mistakes when planning a website

Don’t Make These Mistakes When Planning Your Business Website

In 1992 no potential customer took you seriously if you didn’t have a fax machine. A decade later you don’t really have a viable business if you don’t have a website. In 2013 there is a lot to consider when planning a website which can impact how quickly a new venture takes off or, in some cases, can be the difference between succeeding and failing. Here are five common mistakes made by small business entrepreneurs when planning a website.

1. I don’t need my own website – I’ll just use Facebook

Many entrepreneurs don’t realize their company website is an asset and, many times can’t appreciate its significant value. Creating equity in a domain name by building website traffic can carry a significant commercial value. You can’t do this with Facebook. While Social Media has its place in online Marketing, any platform you don’t control to promote your business doesn’t build equity. It’s like renting an apartment versus owning a house.

2. Not optimizing a business website for search engines

Many entrepreneurs don’t realize the value of having their company website appear on the first page of major search engines (i.e. Google & Bing) for specific keyword queries. Search Engine Optimization, commonly referred to as SEO, is a big business for good reason. Being found in search engines translates to sales so every business owner needs to pay attention to how their site ranks. The quality of a website can often be measured not by what you can see but rather what you can’t see. In other words, has your website been programmed so search engines rank it high?