You can spend a great deal of money and invest a huge amount of time in creating a great website, but if you fail to attract traffic it is all wasted effort. Several factors about your website could be hindering its performance or, even worse, driving people away. Below are eight mistakes to avoid making if you want to facilitate good traffic.
1) Opening in a new window
If clicking on pages makes them automatically pop up in a new window it can detract from the browser experience whilst simultaneously slowing down devices. Browsers appreciate a seamless experience, not one in which they need to switch between different windows. Many people also have a pop-up blocker installed so they may not even be able to access the page without disabling it or allowing permission.
2) Not including contact details
All websites should include some form of contact details so visitors can get in touch with you, even if nobody chooses to use them. Not having them makes it look like you don’t want people to try reaching you and looks unprofessional. A telephone number and email address should be displayed prominently, and you should even consider an online contact form.
3) Broken links and pages
Nothing is more annoying to visitors than clicking a link or visiting a page and finding it broken. Nobody likes being presented with a 404 error and finding the information they were looking for is not available. Your website will also be penalised for this by search engines.
4) A slow server
Load times play an important part in the performance of websites and the experience site visitors have. Visitors don’t want to wait for things to load, especially when they’re using mobile devices. If your site loads slowly it is likely you’re sending customers away.
5) Outdated information
Content remains one of the most important aspects of any site. You should add new information regularly to keep the site current. Old details can also be refreshed to show you are constantly working on the site.
6) Poor navigation
Sites that are difficult to navigate will drive people away rather than encouraging them to stay and look around. A navigation bar and site map are essential.
7) Using too many fonts and colours
Getting the font and colour of your site correct is important, especially when you consider they can be viewed on multiple devices. You should try to stick with just two or three of each per page and make sure you are left with a solid, professional look.
8) Failure to connect social media to your website
Social media is having a huge impact on businesses and offers a range of new opportunities. If you don’t connect these networks to your main website you’re missing a trick because the connection can drive visitors in both directions. Having a feed on your main website from your social media pages is a good idea and also ensures a steady stream of links are added.