Website launches and redesigns can be tricky, if not downright exhausting. Before making the leap, however, it’s important to understand why you are endeavoring to go about this process in the first place. Chances are, you may need it. But you may not, or more likely, you may need it for very different reasons than you thought when you started out.
A tale of a travel agent
If you bear with me a moment, I’d like to share a recent conversation I had with a travel agent. I went into the discussion thinking I had done all my homework. In fact, I came with a budget, ideas on itineraries, departure dates and even hotels. Surprisingly, I left with not only a different package but a better one.
Why? Because the agent was able to listen beyond needs and also had a lot more knowledge of what offerings would better suit my budget, timeline, and wishlist. Agents anticipated problems their clients (me) don’t and they knew where it really pays to spend the budget and where skimping didn’t have much impact.
In the business world, marketing consultants can also help make these same strategic decisions to maximize dollars and help avoid all those rookie mistakes!
Here are a few of the common mistakes businesses make when undergoing website development.
Common new website mistakes
Focusing on aesthetics
We all know looks are important, but what’s under the hood is perhaps more so when it comes to a website.
A common (and expensive) mistake is falling for a beautiful but not-so-functional website design.
We get it, it’s fun to think of all the creative names, pretty ideas and cool features you can have. So you hire a web designer and you tell them all the inspired plans. You cringe at their quote (but understand it’s necessary) and a few weeks or months later you get that sleek, beautiful website of your dreams.
But then after a year, maybe sooner, you realize that there are all these ways in which your pretty website isn’t working. Yes, it looks awesome, but does it actually bring in new users? Does it attract your target audience? Does it convert visits into solid leads? Does it encourage readers to dig deeper, learn more, sign up for your newsletter or engage with your company?
Missing business needs
While websites need to be usable, readable and attractive — they must also fulfill a business sales goal. Beyond that, they are ultimately interpreted and rendered by machines. Many coders fail to take this holistic approach into consideration, focusing too much on the design or on the technical aspects rather than what is necessary to create a great brand.
In some instances — and this is no exaggeration — website projects which have gone awry can end up costing thousands of dollars in time and money.
So before building that website of your dreams, do some homework and work with a knowledgeable strategist about what your website should accomplish. When formulating that plan, be realistic and thorough. A website is a core part of any internet marketing strategy.
I promise a solid investment (of both dollars and time) will actually save a company money in the long run and provide a much higher return investment.
Related: Reasons You Need a Website
