As we mentioned in our previous article, your business identity greatly impacts how customers perceive you and your products’/services’ quality. Your company’s website is the first impression they have of who you are and how you can help them, so you want to make it stand out.
In that effort, trying to impress and all, some businesses either take it too far or fade into obscurity. And, it’s such a pity because sometimes judging the book by its cover leads customers to less effective solutions than yours.
So, it would be ideal to convey the right message and reflect your true value and special talents!
This article is all about avoiding common fails that cost you clients and get you misunderstood. Here are some key points you need to be careful with and tips to improve your website:
Illegible typeface
First, you want your website’s content to be readable. A common pitfall has to do with the background’s and text’s colors. The general rule here is that they need to be in contrast with each other.
A light background with a dark-colored text is considered to be ideal for your visitors’ eyes.
The opposite is acceptable too; the problem arises when you use different shades of the same color. They may be difficult to distinguish across all devices (due to different screen settings configurations), so this might distract readers from the point (your products and/or services that is) and lose potential clients.
Difficult vocabulary
Following the same logic, apart from the text’s color, the text itself must be readable. Not just readable, but comprehensible by the majority of people, regardless of their educational background.
If you own a business whose industry is highly technical don’t fall into the trap of explaining what you do in jargon. People are not supposed to know the related terminology, so you must present your work in simple terms.
So, instead of saying “Elorus is a cloud SaaS platform for creating commercial documents” say “Elorus is an application ideal for invoicing and billing”. This will not only make them understand what you do but will make them want to contact you if you clearly mention how you can be useful to them! Which brings as to the next fail…
No call-to-action buttons
This is very important! Suppose your potential clients found your website online and they are actually interested in getting a quote or want to find out more. If there is no visible button for them to press so they can get in contact with you or get a quote for your services, you’re essentially letting all those people slide through your fingers.
Call-to-action buttons (CTAs), as their name implies, will make your website’s visitors make a decision on the spot and even try out your product.
So it should be something like:
Try out our FREE trial!
Make a reservation!
Contact us for a custom offer!
The majority of web platforms include it so you don’t have to design it yourself. You just decide its position inside the page and type a catchy phrase. It is advisable to use it more than once inside the page(s) and use a tasteful, yet intense, color so as to make it stand out from the rest of the text and fulfill its purpose: urge the visitor take the action YOU want them to.
Low image resolution
The images’ quality you choose is important for two major reasons:
First, poor image quality is tiring on the viewer’s eye; as we mentioned previously, tiring your audience is a “No-No”. Second, it shows you’re an amateur at best and ignorant at worst.
So, either hire a photographer to do the work for you or buy good quality images online. There are tons of websites out there where you can find high-resolution images of professionals, regarding any possible subject. Some are free, some charge a small fee (usually depending on their size).
Outdated content
Always keep your website up-to-date; just like you don’t keep the Christmas tree after the holiday season in your store/office, you can’t keep seasonal banners in your website all year round.
Make sure you remove time-sensitive information promptly and inform your customers about your company’s latest news and offers.
This way you’ll leave a good first impression to potential customers, as well. Also, regularly check for “broken” links due to changes in your site’s navigation, so visitors don’t bump into 404-page errors that leave you exposed.
Your business’s website is an important source of new clients and also helps you stay in touch with already existing ones. Avoid common pitfalls and keep your website updated by all means. After all, in the internet era we all live in, your website is as good as your company’s identity.