Here’s a depressing scenario.

Someone introduces you to a potential client. They’re a warm, if not a scorching, lead.

They do what everyone else does before contacting you: they go to your website to check you out.

Then there was nothing. They don’t make an appointment with you. There was no email inquiry. Nothing. Nothing but crickets.

What went wrong?

They were scared away by your poorly designed website.  Your website performed the exact opposite of giving them confidence and developing trust. It sowed doubt, uncertainty, and a general sense of unease about you and your business.  They use their browser’s “back” button to go somewhere else — most likely to one of your competitors who offers worse services but has a nicer website.

What Are the Characteristics of a Good Website?

I combed the internet for information on this subject from a range of credible sources:

Maricel Rivera’s article Just Say No: 7 Website Design Mistakes That Can Hurt Conversions.

Takeaways to remember:

1. Consumers acknowledge that they judge a company’s legitimacy based on its website design 75% of the time.
2. Businesses can be severely harmed by slow website loading times. A web page should load in two seconds or less for most users. 79 percent of shoppers said they would not return to a website that took too long to load.
3. Mobile-friendly websites must be adapted to adapt to diverse interfaces. According to ComScore, the number of people who access material online via their mobile devices has overtaken the number of people who use a desktop computer.
4. Clutter on a website is a significant turnoff. For example, there are too many Flash animations, ad prompts, auto-play videos, background music, and so on.
5. Site navigation is once again a deterrent to conversion. Prospects who are perplexed and frustrated are unlikely to purchase.
6. A call-to-action that is either missing or ambiguous. You must tell your visitor what they should do next. Don’t assume they’ll figure it out. Be direct and specific in your communication. Nudge them in the direction you want them to travel.

Jayson DeMers shares 10 scientifically-backed ways to boost sales by making your website more credible.

Takeaways to remember:

1. Make your address and phone number prominently displayed, and make it easy for visitors to contact you via email or contact form.
2. Have your website designed by a professional. It shouldn’t appear as though it was constructed by a fifth-grader.
3. When people come to your website, make sure they have a wonderful time. Make sure your content is well-organized and simple to use. Remove any extraneous text or other distractions that don’t add to the overall message.
4. Showcase testimonials from real customers, along with their photos if they are available.
5. Maintain the freshness of your website’s content. Visitors also want to see current and relevant content.
6. The people who make up your company should be profiled. People conduct business with one another. Clients want to know who they’ll be dealing with before they commit. Tell us about yourself. Allow others to get to know you.
7. Make sure there are no mistakes or errors in your material. Misspelled words and grammatical faults scream amateurishness.

Brad Shorr shares 10 Small Business Website Errors That Drive Customers Away.

Takeaways to remember:

1. Explain what’s in it for them as quickly as possible. Avoid going on and on about your limitless features, perks, and accolades. “Can you help me?” is what prospective clients want to know.
2. Use credibility components like customer testimonials, the Better Business Bureau, and other well-known accreditations. Otherwise, your visitors are just exposed to your marketing message.
3. Your website must be user-friendly on mobile devices. As previously stated, mobile devices are being used by more individuals than desktop computers to access the Internet.
4. User-friendly website navigation is significantly more complicated and intricate than it appears. Good navigation is simple and intuitive, making it easy for visitors to discover what they need quickly.
5. Remove any fluff and clumsy phrasing. “We’re the best,” “we’re the cheapest,” and “we’re the most innovative” convey no information to your reader. Give specifics on how your firm differs from others or what they may expect while doing business with you.
6. Avoid those cringe-inducing, clichéd stock photographs that everyone uses. These make you appear phony and inexperienced. Use your own bespoke photos whenever possible. It’s fine to use custom stock imagery if it’s professional and high-quality, but you’ll have to dig a little to discover the best material.
7. As previously said, your website must be mobile-friendly. Mostly to give your visitors an excellent user experience, but also to improve your search engine rankings. Google publicly said in April 2015 that it will prioritize mobile-friendly websites in search results above those that are not.

By Myles Anderson, What Different Consumer Groups Really Want from Local Business Websites.

Myles Anderson polled 800 persons of all ages. Here’s what he found out:

The four main pieces of information that influence consumers to contact your business:

1. Details about the business (e.g., corporate origins, products, services, people)
2. Business proximity
3. Clear address and contact details
4. Customer testimonials

The biggest negatives:

1. Poor quality information
2. No phone number shown
3. No prices displayed
4. The business not being local enough

After seeing a company’s website, the majority of consumers of all ages prefer to contact them by phone.

Website Design and SEO Experts

Here at MPH Marketing Solutions, we specialize in website design, paid ads on Google, Google Local Service Ads, Facebook Ads, YouTube Ads, Online Display Ads, and more! Contact us today for a free marketing consultation at (248) 702-4382 and we’ll show you how we can help shift your business into high gear!