This quote, one of many attributed to none other than local Philadelphia & Pennsylvania legend Benjamin Franklin, is as valid today as ever: In almost every example you might think of, is it vital that we take a moment to consider the task we are about to undertake, check to ensure that we have all tools, equipment, and other essentials needed to perform that task, and confirm that every employee working on this project has a clear understanding of the step-by-step procedures that will be followed as the project progresses.
There are likely very few business verticals with a better understanding of the importance of proper project planning and execution than those that fall under the Home Services category. “Do the job right, the first time” and “measure twice to cut once” are two operational rules that every tradesman will follow as mantras.
From a digital marketing agency perspective, these common-sense rules are never more applicable than when applied to website design & the implementation of content marketing. Unfortunately, too many Home Services professionals only follow these guidelines when involved in their websites’ initial design, setup, and launch. Once done, they seldom, if ever, check back to see how the sites are working and running. Furthermore, they fail to consider their potential customers’ user experience (UX) when using their sites. Worst of all, their competitors’ sites will sometimes “steal” their prospective customers. How? Because their websites adhere to today’s recommendations for website design, performance, and content within. Here are 3 of our “favorite” (sarcasm intended) website design mistakes we see being made within the Home Services Industry, and what to consider to avoid them.
Well, this applies to your company website as well. Every page, especially your business’s homepage, should load up quickly without any lag. To avoid these performance delays, make sure that your host’s servers provide sufficient bandwidth to allow for smooth & easy loading of your site’s pages, and regardless of any external events that might create “traffic issues” that could contribute to slow or clunky performance.
Your website should also be easy to navigate. It should have a natural flow and layout to the content within, so any visitor can find the information they are looking for with little or no effort.
In most situations, too much of anything is overkill. When first designing your home services company’s website, you likely tried to include every piece of content you could scrounge. The assumption was that potential customers would want this much information at their fingertips. Right?
Unfortunately, this idea is only partially accurate. Most web design industry insiders will tell you that in many situations, too much is just too much. You want to cover as much territory as possible and provide “something for everyone.” Unfortunately, all too often, Home Services professionals end up creating “clutter” on their website with this approach. Clutter is not suitable for anyone.
Just like the occasional cleaning out of your clothes closet or kitchen pantry, you need to remove old, unnecessary pages & content and replace it with high-quality, “fresh” images, videos, and other relevant content.
The three words “content is king” are among the most commonly spoken reminders in any digital marketing arena, and supported by the top minds in the digital marketing industry. In today’s age of YouTube, Instagram, Tik Tok & other “visual” Social Media platforms, the content found within is what lures browsers to these websites. It also keeps them there for indefinite periods.
But for a searcher to find your site – assuming that they don’t know the exact address, to begin with – the optimized search engines are going to need a way to find your site. They do this through the “web crawlers” that are part of the leading web browsers software, but they want and need fresh content to work best.
“Fresh” content is defined as any content that has not already appeared on another site, in part or whole. But fear not; you likely already possess plenty of fresh content, in the forms of:
If you or someone in your company created any of these, and they have yet to be published online, congratulations – you own fresh content, ideal for your business website & Social Media channels as well.
We hope that every one of your businesses is getting these three examples of website design mistakes correctly. As such, please see this piece as nothing more than a reminder of just how good your website genuinely is. However, we know this doesn’t apply to everyone out there. If you’re one of “those people,” and in need of some additional tips or professional advice and support for your company website, please do not hesitate to contact us at your earliest convenience. We’ll be happy to help you get this right – even if it’s the second time!
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