With all the myths and misconceptions about your website out on the Internet, I’m shocked anyone is succeeding. You shouldn’t believe everything you read, especially when it comes to managing a successful website. You can find anything on the Internet, including fake and false information. Sometimes I wonder where these folks come up with some of these things. In this post we’re going to chat about 13 myths and misconceptions about your website. Let’s get down to the truth of it all.
I can have a beautiful, fully-functioning website for under $1,000
This is a misconception. We’ve had the price discussion before. Sure, you can use one of those do-it-yourself website builder plans, but if you want a professional, beautiful, fully-functioning website with the bells and whistles you need to turn a profit, you should consult a professional website designer. Think about it this way. You get what you pay for. Sure, you can dye your own hair, but do you really want to? I think not.
I don’t need to update my website once it’s live
This is a myth. You should always be striving to create a better, more engaging website. Once your website has gone live, you should begin looking for ways to improve the design, architecture and content. You do this by paying close attention to your website analytics and focus on areas for improvement.
My site will immediately be ranked #1 on Google once it goes live
This is a myth. You must put in a lot of work to get ranked #1 on Google for any keyword, including your company name. You won’t just get ranked simply because you put a website on the Internet. The key is search engine optimization for specific keywords and key terms.
If I build it, they will come
Nope, this is another myth. If you build a website, they (customers) will not automatically come. You will, again, need to put in quite a bit of work to get customers and potential customers to get to your website.
All my website needs to do is look good
Myth! Your website needs to look good and perform well. Looking good is only half the battle. If your website looks amazing but is slow to load, has no content and isn’t mobile responsive, it isn’t a good website. Your website should be fast loading, filled with useful, relevant content and beautiful!
The homepage is all that matters
Misconception! Every page on your website should be thought of as a landing page or the first page a customer may see when they visit your website. Because of this, you want to make sure each page is fully optimized for traffic. This means you have a shared header and footer, call to action and company brand on each page.
Place the most important information above the fold
Myth. This used to be true. But now that customers are used to scrolling (I mean that’s what we do all day now, isn’t it), scrolling is no longer something folks don’t do. While this is a myth, I would still keep the most information as close to the top as possible, but the fear of information below the fold never being seen is no longer a “thing”.
If it looks good on my desktop, that’s all that matters
Another myth. You need to be thinking mobile first. Most people access the Internet via their cell phones nowadays, and so your website should look good on a mobile device. When creating your site, don’t just test for mobile, but design for mobile above all else. This will ensure a great experience across all your website visitors.
DIY websites are just as good as professionally designed ones
This is a misconception. You can visit these do-it-yourself website platforms and see beautiful example websites that they claim were created by non-designers, but this simply isn’t true. Most of the designs you see were created by professionals. A DIY website may look good, but doesn’t compare to what you will get when hiring a professional website designer.
Creating a Website is a Huge Time Commitment
This is a misconception. If you are building the website yourself, then yes…it may be a huge time commitment, but if you hire a professional website designer, the time you save can be spent running your business.
The more features I have the better my website is
Myth. Your website doesn’t need every website feature available on the market today. Your website should include those features that will be consumed by your audience. You need to know your audience before starting to build your website. You need to know who it is you are building the website for. This will then help you determine which features are best.
The more content I have the better my website is
This is a misconception. While content is king, more content is not always the answer. Create content that solves a problem or answers a question for your website visitors. Having a ton of content for the sake of having a ton of content, will do nothing but blur out your message. Stay focused and targeted with your content.
I can use photos I find on Google, on my website for free
Myth! This is a huge no-no! Don’t ever, ever, ever use photos from Google that you do not have permission to use. It is better that you use a royalty free stock photography website like Pexels.
