{"id":3538,"date":"2013-10-08T09:59:37","date_gmt":"2013-10-08T16:59:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/?p=3538"},"modified":"2020-02-17T13:44:16","modified_gmt":"2020-02-17T21:44:16","slug":"four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/","title":{"rendered":"Four Tips to Avoid Small Business Website Pitfalls"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today, having a web presence is vital in almost all fields of business, especially in retail where e-commerce is\u00a0a necessity. Unfortunately, many small businesses make simple errors in web design that compromise their online presence. Avoiding these common pitfalls can enhance your traffic, user experience and ultimately boost your sales.<\/p>\n

1. Stick to your target audience<\/h2>\n

Decide what demographic you are trying to reach and cater to their interests. Consider what design\u00a0attributes will keep them navigating through the pages and returning later. Some will prefer a website that is bright and flashy, others bold and simplistic. Some may enjoy impressive, interactive features, but others might want a simple page that can be read on their mobile devices.<\/p>\n

Men and women, as well as teens, college students and middle-aged adults have very different web navigating preferences. As Open Me CEO Ilya Pozin writes<\/a>, “Attempting to please the masses might leave you pleasing no one.” Keep it simple, specific and effective.<\/p>\n

2. Ensure users can ‘move forward’<\/h2>\n

Don’t let prospective customers leave your website without completing the next step. If your goal is to have the user\u00a0make a purchase, send an email, or submit a form, make sure the option is clearly available. Don’t let the “obtain a quote” or “contact us” button get lost in pages of hyperlinks. Ideally, have it on the homepage or in a side panel where it won’t disappear.<\/p>\n

3. Communicate with your programmer<\/h2>\n

A good programmer can get your site functioning with lightning response and smooth navigation, but without good communication, they may misrepresent your company’s image and goals. As Tony Felice<\/a>, president of TFPR & Management, told Phoenix Business Journal, “not fully communicating with the designer the ‘big idea’ or working with a programmer who is not a designer are the two biggest mistakes.” Designers and programmers, Felice explains, “speak two different languages.” Make sure communication is well-mediated, and that intentions are understood.<\/p>\n

4. Pay for the website that does your business justice<\/h2>\n

Freelance web designers may be a dime a dozen, but hiring a non-professional comes with considerable risk. Not only do you wager the quality of your website’s\u00a0facade, but you risk giving it a shotty, incomplete interior as well. Further, freelance designers may be less inept to fix bugs or upkeep once the project is done.<\/p>\n

Established designer Steve Tamulewicz, who also spoke with PBJ, routinely sees small businesses plagued by cheap, inadequate web design jobs. “They have blinders on when they have a budget in mind,” stated Tamulewicz. Businesses too focused on a budget will decide based on the price quote, rather than a firm’s experience, communication, or talent for perception.<\/p>\n

If your business is running on a shoestring budget but would like to enhance your online presence, consider applying for a business cash advance<\/a>. National Funding offers a variety of financing solutions that can give you the resources you need to allow your business pursue\u00a0the digital revamp it deserves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Small business websites are plagued by several common errors. Professionals give tips on how to avoid the pitfalls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[112,100],"class_list":["post-3538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-trends","tag-funding-for-women-owned-business","tag-retail"],"yoast_head":"\nFour Tips to Avoid Small Business Website Pitfalls<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Small business owners can ensure their website aids their goals by sticking to a target audience, keeping links visible and working with a good programmer.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Four Tips to Avoid Small Business Website Pitfalls\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Small business owners can ensure their website aids their goals by sticking to a target audience, keeping links visible and working with a good programmer.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3538\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Bottom Line by National Funding\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/national.funding\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-10-08T16:59:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2020-02-17T21:44:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"The Bottom Line\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@NationalFunding\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@NationalFunding\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"The Bottom Line\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/\",\"name\":\"Four Tips to Avoid Small Business Website Pitfalls\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2013-10-08T16:59:37+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2020-02-17T21:44:16+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c6f0fd9aaf7647ec3d2fa13f4c2777c6\"},\"description\":\"Small business owners can ensure their website aids their goals by sticking to a target audience, keeping links visible and working with a good programmer.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Four Tips to Avoid Small Business Website Pitfalls\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"The Bottom Line by National Funding\",\"description\":\"Read National Funding's small business blog for tips and suggestions on how to grow your business by focusing on different aspects of business operations.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c6f0fd9aaf7647ec3d2fa13f4c2777c6\",\"name\":\"The Bottom Line\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8827e9139133ac5af1616e8e391facf437d577a433cba436b5aa24a25e7e5175?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8827e9139133ac5af1616e8e391facf437d577a433cba436b5aa24a25e7e5175?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"The Bottom Line\"},\"description\":\"Our team of experienced contributors provide the information and tips business owners need to make smart financial decisions.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/author\/the-bottom-line\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Four Tips to Avoid Small Business Website Pitfalls","description":"Small business owners can ensure their website aids their goals by sticking to a target audience, keeping links visible and working with a good programmer.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Four Tips to Avoid Small Business Website Pitfalls","og_description":"Small business owners can ensure their website aids their goals by sticking to a target audience, keeping links visible and working with a good programmer.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3538","og_site_name":"The Bottom Line by National Funding","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/national.funding\/","article_published_time":"2013-10-08T16:59:37+00:00","article_modified_time":"2020-02-17T21:44:16+00:00","author":"The Bottom Line","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@NationalFunding","twitter_site":"@NationalFunding","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"The Bottom Line","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/","url":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/","name":"Four Tips to Avoid Small Business Website Pitfalls","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/#website"},"datePublished":"2013-10-08T16:59:37+00:00","dateModified":"2020-02-17T21:44:16+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c6f0fd9aaf7647ec3d2fa13f4c2777c6"},"description":"Small business owners can ensure their website aids their goals by sticking to a target audience, keeping links visible and working with a good programmer.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/four-tips-avoid-small-business-website-pitfalls\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Four Tips to Avoid Small Business Website Pitfalls"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/","name":"The Bottom Line by National Funding","description":"Read National Funding's small business blog for tips and suggestions on how to grow your business by focusing on different aspects of business operations.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/c6f0fd9aaf7647ec3d2fa13f4c2777c6","name":"The Bottom Line","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8827e9139133ac5af1616e8e391facf437d577a433cba436b5aa24a25e7e5175?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8827e9139133ac5af1616e8e391facf437d577a433cba436b5aa24a25e7e5175?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"The Bottom Line"},"description":"Our team of experienced contributors provide the information and tips business owners need to make smart financial decisions.","url":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/author\/the-bottom-line\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3538"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3538\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":196489,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3538\/revisions\/196489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nationalfunding.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}