One way to create and build a strong online presence for a business is by designing a professional business website.
A business website makes it easy for any business to communicate to its clients and prospects about its products and services. This is because many people go online to look for products and services they need. And in most cases, they settle on those with sufficient information online.
Therefore, you must get it right from the beginning when designing a business website.
Here are six things people get wrong when designing a business website.
1. No Responsive Design
Let me be straightforward: not everyone will visit your website on a desktop. People visit websites using different devices like smartphones, tablets, iPads, and even PS4s. And I find it annoying when I visit a website that loads poorly on my smartphone. I know you do, too. And that’s exactly how your website users feel when they cannot be able to see what’s on your website when they visit your website on devices other than their desktops.
A responsive website design loads properly on any device. That is, it conforms well to just any screen size. So, when designing your website, make sure that you ask your web designer if your website will be responsive in the end.
2. No Favicon
A favicon is an icon associated with a website or webpage intended to be used when you bookmark the web page. Web browsers use them in the URL bar, on tabs, and elsewhere to help users identify a website visually.
Many website visitors prefer to open lots of tabs while they’re browsing. Some users leave tabs open so they can review them later. Favicons give visitors the visual cue to guide them, find what they’re looking for, and return to your tab while browsing.
3. Wrong Choice of a Web Host
There are very many web hosts out there. And one of the biggest mistakes people make when designing a business website is choosing the wrong web host.
Before settling on a web host, do your research. Find out the following:
- Their response rate (how fast do they respond to their customers?)
- How they can be contacted (live chat, phone number, ticket system)
- What people are saying about them (that’s customer reviews)
- Do they provide for one-click installs like WordPress?
4. No Blog Section
A business website without a blog section is like a brochure website. A business website needs a blog section. Your business website shouldn’t just be about your products and services and how people can get them. Spice it up with something else. Add a blog section to your business website. Use it to share tutorials on using some of your products through blog posts. Share company news. Make announcements. In short, use the blog section to keep your customers and prospects updated.
5. Ignoring SEO
SEO, Search Engine Optimization, basically involves optimizing a website for search engines. If users search for products and services related to your business, your business should appear on the first pages of the Search Engine Results (SERPs).
While designing a business website, you should ensure that it is optimized for search engines. Take care of the Technical SEO, On-page SEO, and Off-Page SEO.
6. Poor or Lack of Maintenance
Ignoring maintenance can lead to a sluggish site, security vulnerabilities, and a drop in search engine rankings. As a website owner, ensure that everything from the WordPress core, themes, and plugins are up to date. And, if you can’t be able to maintain the website on your own, hire a web support and maintenance expert.
Quick read: Essential WordPress maintenance tips for peak performance
Final Words
Before designing a website for your business, please get to know your audience and focus on what they want. The truth is that building a business website is easy. But it starts with your customers and potential prospects.
Figure out what they want, when and how they want it, and
