Ultranet often wonders why so many of our clients come to us after their website fails to help them develop their business. More than half of them comes from projects where someone else couldn’t get the job done. The most common situation is what I call the ‘Money Pit’. That’s where the developer keeps telling the client it’s almost done and they never get there. Not only that, some businesses develop a web presence because it’s the “thing to do,” but that’s as far as they’re willing to go. There’s no strategy, there’s no research into what makes a “great” website, and inevitably they get out of the site exactly what they put into it – not much.
Therefore, Ultranet is here to share with you the top 5 reasons why so many websites fail to grow their business. Here are the mistakes to avoid:
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No Marketing, Conversion, Usability, Compatibility Testing
Based on Ultranet’s experience, we know that all websites need to look great. Yet, if your design is just pretty to you and it doesn’t do anything for marketing, conversion, usability, etc, you are probably losing your audience. Web designers and web developers are two different creatures. They both have their specialities but what a website really needs is both to work together cohesively and strategically. Ultranet need remind you to ask yourself with the few questions stated below：
- Who is your audience?
- What does your website offer that makes visitors want to stay and refer to others?
- Is it easy to use?
- Is it compatible with more than one browser?
Remember that a great looking, excessively fancy website will fall flat. But a well-strategized, fantastic looking, easy to use the website will do wonders for your business.
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No built-in profit metrics
Ultranet observed that more often than not, websites are not measuring the success of their site. There are plenty of tools out there that help you gather information about the number of visitors, defined user paths and measuring your marketing efforts in terms of sales or callbacks, even the amount of page views. These tools can be built into your site and measured or reviewed daily. A smart marketing strategy will be able to track changes or an increase in revenue and adjust the marketing strategy accordingly so that you are reaching your business goals.
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The “Freelance Syndrome”
Ultranet noticed that there are business owners or entrepreneurs outsourced unqualified developers; such as friends or neighbours, to develop their website. They want to build an incredible website or portal that will automate your business and benefit from the wonderful opportunities the Internet provides. Everyone is telling you they can do it for you and they all sound the same. The problem is most of the people you are talking to aren’t qualified to do the job. Ultranet is here to remind that you are not outsourcing your project to freelancers or even worse, overseas. Visit or speak with the actual people building your website and look at their work. Speak with references. Doing business with friends and neighbours doesn’t make sense. Hiring developers in-house could get you a jack of all trades and a master of none. Multiple people with specialization of different disciplines are required to build today’s websites and custom portals. In-house resources are better suited once the project is launched. Your developer can then support in-house resources on an as-needed basis saving you money.
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The Web Site Isn’t Mobile-Friendly
Ultranet cannot deny that some designers haven’t received the message – websites must be mobile-friendly! For the web sites we manage, Ultranet sees that over 50% of the traffic is mobile, and those numbers continue to grow. Small type, tiny menus, pinch-to-zoom, and layers of pages and links make for horrible user experience on a mobile device. As a stop-gap measure, some web sites offer a “mobile” site, with limited functionality, with a link to visit the “full site.” Forget “mobile” sites. Move to “responsive” sites. Responsive websites automatically know what device they are being viewed on and adjust their layout accordingly. The bottom line is that if a site isn’t mobile-friendly, then it will lose a significant portion of visitors who will bounce off to the next site.
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Not Optimized for Search Engines
Ultranet believes that you have probably heard the term SEO thrown around a lot if you’ve owned a business or built a website. SEO, or search engine optimization, encompasses a plethora of techniques to appease Google’s search algorithms and get you found higher in organic search results. It’s vital for the success of a website and there are many small adjustments you can make to help your needle in the haystack stand out a little more. That being said, SEO can get quite technical and there is definitely a delicate balance between the art and science of it all. Except, no substitutes for an expert!
Conclusion
If you want to develop a website that can convert into lead and profits, Ultranet reminds you to be alert with the reasons discussed above. Website development needs a crucial thing, which is strategy. You have to consider all of the things in different aspects before you take any action to ensure it is a success.
Ultranet – For further inquiries on any of our expertise or services, whether it is for website design & development, mobile application development, or digital media marketing, please feel free to contact or WhatsApp +6016 203 2000, email [email protected] or visit ultranet.com.my. Thank you
