I recently did a search for “real estate website providers” and got 22,700 results. Overwhelming numbers, to say the least. Yet, we all know that a website is essential for building a successful business. Don’t fall for the company with the best sales pitch. Know what a successful business website needs before you make that call.
Avoid These Business-Killing Pitfalls
- Messy Navigation – Your menus should clearly spell out where your website visitors will be led when clicked. If, for example, the tab is labelled “Newsletters”, will I be led to your current newsletter? Or, will I be sent to a page to sign up for your newsletter? I may be expecting one result only to find something different. Perhaps a better tab would be “Read my Newsletter” or “Newsletter Sign-Up”. Make sure your navigation tabs are clearly labelled.
- Don’t “Click here to Enter” – Called Splash Pages, this type of entry is not only an annoyance for your visitors, it’s a problem for search engines who can’t read them. Try to avoid the hyperlinked text, “Click here” on your website pages. In some cases, this is unavoidable. For example, you may have a main page that has links to other pages relative to the main topic. Community pages are a good example of this. Just make sure your don’t send people more than 1 or 2 (at the most) pages deep to find what they’re looking for.
- Automatic Audio – Maybe it’s just me, but I get annoyed when I go to a website that automatically starts playing music or a video. It reminds me of automatic flushing toilets. Shouldn’t I be the one to decide when I want flush? Video is a wonderful media for education and promotion. However, the visitor should decide whether they want to view it or not.
- Hello! Where are You? – It’s so frustrating to have to search a website to find a phone number or email address. Contact information needs to be front and center. Put it on every page of your website. Your visitors should not have to search for a way to contact you. Entrepreneur Magazine wrote an article that explains this concept and how it can help build your customer service.
- Search Engine Optimization Updates – Along with content, your site’s SEO needs to be updated on a regular basis. I’ve written several posts about this subject. Algorithms change but the fact that a well-optimized website gets higher ranking doesn’t. Make sure you’re using the right keywords, headlines, sub-headers and relative information. Use your “H” tags correctly. Make sure your graphics are optimized, too.
- What Do You Want Them to Do? – A good call-to-action is essential. Whether you’re offering something of value or telling them to contact you, make sure they know what they should do next. If you’re telling them to leave their name and email address for a free widget, tell them why they want the widget and how it will make life easier for them. “Sign up for my Newsletter” isn’t enough. Tell them what your newsletter contains and how that information will help them in their home search, home ownership, funding, etc.
Set aside a few minutes to take a good look at your website. Ask a trusted friend or colleague to critique your site. Or, go to a professional. Find out how others see your site. It’s a great indicator of what you’re doing right and what needs a little work. Providing the information your target market is looking for is the best way to lead them to your door.
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