First impressions matter, and in the digital world, your website is often the front door to your business. Think of it like a digital handshake – you want it to be strong, confident, and memorable. But hey, even the best of us can slip up sometimes. In the wild world of marketing, it’s easy to make a few missteps that can send potential clients clicking away. Let’s dive into five of the most common website ‘whoopsies’ and how you can turn them around to keep your online visitors smiling (and staying).

1. Poor Design

A cluttered, outdated, or common design can make a website look and feel unprofessional. Today’s web users have high expectations, especially now that advanced AI has been introduced into the realm. When it comes to design, if a site doesn’t meet those expectations, they’re likely to just leave. To avoid this mistake, keep your website design clean, modern, and ON-BRAND! Use high-quality images and consistent typography and colors to create a cohesive look. Also, pay attention to Google’s guidelines for web design, as Google prioritizes user-friendly websites in its search rankings.

2. Slow to Load

In today’s fast-paced world, people are not willing to wait around for a website to load. If your site takes more than a few seconds to load, you’re likely losing potential clients. To improve your website’s loading time, optimize images and minimize the use of heavy scripts and plugins. Google considers page speed as a ranking factor, so a faster website can also improve your visibility on search engines.

3. Lack of a Clear Call-to-Action

A website should guide visitors towards a desired action, whether that’s making a purchase, filling out a form, or calling the business. If your website lacks a clear call-to-action (CTA), visitors may leave without taking any action, which if you’re running pay-per-click ads will also cause issues when tracking conversions. Make sure your CTA is clear, concise, and easy to find. Google also values websites that provide a good user experience, and a clear CTA is an important part of that.

4. Not Mobile-Friendly

With over half of all internet traffic coming from mobile devices, it’s essential that your website is mobile-friendly. A site that doesn’t display properly on mobile devices can be frustrating for users and may cause them to leave. To ensure your website is mobile-friendly, use a responsive design and test your site on various devices and browsers. Years ago, Google moved to a mobile-first indexing system. Why does this matter? It means that Google primarily uses the mobile version of a website for indexing and ranking. So if your site is failing on the mobile side, you might see the side-effects.

5. Inaccurate Content

The content on your website should be up-to-date and accurate. Outdated content can damage your brand’s credibility and turn potential clients away. Regularly review and update your website’s content to ensure it is current and accurate. Who doesn’t value a fresh outlook on things?! Google Loves relevant and fresh content and considers it as a ranking factor. It is important to regularly update your website which can improve your search engine rankings. The easiest way to do this is to blog!

A well-designed, on brand, fast-loading, mobile-friendly website with clear calls-to-action and new content is essential for attracting and retaining clients. For small businesses, by playing nice with Google’s standards and upping your SEO game, you’re not just avoiding common pitfalls – you’re setting the stage for some serious online success. Here’s to making your website not just good, but Google-great!