Latest

The 7 Website Mistakes Small Business Owners Make (and How to Avoid Them)

October 30, 2021
By James Gussie

Small business owners are generally the first to admit that they don’t have time for website mistakes. But what can you do if your site’s errors keep happening? One mistake small businesses make is not updating their websites regularly, which keeps them from providing quality service and keeping customers coming back.

The “common small business mistakes” is a list of common mistakes that small business owners make. The article also includes what the author believes are the 7 most important things to avoid in order to be successful.

“It’s a jungle out there!” you may think if you’re a small company owner or service professional looking to create a new website.

You wouldn’t be far off the mark.

Let’s look at a case study with Carl, a financial planner who is made up of numerous different professional service firms.

Carl had been in business for a few years and had a successful company. He, like other planners, sought to expand his business by attracting more high-end clientele. He had a website, which his son had created as part of a high school assignment. As more prospects said, “I’ll have a look at your website and contact you from there,” he started to feel uneasy.

Carl is a wise man. He is well-versed in the intricacies of sophisticated financial products. In a very competitive field, he has succeeded. When confronted with a webpage, though, his comfort zone evaporated. He, like tens of thousands of other company owners, made similar errors—and then learned how to correct them.

Table of Contents

Mistake #1: Failing to see how your website fits into your overall plan and, ultimately, your bottom line.

Carl considered websites to be “something you simply had to have.”

The Fix:

Carl established three objectives:

First and foremost, he intended to deliver his message to those who had been referred to him. He needed to convey both his knowledge and his personality.
Second, he encouraged people to sign up for a free financial consultation. Carl was confident in his ability to close these sessions.
Carl, on the other hand, had a unique goal. He aspired to attract more high-end clientele, those with at least $1 million to invest. Individuals wouldn’t ask him in person, so his website had to address the question: “Are you comfortable working with people at my level?”

Mistake #2: Assuming that web development is a difficult task.

Carl was given with a bewildering number of options, all of which were accompanied by a bewildering array of jargon. What’s the difference between WordPress, HTML, and CSS? SEO? These terminology were as perplexing to him as terms like “derivative” and “hedge fund” would be to someone unfamiliar with mutual funds.

The Fake Solution:

Some web development firms and industry experts claimed to have all-in-one solutions. Some demanded several thousand dollars for the creation of a basic website, with him providing the content. “We’ll offer a website for free if you host with us for two years,” some added. We’ll set up your domain and hosting for you.”

This approach may seem appealing, but it’s akin to having your real estate agent choose your home and sign the deed on your behalf.

One of my customers was completely hands-off until she discovered that her developer had vanished and that her domain name had been taken by someone else! She ended up having to spend more than $200 to reclaim her own domain name.

Worse, you almost never save money. You pay a lot for hosting, and you receive a mediocre design and, at best, generic text.

The Genuine Article:

At the very least, register your own domain name and pay for hosting using your own credit card. Even if your designer has a developer’s license, you should purchase your own WordPress theme. That way, you’ll be able to acquire the support and improvements you’ll need in the future.

Above all, avoid anybody who makes the project seem to be difficult. You don’t need an intricate project management setup if you’re an independent professional. There aren’t many bells and whistles required.

Mistake #3: Instead of WordPress, you’re using a private proprietary platform.

Image courtesy of WordPress.com

Carl, like the majority of businesspeople, had never heard of WordPress. He thought that all websites were made in the same way.

Some websites use proprietary software that seems to work well until you need to make a little modification. Then, if you can locate one, you’ll have to hire a technician who is familiar with that program.

The Fix:

Select a platform that isn’t tied to your development firm. WordPress will be the finest solution for most independent freelancers.

Because there are so many resources accessible, it’s simple to receive aid swiftly and affordably. You may often find someone on Craigslist for a fast repair.

WordPress is also simple to use. Most professionals can do it themselves or assign it to a high school student. That’s all there is to it.

Get a second opinion if your developer attempts to convince you out of WordPress.

Mistake #4: Delaying content creation until your design is complete.

Carl then explored working directly with a designer. He discovered a plethora of options in all price levels, each promising a “wow” website. He was tempted to go straight in, choose a theme, and hire someone to modify it for him.

The Fix:

“My work is simpler if I have the copy,” a skilled designer would tell you.

Your choice of graphics and design will be influenced by the copy. One of my clients started by commissioning a high-end designer to create a beach picture for her header. She understood as we worked on the material that “relaxing on a beach” had nothing to do with her approach. She may either throw the pricey beach picture or attempt to adapt her message to a non-working visual.

Your home page design is also influenced by copywriting. On the home page, how many services will you highlight? Are you going to utilize video? You pay for expensive coding and re-coding if you don’t have answers.

Paying for features and services you don’t need is mistake #5.

Carl was attracted to the features provided on various website development contracts at first.

For example, one vendor offered to provide him a QR code (an picture that can be scanned by a mobile phone and directs the user to your website) for just $25. Another person volunteered to help him get started with social media and Google Adwords. Logo? At $500, it’s a steal… if you purchase now.

The Fix:

Read your contract thoroughly and get assistance if you don’t understand anything. Some services with a high price tag may seem hard, yet they just take five minutes to deploy. Some even come with your WordPress site for free.

Carl recognized he wouldn’t need most of these services once he understood them. He would not devote time to learning Google Adwords, a sort of internet advertising that was not appropriate for his company. He may be able to convince his next-door neighbor’s adolescent to set up social media.

He could obtain a logo that would knock your socks off for $500. He could obtain a logo for $100 or less that would be more than adequate for his firm.

QR codes are also free. One may be printed in around five minutes. Companies have charged as much as $500 to produce them.

Mistake #6: Putting too much emphasis on traffic rather than conversions.

You want visitors to become customers.

Carl inquired about SEO services in order to increase traffic and “get to Google’s top page.”

The Fix:

Organic techniques and simple SEO will provide considerable traffic to most small companies. A simple WordPress plug-in may assist you—and it’s free!

Getting your keywords on the top page of Google will pay off—but only if you use keywords that your customers use. Carl’s firm won’t benefit much from being on the top page for “debt collection.”

Finally, traffic won’t assist unless you can persuade your excited visitors to take action rather than just passing by. Carl will benefit in two ways if he concentrates on conversions: he will build his company, and after he has some money, he will be able to skip the search engines and purchase traffic if he needs it.

Mistake #7: Not having a strategy in place to advertise your site before it’s launched.

Carl had anticipated the website to draw in traffic just by existing, maybe with some keywords in place. He planned a celebratory party on the day his site was delivered!

The Fix:

Carl understood that he could utilize networking events, talks, seminars, and publicity to persuade people to notice his website. He would utilize the URL on his business card and follow up with everyone he met since so much of his company is based on recommendations.

Final Thoughts

Carl recognized he had a lot to be thankful for after finally putting this website together. His greatest challenge was maintaining a straight face when he met coworkers who had spent thousands more for their websites and still hadn’t received a final product after months of waiting.

The “what not to do when starting a business” is a blog post that lists 7 mistakes small business owners make. The article also provides advice on how to avoid these mistakes.

{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”FAQPage”,”mainEntity”:[{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”What are the common mistakes that should be avoided by the small business owners?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”A:”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”What are the most common mistakes that businesses make with their website?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”A: There are many mistakes that businesses make with their website design, such as not using effective navigation and having an unintelligible or complicated to understand layout.”}},{“@type”:”Question”,”name”:”What are the common mistakes that small businesses make when it comes to marketing?”,”acceptedAnswer”:{“@type”:”Answer”,”text”:”A: Small businesses often tend to focus too much on the product and not enough time is put into marketing. This can lead them to overlook their customers or potential clients. Its important for small businesses to spend as much attention on marketing as they do developing a new business, especially before launching it in order for word of mouth promotion and social media engagement (and support) to happen organically.”}}]}

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the common mistakes that should be avoided by the small business owners?

What are the most common mistakes that businesses make with their website?

A: There are many mistakes that businesses make with their website design, such as not using effective navigation and having an unintelligible or complicated to understand layout.

What are the common mistakes that small businesses make when it comes to marketing?

A: Small businesses often tend to focus too much on the product and not enough time is put into marketing. This can lead them to overlook their customers or potential clients. Its important for small businesses to spend as much attention on marketing as they do developing a new business, especially before launching it in order for word of mouth promotion and social media engagement (and support) to happen organically.