Is Your Website Up to Speed?

Regardless of how anyone feels about the World Wide Web (commonly but erroneously referred to as the Internet), it is a fixture of business today. I’ve a few opinions about various aspects of the Internet, but today I want to focus on websites. Specifically, how can you, as a business owner, critique your website? (Note: “website” is one word, lowercase, no hyphen. The AP Stylebook and I now agree on this.)

Let’s start with perhaps the most basic question of all: Do you have a website? A website is an essential for customers to find you. Just yesterday, I actually got out the phone book to look up a number — it took a while to find the phone book, and if my daughter hadn’t been immersed in Mazin’ Hamsters, I probably wouldn’t have bothered. As much as I’m a stickler about changing the language, I wholeheartedly endorse the use of “Google” as a verb. I “Google” just about any company – contractors, doctors, restaurants, grocery stores. If I have not done business with you, I will look you up on the Web. A quick search will usually yield location, phone, hours of operation, and depending on the business, credentials, menus, sales items, etc. You can’t get all that from the Yellow Pages. In some cases, a business name search will also provide endorsements (or the opposite), as well as mentions of the company in the media, a lawsuit, or by private users. But mostly what I am looking for when I Google you is YOUR website.

What components should your website have? First, you must have a “Home” or “Landing” page, so that your customers know they’ve found the business they’re looking for. Depending on how elaborate your site is, there should at  least be enough info so prospective customers know they’re in the right place. Many businesses might not need more than a home page, and that’s okay, as long as you convey the information that a potential customer needs.

What does this elusive potential customer want to know? Think journalism here for a moment and answer the big questions: Who? What? Where? When? How?

• Who? Business name and logo.
• What? Your industry. You can expand on this by offering a list of all the things you do, what you do better than everyone else, and so on, but you need to say something. You do not want your website to be like those trendy TV ads that never say what they are selling. My suspicion is that they end up selling very little.
• Where?  If your customers come to you, tell them where you are and how to get there.
• When?  Your hours of operation, if applicable.
• How? Your contact information including phone number and e-mail address.

You might be able to fit your answers to these questions on one or two pages, or maybe even one little paragraph. What should you do with the rest of that space? As a prospective customer I want to see the things you believe I should know about your company. Do you explain your services? Educate the reader about why you are so good at what you do? Offer FAQs? Testimonials?

There are also things you should not do. Here’s a list of what I consider to be “website killers:”

• Typos on your landing page. Especially typos in your business name. It sounds obvious, but I have seen this. It makes the consumer question your attention to detail.
• Artwork that does not jive with your message. If you are an author who writes horror or erotic fiction, do not put kittens and bunnies on your website. If you are a surgeon, I don’t recommend anything too hip, trendy or childish. The obvious mismatching of artwork and purpose is jarring, and makes me wonder if you are a.) not as professional as you want me to think, or b.) psychotic.
•  Out of date content. If you offer seminars, and there are listings from 2009, I’m going elsewhere.
•  Phone numbers that don’t work.
•  Links that come back “page not found.”
•  Pages that are not finished, or where the text is “Greeked.” I saw this on a web designer’s site — and up until those four unfinished pages I was ready to hire them because their work was beautiful. What a shame.

These are the biggies. And if you can check off all the Do’s and have not checked any of the Don’ts, congratulations! Odds are good that your website is actively aiding your business.