 |
 |
|
 |
5 Things I Hate About Your Website Ordinarily, I blog for Entrepreneur about news of interest to small business owners--that is, news other sources have reported. But today I want to report some news I've found on my own, over many years of reporting on this sector. If you've ever wanted to get your company noticed by the media, this news should be of interest.Small business, your website sucks. And I'll give you five reasons why. I usually link to examples of what I'm talking about, but so as not to embarrass any particular small business, this time I'm just going to say...you know who you are out there. 1. Your contact information is not visible on your home page. I wish I had a dime for every small business site I've visited where I not only could not see a phone number or address on the home page--where it belongs--but I could not even see an obvious "contact us" tab. I know--you're trying to seem cosmopolitan, global, mysterious, you're everywhere...or that's what you think this is accomplishing. But it's really just making you look amateurish. I want to know what city you are based in, and I want to know right away. I need to know what time zone you're in so I know if now's a good time to call you. Or I have a story where I need sources from various parts of the country, and I want to know if you're in one the places I need. But I can't find out. Do you have a business death wish, that you're making it hard for people to get in touch? Ideally, your contact info, or at worst contact link, should be visible right at the top of your web page, without my even having to scroll down. As opposed to being in Times Roman eight-point at the bottom of your home page, in pale gray type, as it seems to be on so many of the small business sites that do manage to get their contact info onto the home page at all. Fixing this would help customers as well as reporters, hmmm? 2. You only offer me a fill-in email form. I have a bulletin for everybody who's got these e-mail forms on their contact page: Nobody wants to fill them out. They feel anonymous and weird--I don't know who, if anyone, will be getting this message. I'd love to see stats for the percentage of people who bail on your site after being confronted with one of those forms. If you are in love with your form because it captures data straight into your CRM system for you, or whatever other reason you might have, then at least list your email and give me the option of clicking a link. 3. You have no phone number. That's right, your contact page doesn't have an address, and it often doesn't have a phone number, either. Just that fill-in form. More of the awe and mystery of your pseudo-globalness, or so you think. Reality: This makes me think your company is likely two guys (or girls) sharing a laptop in one of their bedrooms. 4. Your 'About Us' page doesn't tell when your company was founded, or by whom. This is an epidemic lately. About us pages sound like this now: "Faux Global is dedicated to giving customers the most amazing widget possible." Paragraphs and paragraphs of vague junk like that. The company might have been founded by a former child star and have $90 million in sales, but I'll never know. Reporters are looking for great stories to tell. This is the page where I'm hoping to learn about your story--who's behind this and how they got this puppy off the ground. 5. Your 'News' or 'Press' page has no media contacts. That's right--you've got a page of press releases, a page of clips from media you've been in, but nowhere does it say who I should contact if I want to talk to you. Combine this one with no phone number and that email form, and odds are, if I'm on any kind of deadline, we're not going to connect in time to include you in my story. At some point, a reporter will probably look at your website. Will they find your story there, and find it easy to get in touch?
14 Comments |
| Posted under: Marketing, Online Biz
14 Comments Leave a commentPrevious Posts
|
 Build a Website for Less Than $500You don't have to delay launch because you can't afford a web developer. Do it yourself! 
  
Select a month to view archived posts
|
Copyright © 2010 Entrepreneur.com, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy
Whenever I put the email form on the contact page I get roughly 2 times more emails than when I put just the email address.
I think it's because people find it easier to send a quick question!
And once they send you an email you can start the marketing machine... :)
Hmmm... You have me thinking now, about some of the contact info at my site! I removed my actual email address in favor of just an email form because it was getting abused by third-party services etc.
I'd agree with all of that apart from number 3.
What if the the business *is* just two guys/gals sharing a laptop in their bedroom? They may be the world leaders in their niche, but maybe they don't want their home phone number all over the internet.
If the alternative was a global number linking to a VA, would that make you feel more connected to the site's owners?
Awesome! My website went live last Friday and I nailed it. My area,my emails and I too hate the contact forms with all of the info needed. I chose to ask for 2 things name and phone #. The link submits it to my email and I call you. I have just started out in this business and have never owned one before, but I knew what i wanted a user friendly website. Very encouraging for the new guy.
Don Holt
All C and D Hauling
661-526-5117
Thank you. These suggestions are awesome!
I just had to extend my thanks for the exuberant chuckle I just made as a result of how you so humorously described my own shared frustrations.
Wow, thanks for posting these suggestions. You would hate my site today, but I am planning to fix these items. The only suggestion that is suspect is posting live email links. To my knowledge, it feeds the spam robot email collectors. Perhaps I will make an image that has my email address shown, but that would not be clickable? Thanks again.
Excellent post. This made me thinking...my own website is guilty of all this. I will revisit the website and implement these valuable suggestions.
Thank-you so much for your article. I is a big help. I am starting my own web business that is
going to unique to say the least and I need all the information I can get!
It's been estimated that around 95% of all small business websites are deemed "failures" by their owners. Your article points out some of the reasons why--lack of phone numbers, no credible "about us" content that assures the visitor that the company is one they're put their trust in, plus much more. A few small changes, we've found, and business sites can be completely turned around for massively positive results.
Bill
www.smallbusinessmarketingoc.com
Personally, I hate visiting websites, that don't allow you to go back. I usually try to avoid websites that inconvenience me at all cost.
Samantha
www.WinaFreeCustomWebsite.com
Awesome comments! I forwarded this one to quite a few.
Carol,
You bring up some very good points about missing information on "contact us" pages for small biz sites. I agree that more and more sites seem to be displaying vague information which immediately detracts from their credibility.
I just tweeted your blog to spread the wisdom.
Marci Reynolds
J2B Marketing
Great advice.
Too much mystery in many sites nowadays. If trying to make a dime on the internet, increase your personability as much as possible.
Web Ideas Online Blog