7 Website Development Do’s and Don’ts

Did you know that around 75% of businesses could have better website results? That’s partly because of positioning, partly because of technology.

Hint: a website is NOT about what you do and it IS about what Google does.

If you are ‘Old school’, you might see a website as an online listing for a printed or online directory. If that were true, an offer and a phone number would work. This is a transactional type of website. Now, transactional sites fail to convert in up to 90% of searches.

A business goes online and gets website development so that someone can find you on line, engage with the content and in the case of a business, make a sale.

Your potential clients are working out whether to trust you, whether to get to know you and whether to say ‘yes’ to you. So for your potential client to stick around, that’s what your website is about.

Your site is the beginning of a relationship with that person.

You can hope that your client has the patience to read and figure out whether you fit the bill. Most visitors will leave within 7 seconds and on a social platform, around 3 seconds. Patience is not a factor in keeping eyes on your website long enough for them to call / email / buy.

You often have less than 7 seconds and the bounce rate is between 26% and 70%. So when someone lands on your website, 1 in 4 people who ‘bounce’ (leave immediately) is a ‘good’ rate, 3 out of 4 leaving is poor.

 

THE SIGNS OF A GREAT WEBSITE

A great website focuses on the end user. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, it works best if the focus is not about WHAT you do. In today’s global marketplace 99% of the time there are other providers. They may be better than you, cheaper than you or more accessible than you. 

How your customer interacts with your site is essential to your success. This is known as user journey, user experience or UX. 

Great websites work well. Global competition means that your site needs a high google ranking to get found faster. It must be more readable, and load fast. The modern design must be mobile responsive and beautiful both in look and in user design.

 

 

The following features make your site work: 

  1. Branding
    If your website isn’t great to look at, 44% of people won’t continue.
  2. Immediate clear actions to take
    People take on average about 7 seconds before they leave if they can’t see a reason to stay. 
  3. Captivating copy a 12 year old can read
    Focus on WHY you love what you do, and HOW your client will enjoy your product or service. We say 12 year old because Google wants you to use 12 year old language for their search engines. Think clear, easy to read, clear actions and simple language, like this article. 
  4. Simple keywords
    Users search easy words, simple phrases on search engines. We use google planner to find out what they are looking for. We use Hemingway editor to ensure copy is google friendly. 
  5. Google friendly structure.
    Google metrics change. The only way to combat this is with ongoing SEO. Google will also not index pages that are duplicates or under 350 words. We recommend keyword rich professional sales copy of at least 500 words per page. Google metrics say 1800 – 2000 word pages are the ones that rank at #1 on Google. 
  6. Google likes your website.
    This means great grammar and spelling, and the internal and external links work. Our SEO team creates meta tags and image tags, ensures great links and directory listings. Our copywriters ensure your site reads well and is keyword rich. As with any advertising, your site needs to be front of mind for potential clients. This is an ongoing process, with social media, SEO and website optimisation working hand in hand.
  7. Know your Uniqueness (Market Dominating Position) 
  8.  

Your Home page and About page are crucial to your success. Your home page is like reading a brochure, where clients can jump into the area that interests them. The About page is the best place to show off your unique traits. Add philanthropy, accreditations, case studies, testimonials and ROI information. These are the keys that give your business authority and a trustworthy presence. 

Now that you have all the insights, go, create! You may not know where to start. That’s ok, we can help.  

We develop websites, create brands and user journeys. We include  keyword research and digital copywriting. Our ongoing support includes  SEO, content, social media management and website development

About the Author Emma Sidney

Emma Sidney is a copywriter who captures the essence of her clients thoughts and aspirations and translates them into real identifiable results online. As a digital strategist and thought leader Emma takes the content and powerfully adds value through context while explaining the digital space exceptionally well to her clients. Everyone wins when Emma writes.

follow me on:

Leave a Comment: