The way websites are built and the ways products and services are marketed online have not evolved with the change in consumers’ behavior in the last decade. Buyers want to have more information and they want to be entertained and educated but rather than focusing on these aspects, websites stuff content that is not useful or annoy buyers with pop-ups. These factors result in website failure. Websites with no or little traffic are a failure.
The 10 deadly reasons why websites fail are as follows:
1. Most websites treat all customers the same
Advertising is meant for the mass market but this does not mean that a website should be like this. Each user visiting your website has varying needs or is at a different stage to buy a product, and so, it is unjust to treat every customer in an identical way. A website containing great content along with delivering a delightful and personalized experience will not be a failure. For instance, you visit a website to buy a car and know the details, but, when you visit the same website after a week, it treats you like a new customer.
2. Focusing on me-leadership rather than thought leadership
When someone visits your website, you should state clearly what you offer and do and why you should stay on the website rather than hitting the back button. However, most websites are promotional and it is all about me rather than actual customers. Even if the website has a brilliant SEO strategy, it should be fed regularly with good content. The main function of websites is attracting visitors, converting leads and offering them relevant, valuable, and rich content.
3. Many websites ignore mobile
Many people want to access the web through mobile devices rather than PCs. However, many websites are not optimized for mobile users though there has been significant growth in these areas. According to a study, if users feel a site is not working properly on mobile, it means the business is not enough caring. Mobile optimization is important as it improves usability while you browse with fingers and not mouse.
4. Poor use of animation
Most websites misuse animation by putting in more information than needed or just because the website looks cool. The best websites make use of animation in the best possible manner and not to distract from it. Do not use animation unless you need it. It is better to keep the website simple.
5. Lack of updates and proofreading
Many websites do not proofread or update their websites. There are many people who spend a lot of money on websites but do nothing. There are several websites that have glaring mistakes in verb usage, language, or vocabulary. The English language is torn apart on professional websites. Many visited sites have broken links that turn away and never come back.
6. Too many colors, banner ads, external links, or flashy text
Websites fail as there are too many colors, banner ads, and external links. The websites that look huge and have a huge sales pitch fail usually. People see many advertisements every day on TV and billboards and hear them on radios while driving and when they see all over the websites, the web surfers just move away.
7. Too much cluttering
Many websites overdo too much and cluttered websites are always bad websites. The best website is often the simplest one. Describe clearly what you do and what the visitors should do.
8. Less use of keywords
Websites do not spend a lot of time researching keywords. Keywords are important as it keeps the search engine to locate your website. When you the right keywords, it does not mean you come up with a list. It indicates spending a lot of time and finding out the words people are searching for when they use the internet. There are many web-based tools for this and this is one of the major reasons why websites fail.
9. Not responding to the visitors promptly
There are websites that do not respond to the visitors promptly. When visitors inquire, they do not respond. Some email within 24 hours while some websites keep you waiting for a week and never email at all. Almost 80 percent of websites have minimized respond times. The point is websites should email their visitors quickly else, the visitors will find some other websites quickly. Not only the websites should respond quickly but should meet professionally too and let the visitors know that they read as well as understand their emails. They must include contact information and use spell-check.
10. Not having a site
The biggest reason why websites fail is people have nothing to do. There are plenty of things that can go wrong or that can make your website a useless one, however, the worst of all these reasons is you do not have a website at all. These days, people surf the net, and this is a fact. The internet is no longer considered a luxury for people, Millions and millions of people use the internet. They are searching for your website and if they are unable to locate you on the website, then they will not again try to find you.
So, your websites may be old but in the age of the internet where customers are in control, the website has become more important than ever before. If your focus is to create websites that highlight your leadership thoughts by providing valuable content using the right context and that is accessible to any channel and device, then you definitely have a website that can win the buyers.
Buyers want to gather more information and when they do not get adequate information from websites, they stop visiting it. These are the 10 deadly reasons why websites fail and once you understand the pitfalls and fix up the defects, your websites will give you huge traffic and repeat visitors. So, avoid these mistakes and make your website a highly customized one.
