Figuring out your business’s website can be tricky if this is your first time building one. If you are new to the digital world, then here are five common mistakes small businesses often make with their websites.
 
Forgetting search engine optimization
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a set of strategies and best practices designed to help your website show first on search engines when customers look for your business or something similar. Since so many people search for local businesses online, it’s crucial for you to utilize this marketing tactic. It will help you reach a new audience that could be key to future growth. Remember: SEO shouldn’t be an afterthought, but something that’s baked into your web design from the very beginning.
 
Not making the website mobile friendly
Roughly four out of five consumers shop on their smartphones. If your website is not mobile friendly, it will be extremely difficult and frustrating for anyone to use it on a mobile device. A website that doesn’t load properly on a variety of mobile devices is a website that will drive potential customers away very quickly.
 
Not interacting with the audience
The internet is a beautiful place that lets us interact with people all over the world. Because that’s the case, you should be interacting with your audience. This could be as simple as including contact forms on your landing pages or creating a place where your audience can leave comments or questions. You also want to make sure you are incorporating their feedback. After all, your business is there to appeal to your customers.
 
Choosing a bad domain name
Your domain name should be reflective of the name of your business, if not exactly the same. If you own a dental business and your domain name is something like “toothyjoedentist.com,” it might be hard for your audience to find you, unless that is the name of your office. You can register a domain name to make sure your audience can easily find it. If they search the name of your business and it’s not in your domain name, they probably won’t find you. Alternatively, some businesses choose to incorporate a keyword, such as “cosmetic dental practice” into their domain name.
 
Having a dated web design
The design of your website contributes to its appeal as well as its function. Your audience will not want to be on your site for long if it looks bad and outdated. You want to make sure you utilize white space, have quality stock photos, create an easy way to navigate, and have a clear call to action. Updating your design on a regular basis is also a good practice to keep your content fresh and interesting.
 
There you have it, five common mistakes small businesses make with their websites. For more help with your website, contact web developers who have extensive experience with responsive web design.