At arangostudio we wanted to celebrate this holiday by saying "Thank You!" to all of our clients, collaborators, friends, followers and family for working with us and supporting us throughout the years!
For those of you who are celebrating today, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
"As
a small business, your website is the most crucial element of your
marketing and branding efforts. One flaw may turn away a valuable
potential customer.", according to Ilya Pozin, CEO of Open Me and columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn.
He also states that "a poorly designed website could cost you thousands of dollars
upfront, but even more concerning is the loss of potential revenue you
may experience from its poor design and function."
Is your business making any of these mistakes when it comes to your website?
1. You’ve overlooked your target audience or you are targeting everyone.
Pozin recommends "If you’re looking to reach women in the 21 to 30 age range,
consider youthful color schemes and imagery, and cater to mobile website
compatibility. As for an older target market, focus on larger font
sizes and simplifying the user experience to help with faster
navigation. Many Web design questions are more easily answered through
target audience research."
2. You’ve gone overboard with the design
Don't confuse interactive and non-static with having a flashy design. We agree with Pozin when he says that a flashy design isn’t an effective marketing strategy for your
website. "Over-designing your website -- and ending up with a
busy-looking product -- will ensure your potential customers spend very
little time on it." This is why at arangostudio, we recommend clean
design and navigation that allows the customer to quickly gather
information with a minimal effort.
3. You’re missing a clear call to action
You
must be able to determine what you want the customer to do once they
reach your page and they should be easily guided to the next step. Do
you want them to call you right away? Fill out a quick form to request a
quote?
4. You either went over budget or paid too little
"I’ve come across far too many small businesses who ended up
with a horrible website after hiring a cheap designer. At the other end
of the spectrum, I’ve also encountered far too many companies who shot
for the stars by attempting to hire an expensive agency famed for
working with big brands, only to find out the agency doesn’t have the
skills to help an ROI-focused small business"
"When
it comes to launching a new website or redeveloping your current one, do
your research. Choosing the right Web marketing agency could make or
break your website. It’s also best to keep in mind that being too
money-focused can skew the whole process in the wrong direction."
We
have experienced exactly what Pozin describes above and have ended up
redesigning many pages for our clients who initially went with the
cheaper proposal but the page was poorly constructed, the design did not
represent the company or it simply was not helping them achieve their
needs.
5. Your content is stale
According to Pozin "if your website is lacking a fresh feel in terms of content,
your customer may assume you’re not in business any longer--or worse,
you’re not innovative enough to get ahead of the competition. For
appealing content, ensure your addressing the needs of both your
current and potential customers. Update frequently, especially with
company updates, news, and trends. If you have a blog on your website,
consider updating it at least once a week to help drive visitors to your
website and improve your search engine optimization."
We
can help you with that by developing new content, keywords and Search
Engine Optimization strategies that will help bring customers back to
your page and have a high ranking in searches.
6. You decided to DIY
"Web design is better left to the pros. While a DIY initiative may
seem necessary to accommodate your small budget, you’re probably not
going to do your small business justice on the Web. Your website will be
the first chance many of your customers have to interact with your
brand; presenting a DIY experience may turn them away." says Pozin.
We couldn't agree with him more.
7. Your website lacks mobile compatibility
Pozin's
article states "seventy-five percent of smartphone Internet users
prefer a mobile-friendly site, but 96 percent say they’ve encountered
sites that were not designed for mobile devices."
While
not all websites must have a separate version created for mobile
devices, many would benefit from it. arangostudio can help you determine
whether your business needs a mobile site and create one for you when
necessary.
8. Your social media buttons are broken
You are missing out on opportunities and sending out the wrong message to potential clients.
Source: 8 Web Design Mistakes Small Businesses Make by Ilya Pozin, CEO of Open Me and columnist for Inc, Forbes & LinkedIn
