The Biggest Website Mistakes - Part I

I've looked at several websites lately, and see the same things that annoy me almost every time. They irritate me because they detract from making sales, and cost website owners a lot of money.

So instead of being frustrated, I decided to post these biggest website mistakes and explain what you should do instead. Here we go...

Mistake #1: Putting your business name or logo at the top of your Home page, instead of 1-3 good headlines. The headlines should tell visitors: Who this website is for, what the benefits are for them, and what's different about this website and business.

I know you love your cool logo, and seeing your name in Internet lights. The problem is... new visitors aren't interested in your name or logo! They want to know what's in it for them by coming to - and staying at - your website. And a new visitor will decide whether to stay or click out in 7 to 10 seconds.

An adage from the early 20th Century says it best:

"Tell me quick and tell me true, otherwise sir (or ma'am) the heck with you."

And it's even more true today in our fast-paced, high-tech world than it was in the simpler 20th Century.

Mistake #2: Not clearly telling your visitor what you want her to do. Some website owners believe their website should provide a show or a concert. Or fill the entire page with tabs and buttons to make it look impressive.

But that isn't what most folks want. The majority of people who surf the Internet and go to a website want one thing: Information.

And they want that information quickly. That's why landing pages with an opt-in box for first name and e-mail address work well. Capturing a name and e-mail address is great, but it's only half the battle. And it leads me to:

Mistake #3: Not following up with auto-responder e-mails and an e-zine. Auto-responders and e-zines are great ways to inform and build a relationship with a new prospect. I realize that e-mail open rates have declined over the years, and e-mail marketing has gotten more difficult.

However, e-mail marketing still gives you a big advantage over Social Media: A reader's undivided attention on your message. You don't have to post, re-post or re-tweet something 17 times a day to make sure someone sees it. If you're consistently providing good content and information in a reasonable manner, you won't have to worry as much if your e-mails are getting opened. People will want to read what you have to say.

That's all for Part I, I'll post Part II later this week.