Every website goes through it’s fair share of issues at some point. Whether it be a new site that is just launched, one that needs updated or one experiencing growing pains, websites should be monitored closely and addressed as soon as possible. Problems with your site can range from simple fixes to more complex fixes. Lets start with simple fixes:
  1. Spelling Errors While a small error, it’s an important one. Spelling errors on a site can make a company appear careless or incompetent. Neither of these will gain you trust from potential clients.
  2. Grammatical Errors We get it. Even the best writer in the world can write a grammatically incorrect sentence at some point. This is where proof reading comes in. Have a second set of eyes read over your content to check for errors, make sure it flows efficiently and overall just makes sense. Your content will create value and trust within your brand. Making sure there are no grammatical errors will let your readers know you know what you are talking about.
  3. Broken Links/Images Sometimes links to outside sources no longer work because that site has been changed or moved. Your links are something you want to check regularly to make sure your whole site, images and links, are working properly. This will not only benefit your readers, but it will also benefit your SEO to assure your site is being ranked on social media properly.
Here are a few more complex issues that need to be addressed by a professional website builder:
  1. High Bounce Rate Your bounce rate is the percent of viewers who come to your site and leave after only viewing one page. Ideally, it should be below 20%. A high bounce rate is a more complex issue because there are so many factors that affect this. Some causes could be slow load time, not being mobile friendly, poor search or navigation, not a user friendly website and insufficient content.
  2. Poor Search/Navigation Consumers want to be able to find what they are looking for efficiently without difficulty. If your site contains a search function, making sure it is producing good results is key. If your site has many categories, clear cut drop down menus will help. It’s also a good idea to create short cuts to help lead readers to the next section or encourage them on what their next move should be.
  3. Inefficient/Unattractive Layout This is particularly important for e-commerce sites, but goes with all sites. While still being unique and visually appealing, the layout also needs to be functional. As stated above, users need to find what they are looking for efficiently. With that being said, the visual aspect of your site also goes a long way. Make sure it is not only brand specific, but also make sure the design is industry appropriate.
  4. Slow Load Time There is no denying that a majority of consumers are impatient. Due in large part to high speed internet and the ability to have information at our fingertips at all times, nobody wants to wait too long to find what they are looking for. 79% of users who experience slow load speeds will not return for a future purchase and 64% of those users are likely to purchase from a competitor. There are a few things that can be done to fix this including optimizing images,  compressing files and javascript.
Simpatico can make all these changes and more to make sure your site is running properly and efficiently. Give us a shout today to get an analysis on your site or to discuss any issues you are experiencing!