The Hidden Costs of an Inefficient Website
One of the most important aspects for any company is its website. It's how people get a sense of who you are, what you do, and acts as a major avenue for turning that into profits. However, many sites are not optimized to get the most out of what the business does. This can lead to big unseen problems, and while it's no secret that having an inefficient website can cost your business dearly, what are the hidden costs of a website that isn't optimized or working properly?
In this article, we'll discuss some of the reasons behind a website that isn't doing the trick, what the most common hidden costs are from that, and how you can avoid them.
Understanding website inefficiency
Websites are an essential part of doing business in the 21st century, but designing and developing a website is hard, let alone one that perfectly achieves all the aspects you need for your specific business. There may be many things that you are not aware of that can come back to bite you or lead to it not facilitating growth in the way you desire or require.
These hidden features are those that are not immediately apparent to the website's owner or user but can have detrimental effects if not remedied or included. Inefficient website design can lead to a number of hidden costs, including increased development time and maintenance, as well as lost revenue opportunities.
3 of the most common hidden costs of an inefficient website
There are a number of hidden costs that can come with having an inefficient website.
1. One of the biggest is that it can take longer for users to find the information they need or your site has a long load time, meaning they might not find what they're looking for at all. This can lead to a loss in business, as customers may go elsewhere if they can't find what they need on your website.
Likewise, it may take too long for your site to load and people could lose patience resulting in a high bounce rate before they have a chance to fully look through it or purchase whatever you are selling.
2. An inefficient website can be more expensive to maintain, as it may require more manpower or technical assistance to keep it running smoothly. This can lead to increased overhead costs and reduced profits.
Doing things right the first time can save you a lot of money in many aspects of business and that includes your website. Do not hastily put together a site without knowing what it needs. Otherwise, it may lead to frustrating results.
3. An inefficient website can also hurt your search engine ranking, as Google and other search engines will rank websites based on how quickly and easily users can find the information they need. This means that if your website is inefficient, you could be losing traffic and business from potential customers who are looking for your products or services while other sites rank higher.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is huge for getting found on the web and having your website be at the top of search results pages like Google, so not using this feature properly can really hurt your website and its performance.
5 Tips to avoid these hidden costs
There are a few things you can do to avoid hidden website costs:
1. Make your site mobile friendly
Since most of your users are probably accessing your site on a mobile device, it's important to make sure that your site is designed for those devices. In fact, according to Statista research, by the end of 2021, around 63% of organic search engine visits come from mobile phones. It is essential to have a website that can be easily accessed by mobile users.
2. Make sure your site grows with your business
Just as your business constantly grows and develops, so should your website. For example, if you are getting into eCommerce, you should consider adding a store to your site. This can help make it easier for customers to buy things and can increase things like the amount of time spent on the site and click through rates.
If your site is outdated or refers to issues/events that have happened in the past, it may put off potential customers and clients. What looks good and fresh is always changing and your site should reflect this in some ways.
You don't have to go overboard and make it disorienting for people visiting your site, but it should look like work goes into it on a regular basis. Making small changes over time, based on continuous research of user behavior and current trends, is key to a good web strategy.
3. Make the site user friendly
One of the biggest guiding factors whenever making a website should be the ease of use for the people who will be visiting the site. Basically, follow the model of making things as foolproof as possible so no one should have to wonder how to get somewhere or spend much longer than needed looking for a specific part of your site. Accessibility is also a key to making sure your site works for everyone and the user experience is optimized while fitting well into SEO strategy.
4. Use a website builder
Making a website doesn't have to be a difficult process but it does involve a lot of hard work. To help, consider using a website builder instead of a web hosting company. Website builders like Wix and Squarespace offer free and paid plans, making them a more affordable option than web hosting companies.
They also provide easy-to-use templates and tools that make website creation simple for beginners. Compare each of these builders before using them in their free trials, and see which works best for your skill level and which will be better at making the site you want to build.
5. Utilize SEO to your advantage
SEO is one of the biggest factors in getting your site noticed online and making sure you rank well with SEO is key to online success and the longevity of your business. While your business can do well on its own, SEO can boost it significantly and can help newer businesses get the push they need to make it.
Making sure all your pages have meta descriptions is important for building a solid SEO score as well as using the results from your keyword research throughout the site pertaining to your services, demographic, and any other key criteria. SEO can seem daunting, but the time and effort put into the research should pay off over time as you adapt to the changing landscape of search engine optimization.
Business owners often don't realize the hidden costs of having an inefficient website, and Solomon Advising understands that. We have experts who know the ins and outs of web design who can combine user friendly navigation with the most up to date SEO strategies to ensure your site gets noticed. If you need a growth partner for your business, the Solomon Advising team is here to assist you. We hope this information will help you better understand the importance of optimizing your website for peak performance.
Solomon Advising is a marketing & branding agency focused on helping professional services firms retain their relevance and ensure sustainability by consistently promoting a credible brand. Contact us today to see how we can help improve your brand’s health.
