For large and small businesses alike, a quality website will add phenomenal value, yet this value is often underestimated or overlooked.
I think we can all agree that a well-designed site will certainly encourage visitors to stay and look around. A shoddy site will cause more visitors to leave.
This all seems very obvious, yet there is still some resistance from businesses to invest from the get-go, despite the value to be gained. This could be due to budget limitations or simply not wishing to fork out for a top-notch site when there are cheaper alternatives. The majority of businesses will tell you, they regret not having invested in the beginning.
A decent website will enable growth. A poor website may well hinder growth and leave you having to pay out again further down the line.
What’s wrong with a cheap website?
It’s really quite common for people to land on a website and decide immediately to leave. There are several factors as to why but the decision to abandon ship happens very quickly. Obviously, this has a massive negative impact for the online aspect of your business.
How does investing in a quality site add value?
In this day and age, it is an absolute must to have a decent website for your business. If anything, a poorly designed, cheap site will have a negative effect on your credibility.
Websites are not just there to advertise your business. With the functionality that now exists, people can expect to be able to order or book online as well as find important information about what you offer. Your website is an opportunity to directly connect with your existing customer base as well as introduce yourself to potential buyers. We all know how important first impressions are!
All good business marketing strategies should factor in a good quality website. It’s your chance to showcase your business to all those who have Googled the product or service you offer. Out-dated design and poor SEO will only serve to hinder sales opportunities or put would-be customers off, if they find you in the first place.
Visitors will make a snap judgement on the credibility of your business, just by looking at your site. If your site screams quality, so will your business.
Where do we begin?
Let’s face it, we’re not all designers, yet some folk seem to think their subjective opinion outweighs the expertise of a professional web developer. Now, we’re not suggesting you should have no creative input, simply that there is an academia to web design and we’re not all qualified.
Once you’ve accepted your site needs improving, or that a new site needs to be developed, you can really start to look at the key factors that cause visitors to leave and which encourage them to stay and purchase.
Your website needs to reflect your business in its best light, making it clear what your product or service is. If your website is hard to follow, let alone painful to look at, your visitors will lose interest. The quality of your website will underpin the quality of your product or service.
There is no real need to be at the forefront of every digital trend. There are quick solutions to common design and functionality turn-offs that could be causing your current site visitors to cringe. If you invest in a decent developer, they will analyse these key areas and come up with a solution.
When journeying through your website, your customers should encounter no obstacles. The experience should be plain sailing! They came to your site for a reason. The product/service does the talking, the website does the walking.
Why do visitors leave?
There are several reasons people may find your website irksome, some easier to pinpoint than others. However, there are a few common culprits we see all too regularly. Sadly, most of these ‘design-crimes’ are committed by cheap developers, churning out template sites and most importantly, those who have no vested interest in aiding your business.
Common website turn-offs:
Outdated design
Your site should reflect your brand and the design should be pleasing to the eye. Overly busy pages or harsh colours will likely prompt visitors to close the window.
Poor imagery
The imagery is vital as this will be what people subconsciously look at before committing to reading. High-quality images are a must.
Too many/frequent pop-ups
Interruptions are annoying at the best of times, especially when reading. If your visitors are constantly confronted by pop-ups, they’re unlikely to continue browsing your website. Keep them relevant and non-intrusive.
Compatibility with browsers
If your site doesn’t work across modern browsers, people won’t stick around for long. Any decent web developer will ensure your site is compatible with modern browsers.
Not mobile/tablet friendly
The vast majority of us use our smartphones and tablets to browse the web. It’s an expectation for most that sites should work just as well on these devices as they do a desktop or laptop. If your website loses its shape, buttons become misplaced, or pages become too long to bother scrolling through, you may find your visitors hit the back button to find another.
Content strategy
Our modern minds want information quickly. Your site should be easy to navigate and provide an intuitive journey. Lots of information spanning multiple pages with no real structure means visitors are likely to lose interest pretty sharpish.
How can my site be improved?
Consultations are so important. You and your web developer need to be on the same page. There are some simple things to take into consideration, although sometimes not obvious until pointed out by a pro!
Your visitors are first going to ask themselves – am I in the right place? If your design and layout is clear, it should be very easy and quick to see what you do or what you sell.
People don’t want to jump through hoops to find what they’re after. Your site should be intuitive and simple to navigate.
Clear calls to action will enhance the customer journey. Make it easy for your visitors to sign up to your mailing list or receive that discount code.
Make suggestions. People like to know what’s on offer so suggestions like ‘more like this, or ‘see also’, could work in your favour.
And, of course, you want to reduce or entirely rid your site of common turn-offs in order to really get it adding value to your business.
Summary
We’ll say it again for the people at the back: value is key. Your website should reflect your brand’s quality and professionalism. Many of your would-be customers will find you online first, what impression do you want to create?
Good website design and functionality is an absolute must in this digital age. You want to be able to connect with your customer base, build trust and confidence, and emit credibility.
The journey for the customer must be simple and stress-free. That’s how you get results.
If you invest in a fantastic website and couple it with your great product/service – you’re adding tremendous value to your business and enabling growth potential.
Are you considering redesigning your website? What would a wonderfully designed website do for your business?