The only thing worse for a small business than not having a website is having one that’s riddled with errors, whether pertaining to grammar and language, format and links, or outdated information. Consumers today have all the information they could ever need at their fingertips, and any of these problems could easily cause them to seek out a competitor.
Any small business owner who wants to launch a website or simply overhaul their existing site could seek small business loans from nontraditional lenders like National Funding. Financial assistance from nontraditional lenders is easier to obtain than from banks and large financial institutions, and small business owners are often awarded less rigid terms of payment.
Some North Carolina marketing, advertising and Web design experts recently listed common pitfalls that businesses should avoid in their websites. Because, as Buffy McCoy Kelly, a partner and creative director of an advertising agency, said, a bad website could negatively affect a business owner’s bottom line.
“Anybody can buy a Web platform and build a down-and-dirty site,” McCoy Kelly said to The Charlotte Observer. “But an (unpolished site) definitely colors the way you look to the world. It colors your value to the consumer. And it can definitely hurt you.”
Content is crucial
Some people may think that grammar, punctuation and the occasional typo are nothing to worry about, but having these mistakes on a business website can easily lead to a loss of credibility with consumers and customers.
At the same time, make sure the copy is concise. Owners may be very proud of a company history that stretches back to the 1920s, but including too much information can alienate readers. Today’s Internet users want bite-sized pieces of information that are easily digestible – not opuses about how a company was started before the Great Depression.
Another area that can generate traffic if done correctly is search-engine optimization, which helps businesses appear in Google searches more frequently. McCoy Kelly told The Observer that industry buzzwords that help define a business’ industry and work should be incorporated into numerous parts of a website to gain attention.
Visual is vital
Great content is essential to a high-performing website, but so are visuals themselves. Many consumers prefer clean, neat images and pages that won’t intimidate them as they search for something as simple as contact information, which should be easy to find. White space is key to include, because otherwise, consumers may be visually overwhelmed and opt for a competitor.
Companies also should regularly go through their website to make sure all links are active and take care of any routine maintenance activities that may have cropped up, such as deleting outdated information about a promotion that wrapped up six weeks ago.
Maintaining great websites takes work, but with enhanced working capital, every business can afford a top notch Web presence. Hiring contractors or full time workers to oversee a business website can be costly, but worth it to maintain business credibility and attract new customers.
