Seeing server glitches is less common than the early days of the web but they happen and can point to a mistake. Using overly cheap website hosting, where performance and support reflect the price.
Similar applies to no skill required, instant websites you may see advertised. There’s no need to spend too much, in some ways the web is an economical way to pursue opportunity but setting a rational budget helps.
This should include allowing for design and technical input, along with user monitoring. Few organisations will have all the skills on board to compete on the web, or maximise conversion from their presence.
Even for a smaller business, saving a moderate sum to miss out on the chance of a far higher income will rarely make sense.
Search Optimisation
With a decent website running, thoughts often turn to bringing business through search. In a way, that’s a mistake, search elements should be baked into the website when built but there are greater concerns.
The impact technical faults have on search is underestimated, search engines rely on easily obtaining data. They also benefit from a logical website structure and navigation which reflects this.
Above all, search engines are about content. Clarity and good grammar matter, as do being on topic and updating regularly. How that content is perceived will also be measured in two different ways.
The way people react in terms of time on site and other metrics has an influence on ranking. Popularity of your content counts, mainly assessed through the number of inbound links the site gains on the web.
There are a number of small elements which should be used well, such as page titles. Coupled with the points above, each positive factor can assist.
The key to avoiding error in search is accepting that every detail counts. You could add in page speed, mobile friendliness, use of structured data. However good your content, or product, they need the right online environment.
Common Website Mistakes
The elements above are about efficiency and search optimisation but they are really about running a good website. Search engines and web developers share a basic wish, to please customers when they visit.
To keep those visits coming, there are a few basic yet quite common errors worth bearing in mind:
- Don’t accidentally block search engines via your website settings, or robots.txt file, a long standing mistake which still happens.
- Perfectly valid code is not essential but clear access to pages matters. Test across different browsers, devices and search engines.
- Writing content for search engines doesn’t work. They don’t buy anything and as with their users, are no longer interested in that approach.
- Avoid using content from elsewhere, or duplication on your own site. Not an ideal user experience and a good way to fail in search.
- Assuming a website is finished and not continuing to add unique, good quality content will have a detrimental affect on search and users.
- A website represents your business, this needs to be as tidy, trustworthy and communicative as you would be if visiting a client.
- Don’t spend time looking for links from irrelevant sites, directories, blog comments. A few good quality links will be of more use.
Succeeding on the web is not straightforward, although making core errors is a common handicap. If technical soundness, good content and online references are in place, you are off to a solid start.
Keeping critical areas in shape and thinking of your users are essential points in our website reports, along with each site’s unique needs. If we can help by adding more to the points above, please get in touch.