So I have been doing some research over the past month in preparation for a new site I will be launching. And I hate to have to say it, but there are A LOT of bad websites out there. (No I will not featuring any in particular!).
What I am going to do though is share some big time NOs NOs in case any of you are in the midst of a project or considering a site revamp.
Flaw # 1: Senseless navigation
Your website navigation should immediately let you know:
- Where you are,
- Where you’ve been,
- Where you can go next and
- Where the home page is.
Navigation, in fact, must be so easy that visitors to your site shouldn’t even have to think about it. Some mistakes include dissimilar types of navigation on the same site, poorly worded links so your visitor has no clue about where he or she will end up and confusing links – or no links – back to the home page.
Flaw # 2: Confusing your website with your marketing strategy.
Listen up. Your website is part of your marketing strategy; it is not your entire marketing strategy. The right balance is in defining exactly how your website fits into your overall marketing program, then sticking with the whole program, making your site an integral and complementary part of it.
Flaw # 3. Believing people care about your website.
In the final analysis, nobody truly cares about your site. What visitors do care about is getting their problems solved. People visit websites to:
- Get information,
- Buy (or in some cases sell) something or
- Be entertained.
Flaw # 4: Putting existing print on your website.
No, no, no. Do not take your brochure, product catalog, employee manual, whatever and simply put it on-line. Printed materials don’t work on-line; they’re two totally different species. Knowledgeable web content writers create text that helps users find key words and concepts quickly. They:
- Write shorter sentences and fewer lines, paragraphs and pages.
- Use heads and subheads instead of introductory paragraphs.
- Use white space to keep the page looking open and inviting.
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Use hypertext links to give added information to readers who want more.
Flaw # 5: Acting like you own the company – even if you do.
Website readers have come to expect copy that’s personal and upbeat, so copy that smacks of bureaucracy tends to stand out like a sore thumb. Whether you’re writing your own copy or having someone do it for you, formal language and turn the tone down a notch. Also make sure to avoid technical terms and, by all means, make your verbs active and action-oriented – not in ho-hum, snore passive voice.
Tags: allison nazsarian, content creation, site content, the copywriting store, web content, website design, writing web copy
