3 website mistakes small business owners make

Guest blogger: Chris Bibby, Developer

Have you ever wondered why your website doesn’t bring in much business? Do you find it hard to figure out what to say and get bogged down in the process of creating content for your website? Does updating your website frequently get put into the too-hard basket?

If so, it’s likely you’re making some, if not all, of these common mistakes.

1. It’s all about me

It’s great to be proud of what you have created and what you do, and it’s also great to be confident you are the best in your niche and can help your customers more than your competitors.

However, please don’t forget why you do what you do – you are there for your customers! Many small business sites end up being a shrine to the business and/or the business owner with self-serving content that frankly, people don’t care about.

Your customers don’t want to see pictures of the front of your office building, or your latest truck/lawn mower or other piece of equipment. 

Nor do they really care that you make the best widgets in the world, as everyone says they are the best, right?

They want to know that you understand their problem and can help them solve it.

Focus your content on this simple rule, and you are guaranteed to reach more people.

2. Confusing messaging

Your customers want to be able to see their success, not yours. Your job is to help them achieve something they desire.

Have you ever looked at a business website and wondered, “what exactly do these people do?”

Have a look at your own website; is it clear EXACTLY what you do before the visitor starts scrolling? If not, you need to fix it.

People don’t like to read too much these days, so you need to be succinct with your messaging and make it crystal clear exactly how you understand your customer’s problems and how you can help overcome them.

How often have you seen something like this:

At XYZ company, we are the premier supplier of widgets in <insert region here>. Through our strategic partnerships and industry alliances, we pride ourselves on outstanding customer service.

What does something like that even mean? If you are proud of your customer service, let your customers speak to that and display some testimonials. 

Also, avoid terms and phrases that don’t mean much. Things like “helping you live a fulfilling life” is absolute twaddle and means nothing in isolation. Leave that stuff to the big brands that can afford to spend big bucks to hammer that kind of message home. For small business, it is more important to stick to simple, clear messaging.

Remember, if you confuse your customers, you lose your customers.

3. No clear call to action

Imagine walking into a store with no cash register or counter. It would feel weird, right?

The same principle applies to your website. You need to tell people how to buy your product or service. 

Whether you want your visitors to “sign up now”, “contact us”, “call us” or “buy now”, calls to action should be displayed as prominent buttons throughout the site. These tell your customers that you are open for business, and precisely how they can work with you.

Provide your customers with a clear path on what steps to take to do business with you. They are more likely to contact you, which means you are more likely to find successful leads.

Let CLPSites help you avoid these mistakes

With our developed websites and successful website blueprint, you will avoid these mistakes, plus have two professionals in your corner to help you along the way with your website; It is much more affordable than you would think. Below is our basic prices. Suppose you wish to know more or speak to us about what we can do to help you build the best website. Click the button to arrange a free 30min digital meeting.