Top 10 Mistakes - Make Tech Better

So you need a website... Well, it’s a good thing you have this guide to help get you started. Whether you’ve never had a website before, or you’re “going through this mess again,” The Top Ten Mistakes People Make When Building A New Website (and how to avoid them!) should help you get off on the right foot. So let’s get started! —E.C.

? 1) Not asking, “Why do I need a website?” Businesses, entrepreneurs, artists, individuals—everyone knows they need an online presence, but they can’t tell you exactly why. “Everyone else is doing it” just doesn’t cut it. Your website is much more than a brochure— it’s part of a campaign to help you get your message out there to the world. Are you marketing a new product or service? Are you trying to build leads or reach new customers? Do you have an idea you just have to share with the world? First identify the purpose of your new website, then identify the audience. It is crucial that you identify your goals and objectives before doing anything else.

1–The Top Ten Mistakes People Make When Making a Website (And how to avoid them!)

2) Buying a website address (URL) It makes sense that you’d want your website address to be the same as your company, right? You'd think so, but not always. If your company has a name that's difficult to spell, has a hyphen, or doesn’t reflect your field, it might not make for the best website address. “JohnHarrySmith.com” doesn’t tell anyone a single thing about what you do, nor does it help your search engine optimization (SEO). Sometimes having the right web address, or even several which point back to you, can help drive traffic to your website and grow your business. If John Harry Smith, Inc. designs boxes, it might be better for them to have “WeDesignBoxes.com” as their web address. And please bear in mind that you are always better off with a consultation with a web designer or developer before buying that URL you've got your eye on.


3) Buying a hosting service or “web builder package.” There are a lot of firms out there offering hosting services for your website: GoDaddy, HostGator, BlueHost, ...the list goes on and on. They seem cheap: $4 a month! Wow! But what do you get for your hard earned cash? To begin, you have to service your own website for security, maintenance, and back-ups. Then there’s the issue of your website being on a computer where 100’s of other websites live and share your neighborhood (it’s known as a “shared IP address”). If you get one spammer in your neck of the woods, the whole neighborhood becomes blacklisted. Yours won’t be seen as a reliable or reputable website! Even more tempting are some of the “web builder packages” they offer: “GET YOUR FREE WEBSITE NOW IN JUST A FEW CLICKS.” Problem is, trying to do it all on your own might seem like a great way to save money, but so does everyone else. Your website winds up looking generic and boring. It won’t take advantage of the great web technologies your competition is using. And the stock builders don’t have the flexibility, nor the creativity, to really make you stand out from the crowd. By employing a web developer, you get their expertise and design sense to make sure your message gets to your audience in a creative and dynamic way. Further, a good developer will make sure you get paired with a Managed Hosting Service, which will ensure your website gets backed up regularly, is super-secure, and is well maintained, so you can focus on your website’s content and doing what you do best!


4) Hiring one web developer without getting additional bids Shopping around for a web developer is just like hiring any other kind of contractor. If you’ve never hired a developer or designer before, it’s difficult to know if the price is right, if the product is complete, what assurances you get... sometimes it feels like “www” stands for “Wild, Wild West”! Make sure you are able to truly compare apples to apples when talking to a developer. Do they answer all of your questions to your satisfaction? Do you feel you’re getting the best value for your dollar? Are you paying too much? Or too little? When you enter an agreement with a web developer, the relationship will last at least a month or two—and hopefully longer as your needs and your audience grows. Interview several developers thoroughly so you can make an educated decision before finally hiring the right one for you.


5) Letting your web developer build a website you can’t update yourself There are a lot of web developers out there who want your business—and want to keep your business! But sometimes they go about it in ways which might compromise your website. If your developer creates a website and makes sure that the only way you can modify or update it is to go through your developer—that’s going to be a very costly situation for you. Plus, if your developer goes missing, is lazy, or doesn’t return your phone calls, you might go on for days or weeks without being able to update vital information. Letting a developer hoard the keys to your online kingdom can be very costly, indeed! Make sure your developer not only makes great websites, but knows how to train you and your team so that you can update your site by yourself. Your developer should be relied on to do the “heavy lifting,” like gross design modifications, adding functionality or technology, overhauling your database or e-commerce store... But as the website owner, you should be able to change simple content, like blog entries, minor text changes, and calendar information. It is your website, after all.


6) Creating content on your own If you’re a great cake baker, you really know cakes. You know about the best flour and eggs, you understand the best temperatures at which to cook, what’s the best brand of chocolate... but just because you’re an expert at baking cakes doesn’t mean you’re the best at photographing your cakes, writing about cakes, or making a cake baking logo—that’s where photographers, copywriters, and graphic designers excel. It is literally their job to do so. An interview with a good web developer who has a team of writers and artists can help get your expertise noticed, without you having to be an expert writer or artist yourself! Always consider letting a competent team skilled at presentation show you in the best light.


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7) Undervaluing your brand If you, your brand, or your company are important enough to merit a website, then you are important! You need to shine. You’re not a single listing in the White Pages—you need to stand out from the crowd to get your message noticed. Don’t skimp on yourself, nor on your brand. Many people don’t have enough confidence in themselves, and undercut their value. That’s not you. Make sure you believe in yourself and your message—otherwise, why go through the trouble of making a website about you? The more you undercut your own value, the worse off your business will be in the long run. Period.


8) Getting the cheapest website you can That means when you’re working on your branding and your website, don’t skimp! Don’t get the cheapest look. You don’t have to drive the fanciest car to get where you’re going, but you should have the most reliable car with the greatest efficiency—and style!—so people notice your ride.


9) Thinking a website alone will solve everything A website is only one part of a greater marketing strategy. Even with the best Search Engine Optimization, most businesses still find the majority of their leads & sales through networking. Your website is part of your campaign, which should also include your messaging, branding, print media, social networking... it can be the nexus through which everything comes together, but just because you build a website doesn’t mean the world will find you. Network, network, network! Your site can't do it for you.


10) Not having a budget Whether you’re buying a car, a house, or building a website, it’s best to have a budget. So where do you start if you don’t know, on average, how much a website will cost? Consider this: If your website is designed to attract as big an audience and as large a customer or client base as you can handle, how much is that attraction worth to you? $5? $5,000? $10,000? If your new website could help you double your sales within six months, what would that be worth to you? Identify the worth of your potential site and write that number down. Then start talking to developers. If their price is significantly lower than your number, they might not value your worth or the worth their website will deliver to you. If their price is significantly higher than your number, they may very well be overpriced—but look at their results. Do their clients have a significant success rate with their internet marketing? Don’t write off anyone until you’ve done your due diligence, and researched them thoroughly. 10–The Top Ten Mistakes People Make When Making a Website (And how to avoid them!)

Can I make more mistakes? If you’d rather make the fewest mistakes possible, be sure not to make this one: Forget to call Make Tech Better, Incorporated! We love making websites for clients, and we’ve made a mess of mistakes... and learned from them! That way, you don’t have to. —E.C.

About the author Erik Contzius is the Co-owner & Tech of all Trades at Make Tech Better, Incorporated. He is the primary website designer and developer. He strives to bring “A Human Touch in a Silicon World” to all his clients. He has made many, many more mistakes than 10. Follow him at:

@maketechbetter

email at:

[email protected]

or visit at:

maketechbetter.com