal content can be keyed around specific dates, events, promotions and news.
The content should be reviewed and improved on throughout the sites lifetime and kept relevant.

5. Advertising and market research

Upon completion of your site you should start considering promoting it and how you plan on going about doing so. Companies can spend thousands of pounds creating a website and fall short advertising and promoting it. Promotional activities can be anything from including it on promotional material to targeted online advertising campaigns.

While carrying out promotions, activities such as split tests and reviewing customer behaviour on your site should be taken. This could include reviewing heat maps and tracking site visitors journey through conversion funnels to measure the success of advertising campaigns and improvements made to the site and its content.