When business owners and their web design teams launch a site, it’s usually with high hopes and big expectations. Before long, though, those feelings are highly likely to turn to regret and disappointment.
That’s because most business websites fail. They don’t attract enough visitors to affect marketing, fail to help a company stand out, and make no appreciable difference on the bottom line (beyond the sizeable sums that are spent to design them).
Believe it or not, that’s as bad for companies like mine as it is for businesses like yours. When clients are disappointed with their new websites, they are hesitant to invest in online marketing again. And more often than not, they tell their colleagues to avoid making the same mistake.
The mistake isn’t getting a new website, though, it’s going about it the wrong way. I’ve learned again and again over the years that businesses—and especially small business—make the same few blunders that hold them back. To help you avoid them, here are three big reasons most new websites fail…
Reason #1: The Website Is Too Generic
Your customers probably see dozens, or maybe hundreds, of websites every day. If yours doesn’t grab their attention for being particularly useful, focused, or informative, why should they bother to stick around when there are so many other online destinations they can click to?
If your new website looks just like the ones your competitors use, or doesn’t offer anything beyond basic information about your business, then it’s very unlikely to make an impression with buyers.
Reason #2: The New Website Isn’t Promoted
Getting a website online is only half the battle. The rest is about getting visitors to check it out.
Did you know that more than 5 million new websites go online every week? They aren’t just competing with each other for attention—there are more than a billion websites on the web already, and a staggering 50 million blog posts, 1 billion tweets, and 2 billion Facebook updates are posted every single day.
Counting on customers to find you online by chance isn’t going to cut it. You should have a comprehensive plan for SEO, social media, email, and internet advertising in place. A website that isn’t promoted will be practically invisible until you build up a strong following.
Reason #3: The Website Has No Sales Intent
You are probably looking into having a website built because you want to get new customers. But what are you offering those potential customers beyond your photo and a phone number they can call?
No matter how well-constructed your website it, you need a plan for generating conversions. You should know how you expect customers to find your company online, which offers you want to present them with, and the different ways they can respond. Without those pieces in place, your website is just an expensive brochure.