35 Deadly Website
Sins That will Kill Your Business!
After reviewing
thousands of web sites over the years, I have come to the conclusion that
many business web sites are missing the boat.
For example, I've been working on some offline promotions and was searching
for a simple targeted mailing list. I searched through about twenty sites
and not one of those sites were, what I would consider, professional. Their
standard blue links were enlarged to about a size 16 font, busy backgrounds,
flashing images and very unorganized.
Did I purchase a mailing list from any of those sites? Absolutely not. Why?
The way I see it, if those companies don't take pride in their web sites,
chances are, they won't take pride in their products either. Large linked
text and flashing graphics won't make sales.
Your web site is a direct reflection of you and your business. The appearance
of your site is the most important factor in determining your sites value.
In other words, if your site doesn't look professional or pleasing to the
eyes at first glance, its perceived value and the value of your products
and services will be low.
On the other hand, you may have a great web site, well designed and a quality
product or service, but if it takes too long to load, the value will still
be perceived as low. Why? Because your potential customer won't wait. Ultimately
costing you business.
Another consideration of great importance is your content. Not just links,
but content with value. When someone is surfing the net and they visit your
web site, they're visiting for a reason. Your site has something they want.
Whether it is your product, service or information, that's why they're there.
If they don't find what they're looking for, they'll move on to the next
site and so on.
If you want your
visitors to stay at your site, provide the quality content they're looking
for in a nicely organized fashion. Give them a reason to want to explore
your site and to continue to visit your site in the future.
After receiving many questions in regard to web site design, I have devised
a list of, what I refer to as, "35 Deadly Web Site Sins."
• Poor load time
• Poor overall appearance
• Spelling/Grammar
• No contact information
• Poor content
• Poor navigation
• Broken links and graphics
• Poor browser compatibility
• Large slow loading graphics
• Too many graphics
• Pages scrolling to oblivion
• Multiple use of animated graphics
• Animated bullets
• Too many graphic and/or line dividers
• Busy, distracting backgrounds
• Multiple banners and buttons
• Poor use of frames
• Large fonts
• Pop up messages
• Over use of java
• Poor use of tables
• Poor organization
• Different backgrounds on each page
• Over powering music set to autoplay
• Confusing
• Too much advertising
• Large Welcome banners
• Multiple colored text
• Text difficult to read
• No Meta tags
• Multiple use of different fonts
• Under construction signs
• Scrolling text in the status bar
• Large scrolling text across the page
• Poor use of mouse over effects
Take some time to really look at your site. Compare it to sites that you
feel look professional. Time your site's load time -- your customers won't
wait. Their time is valuable.
The simple, well designed sites make the sales. If your sales aren't what
you had hoped, take some time to seriously evaluate your site and make some
changes before spending your time and money on advertising and marketing.
You may be pleasantly surprised.
Copyright © Shelley
Lowery
About the Author:
Shelley Lowery is the author of the acclaimed web design course, Web Design
Mastery.
http://www.webdesignmastery.com
And, Ebook Starter - Give Your Ebooks the look and feel of a REAL book.
http://www.ebookstarter.com
Visit Web-Source.net to sign up for a complimentary subscription to Etips
and receive a copy of the acclaimed ebook, "Killer Internet Marketing
Strategies."
http://www.web-source.net
You have permission to publish this article electronically, in print,
in your ebook or on your web site, free of charge, as long as the author
bylines are included.
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