There’s nothing more exciting than launching a new business, getting a website up and running, and waiting for the customers to roll in. But unless your site contains all the necessary features, you’ll struggle to make sales.
Some startups are so keen to get their businesses off the ground that their websites end up suffering. They omit vital information and features in a rush to get their products and services out of the door. And in the long run, it harms their businesses. So what do startup websites frequently miss out?
You Forgot To Include Business Information.
Entrepreneurs often build the website that they want, not the website they need. They focus on having amazing marketing videos, photographs and an “about” page. But they neglect to include the mundane information that customers need to get in touch. For instance, hundreds of restaurants start up every year. Often they forget to include small details like where the restaurant is located, what’s on the menu and how to get in touch.
Businesses also need to focus on making the information that they do present as punchy as possible. People don’t have long attention spans. And so most people will be unwilling to read several paragraphs of text to understand what you offer. Instead, they’ll want to read a couple of sentences, if that. But don’t be dismayed. Just two sentences describing what you do can often be very powerful. Many of the top websites in the world employ just this tactic to get customers interested in what they offer.
You Forgot To Include Contact Information.
If you’re a service-based business, the whole point of your website is to get people to contact you. But you’d be amazed at just how often new startups miss out this vital information. Have you ever been to a website and found it difficult to get in touch with the business behind it? Often you have to scroll right down to the footer on the page, and click a tiny button that says “contact.” It’s hardly conducive to getting conversions. The best websites, therefore, put their contact information front and centre. Web design experts suggest that you put your contact details at the top right of your home page. You can also include contact information on a banner in the header of your site. And you can add things like a phone number in your homepage meta tag on Google.
You Haven’t Bothered With Security Certificates.
Many startups sell directly over the internet. If you’re an ecommerce business, you accept payments online. If you are a hairdresser, you might accept online payments and bookings. The possibilities are endless. But if you don’t have the proper security accreditation, you could find yourself in trouble. Customers expect that their payment information will be SSL encrypted. If not, then they would be wise to leave your site and buy what they want on another that is more secure. There are many options out there that startups can use to guarantee the security of their buyers. Options include GeoTrust, Entrust and VeriSign.
You Didn’t Integrate Your Social Media Accounts.
Social media is usually the most powerful marketing tool most small businesses have. It’s essential for keeping their customers engaged and returning to their site. But many startups fail to integrate the social media with their actual website. This mismatch costs them, customers.
Integrating social media into your site will increase traffic to your social media content. That, in turn, will boost your website ranking.
Keeping on top of all the social media platforms out there might be a little too much for most businesses. But focusing on the most relevant will help to keep users engaged.
A FAQ Page.
Your customers most likely have a lot of questions about what you do, especially if what you do is a little complicated. It’s a good idea to have a FAQ page to deal with the most common issues. Otherwise, you risk getting constant, time-consuming phone calls.
The best FAQ pages provide an excellent structure, with clear and well-written answers. If a question requires further explanation, provide a link to the relevant third party information. Questions for small businesses usually revolve around a few common gripes. They include questions on whether restaurant food is free from things that cause allergies. They include questions on how much shipping to another country costs. And they can even be about a company’s history or portfolio of clients. Just make sure that you are clear and upfront about your business’s cancellation and returns policy.
