Is Your Website in Trouble? Your Guide to Spotting the Red Flags
Let’s chat about websites! Here at Found Marketing, we’ve seen all sorts of custom and templated websites come across our table - some really cool, and others not so much.
For business owners, a website is more than just a project; it's personal, it's a financial commitment, and it tugs at our heartstrings. Your website should be a mirror of your brand, your style, and your unique offerings, giving your potential customers a real taste of what you're all about.
But let's be real, in the hustle and bustle, it's easy to overlook some of the important stuff that truly make the biggest difference for your website performance and what makes a lasting impression with customers.
Whether you're diving into a fresh website, thinking about spicing up the old one, or just curious how your website is holding up to today’s standards, we're here to make sure your online game is on point!
Take a look at the checklist below to pinpoint typical website issues connected to search engine optimization, local presence, and branding.
If you're in the exciting stage of launching a new website, you can also consider this your pre-launch guide. Run through these items with your web designer to make sure everything is on the right track before the big reveal!
1. No Call-to-Actions (CTAs):
Don’t leave it up to your visitors to guess how to interact with your website. Let them know up front, and at the top of your website pages, what you want them to do while they’re on your website! If your visitors can’t figure out what to do, you risk losing them immediately. Incorporate clear CTAs that guide users towards desired actions, such as contacting you or making a purchase.
Not sure what your CTA should be? Get inspired by this quick list below!
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2. Missing Content:
When it comes to content, quality is KEY. Low-quality, duplicated, or even thin content not only fails to engage your audience but can harm your search rankings. While a website filled with beautiful photos may seem appealing, it lacks the essential element of informative content to support it.
To make a lasting impression, focus on creating content that informs and adds value for your readers. It should provide authentic information that addresses your audience's questions and concerns. Your words, images, and media should resonate personally with your visitors.
Your content should also clearly represent your brand, mission, and unique value. Your website mirrors your brand identity, and each piece of content contributes to this narrative. When visitors explore your site, they should understand what makes your brand special and why they should choose your products or services. It's not just about words on a page; it's the story and experience you share.
Not sure what to write? Here are some questions to help get you inspired!
What questions do your customers frequently ask?
What do you want to be known for?
What problems are your customers facing that your website could solve?
How do you want your customers interacting with your website?
Unsure about your content's quality? Share your site with friends and family, and ask them to describe its focus and purpose. You might discover valuable insights!
3. Weak Branding
Your website should reflect your brand’s identity consistently. Mismatched colors, fonts, and messaging can confuse visitors and weaken your brand perception. We talk about this ALL the time here at Found Marketing, but remember that your brand is more than just your logo!
Partner with a marketing company or a designer who you know and trust to help you fill in the missing components of your brand and who can help you create a cohesive and beautiful flow to your website.
Check out our blog post here for a checklist to run through for your branding.
4. Missing Location Information
For businesses targeting local customers, optimizing your website for local search is crucial. Yet, this is such an easy area to overlook! Local Optimization doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, there are a few key things that, if done right, can really make you stand out against the rest!
Here’s a quick checklist of things to consider:
Your name, address, and phone number (exactly as it appears on your storefront) are included in the footer of every website page and on your contact page. Most important - you want this information to be easy for your customer to find. You also want search engines like Google to understand who/where you are so they can get you in front of the right people at the right time.
Your website has a map embedded on your website that shows the location of your business (bonus points if you can embed your Google Maps business listing!). Again, let’s make it easy for customers to find you.
If you have multiple store locations, you have a website page set up for each location. Each page has unique content about the corresponding location. This is a great opportunity to create localized content for each of your locations, build out additional
You are partnered with a digital marketing company to help you with listing distribution (distributing your name, address, and phone number information to directories across the internet)
Your content has local information where appropriate
5. No Social Indicators
Be sure to add any social media links, blog page links, newsletter sign-up links, or any other social sites that you are on to your website! Again, let’s make it easy for your customers to understand all the ways they can interact with your business.
6. Not Responsive or Mobile-Friendly
With cell phone and mobile usage on the rise, your website HAS to look and function well on various screen sizes! If your target market includes Gen Z, you ESPECIALLY need to be thinking about this! A study by IBM and The National Retail Foundation confirmed what many of us already knew - Gen Z are big mobile users, and expect information to be readily available to them. If your website doesn’t solve this for them, you won’t be gaining their attention or loyalty very easily.
Did you know? 62% of Gen Zers will not use a website that is hard to navigate!
Run a quick check to make sure you’re set up right:
Your load speed is fast
From mobile view, everything can be accessed clearly, and used with one hand and the click of a thumb
The layout is easy to understand and use (some website builder tools allow you to hide aspects of your website in mobile view).
7. Poor Website Navigation
Your website's navigation is like a friendly guide for your visitors to get around. Confusing menus can cause frustration and encourage people to leave your website. Let's keep those potential customers engaged!
Craft a user-friendly menu that's super easy to navigate. Think of it as organizing your closet - clear, straightforward, and everything in its place. This helps visitors effortlessly find what they're looking for. It not only keeps them around but also impresses them with your brand's ease and clarity.
Remember, your website is your digital storefront, and first impressions matter. So, give your visitors the roadmap they need and keep them happy.
8. Security Issues
If your website lacks an SSL certificate (https://), visitors might be greeted with security warnings. A secure website not only instills trust but also has a positive impact on search rankings.
9. Missing Website Analytics
The greatest way to learn and improve when it comes to your website is to ensure you have the proper analytics in place to track who is using your website, how they are using it, and how your website is performing overall. Make sure that you have analytics, such as Google Analytics, tools installed on your website so that you can start tracking information and improving your website!
Here are a few metrics we love to track:
Page views (to measure overall visits to your website)
Bounce rate (to understand what percentage of people are leaving your website quickly)
Top Performing Web Pages (to know which of your website pages is the most popular!)
10. No Keyword Optimization
Last but not least, is Optimization of your website! Craft compelling meta descriptions that entice users to click, and sprinkle your carefully chosen keywords throughout your content for a strong SEO foundation. And when it comes to visuals, don't underestimate the importance of alt tags and image optimization. These seemingly small elements can make a big difference, ensuring that your website is not only visually appealing but also accessible and search engine-friendly.
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Remember, your website is often the first interaction potential customers have with your brand! By addressing these red flags, you can create a positive first impression and ensure your website is an effective marketing tool for your business.
Website design, and a cohesive look with your brand, is something we LOVE working with businesses on! Contact us today to learn more.
