We talked about some common problems and bad ideas for websites a few days ago. Now we'll pick up the topic to mention more of the problems we've seen that are all too common.
Leave it to the designer
We do not demerit the work of web and graphic design professionals. In fact, they are an essential part of the team that develops any online page. But they are just that: a part of a team . It is your responsibility to know that they are not the only ones responsible.
You need someone to take care of the content strategy. It is also important to understand that, although there are those who do both front-end design (what you see of the site when you visit it) and back-end design (programming generally of elements that are not seen, but are just as important as the explicit ones), it is a lot of work for one person to do. It can be done, but it is better if you have a couple of people working on your site.
You also need to test and document them correctly: both your design and content teams will be involved, but so will you and as many other people in your company as possible. The objective? To find bugs.
This is hard work. In addition to the site loading fast (less than 2 seconds) and looking good in different resolutions, it is necessary to verify that at least:
- All links work (not a single 404 error).
- The forms work.
- No proof text (ipsem lorum).
- That the content is adequate and everything is in its respective sections.
- It must be responsive to multiple resolutions.
- That the navigation experience is clear and pleasant.
Forget CTA
If you want someone to do something, tell them. Don't assume or assume that people will act the way you want them to, even if it seems obvious to you. So if you want to offer someone downloadable content, make sure the button says "Download it here!", or if you want them to add something to their shopping cart, literally put a button that says "Add to shopping cart".
Every call-to-action (CTA) must be clear and concise. Don't make calls-to-action ambiguous or with multiple purposes: each one must have a clear objective with a relevant offer and lead to a landing page specifically designed for it.
Forgetting basic information
Many people forget to include privacy notices, terms and conditions of their products and, believe it or not: contact information.
All of this information should be available on every page, clear and one click away. Ideal contact details include a physical address, email and phone number at a minimum, plus links to social media profiles. The current convention is for it to be in the footer, along with other important information such as the FAQ section, the help section and a short paragraph on who you are and what you do.
Blog, blog, blog
Having a blog on your site is not an option, but a basic requirement for several reasons. First, it allows for frequent updates of relevant content. Secondly, it is indispensable for SEO. Thirdly it is an efficient way to communicate valuable and helpful information to potential customers, instead of just having offers with sales intent.
In fact, as a matter of SEO, a blog is usually the first place people come to. Few people type in the domain name of a site they are not used to visiting. Most people find new sites by searching Google for options to solve a problem or difficulty they have. That's why your blog is indispensable.
Broadly speaking, a website is a never-ending project that must be kept relevant and be at the centre of the entire digital strategy.
