‘My website’s not working for me – what can I do?’
Posted on 5th November 2019
We get asked this a lot at it’seeze Web Design Twickenham! After all, when someone’s spent time and money on a website, it’s naturally disappointing and frustrating if it doesn’t produce any business.
However, as with most web-related questions, there’s no cut and dried answer. The problem could lie in a number of areas. Some are quite easy to sort out, whilst in other cases you’re better off having a new site built from scratch.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the reasons why your website isn’t working and what you can do about it.
Search engine optimisation (SEO)
This is the number one reason why a website doesn’t work. If people can’t find your site, they won’t know you exist, and they can’t buy from you.
Getting your SEO right is a crucial part of your digital marketing strategy – and it needs to be ongoing, not just something that’s done when the site’s first built.
The situation may be redeemable if you implement and stick to a robust programme of SEO. Start by identifying the right keywords for your business (tools like Google Keyword Planner will help), then weave them into your front end content and metadata.
You’ll also need to regularly create and update site content, including writing blogs and social media posts that link to your main website. It’s important to make sure that all the content you create is well-written, interesting and helpful rather than overtly ‘salesy,’ and makes sensible use of keywords as opposed to over-stuffing.
Other SEO activities to consider include guest blogging on relevant sites and backlinking to your own; email marketing; display marketing; Pay Per Click (PPC); and other forms of online advertising.
If your business relies on local trade, you should also set up a free Google My Business profile and register with other online business directories in your area.
Site design
When was the last time you had your website redesigned? If this was more than a couple of years ago, it could be time for a refresh. Tired, dated looking sites won’t do your business any favours.
Even newly designed sites can be problematic. For example, the obvious use of templates and stock imagery can make a site look cheap and put people off.
Your website is a valuable asset, so it makes sense to invest in a professionally designed site that looks good, does your business justice, and accurately reflects what you offer. Here at it’seeze Web Design Twickenham, all our sites are designed from scratch, with no templates used.
Take a look at some of the makeovers we’ve given to customer sites to see what a difference a website redesign could make to your business.
Responsiveness
A responsive website is one that will automatically display correctly on any size or type of screen, whether that’s a desktop, laptop, smart phone or tablet.
Responsive websites are sometimes called ‘mobile-friendly’ sites. And, given that most people now use mobile devices to browse the web, it’s important for your business to have one! If your prospective customers can’t view your site on the device of their choice, they’ll click away in a flash – straight to one of your competitors.
If your current site isn’t responsive, you might be able to create a mobile-friendly version that runs alongside the main site. However, this isn’t ideal, and you could be better off starting again – in which case, it’seeze Twickenham can help. A mobile-friendly design is included in all our website packages.
Speed & navigation
Don’t you hate it when a site takes forever to load? Or there’s no clear menu structure, site map, or search function so you can’t find what you’re looking for? You’re not alone, as these are two more big reasons why prospective customers will leave your site.
They’re also bad news from an SEO viewpoint, as slow site speeds are a negative ranking factor. Without a clear navigation structure or site map, search engines will also find it hard to ‘crawl’ and index your site.
However, these problems can be fixable. Content can be reorganised into a clear menu structure and you can usually add in a site map and a search button. Any issues with loading speed will need investigating, although the issue could be as simple as over-large images slowing down page loading speeds.
Security
If you use Google Chrome, you may have noticed the words ‘Not secure’ appearing to the left of a website’s URL at the top of the screen. This means the site doesn’t have an SSL certificate (sites with certificates have URLs starting with https:// instead of http://).
An SSL certificate is a security feature that encrypts any information that site users enter into your website, such as contact details or payment information.
Not all business types need an SSL certificate, but it’s a genuine ‘must have’ if you collect financial data from your customers. For other businesses, it’s a good idea from a data protection viewpoint, as you’re obliged under GDPR to protect personal information that’s submitted via your website.
What’s more, having an SSL certificate puts out a clear signal that your site is trustworthy – making people more likely to use your business. It can positively affect your search engine rankings, too.
At it’seeze Twickenham, we can retrofit SSL certificates to existing sites, and we include a free SSL certificate with the new sites we design.
Website not working for you? it’seeze Twickenham can help!
Our expert team are here to help you get the most from your website. All our sites are individually designed, well-structured, fully optimised and secure. It’s a simple process that we’ll guide you through from start to finish – and you’ll benefit from ongoing support once you’re up and running.
To discuss your website requirements, please call us on 01784 456 833 or 07961 123 799, or contact us online to request a call back.
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