{Advice} Website Do’s and Don’t You Dare’s – Your CLIFF NOTES version.

I enjoyed college perhaps a little too much – if that’s possible! Hmmmm…

As Your Marketing BFF, I have to be completely honest with you… there was a time or two that I SHOULD HAVE read the entire book for an upcoming lit test but INSTEAD I bought those little guides called “Cliff Notes” – you know, those thin, flappy, construction-sign looking books that explained the literary works (like Romeo & Juliet) in a brief outline form.

Yes, I know this wasn’t IDEAL but it gave me the majority of the information FAST.

Like in college, this post is the CLIFF NOTES version – YOUR quick guide to the Website Do’s and Don’t You Dare’s.

Do…

• Make it clear ‘who you are’, ‘what you do’, and ‘why you’re unique’ on the homepage.
• Make your site easy to use and understand.
• Keep your site simple and visually appealing with ‘get-to-the-point’ content and pictures that are relevant to your target customer type.
• Give your full location address, the days and hours of operation.
• Provide a way for people to contact you via email and telephone.
• Provide a opt-in form for people to sign up to receive emails (and specials) from you.
• Include some (I said some, not a ton) background information on your biz.
• Keep the site information current (no old pricing or no longer available products and services).
• Use niche terms throughout your site for SEO (search engine optimization) – so people searching for your site/type of biz can find you!
• Be an extension of your business; keeping the same color scheme, look and style as the rest of your marketing.
• Make a lasting impression in the first 3 seconds.

 Don’t…

• Include too many photos on your opening page, as they tend to slow down the access.
• Use photos from what look like a three-year old took. A dark picture, a poor angle of the shot, the “I can’t tell who or what that is”, and the blur…just don’t!
• Have out of date information, pictures (we’re not in the 80’s anymore), pricing, etc.
• Have an unprofessional looking website that was designed by someone who KNOWS NOTHING about how a successful biz website works.
• Be a dumping ground for TMI (Too Much Information).
• Look and sound like everyone else.
• Place copy over dark backgrounds…it’s hard to read people!
• Forget that your site is a Sales Tool.
• Have ONE SINGLE THING that is boring.

You get the picture.

Don’t make me come after you…you’ve been properly schooled!