6 Reasons Why Your Business Website Isn't Working

So your business website isn't doing as well as you think it should. Time to give up? Why not try diagnosing the problem and fixing it? Could it be because your site has a fixable issue? Could it be visitors are having a hard time finding how to contact you? Maybe there is something on your site (or not on your site!) that is scaring them away? Time to play doctor and fix it.

1. Not building trust

People do business with whom they trust. Are you using social media? If you are, are you using it correctly? Do you blog? Communication with your peers and potential customers is vitally important.

2 Sound on your homepage

Just because you can do it doesn't mean you should. Music or auto-playing video may sound great to you, but not so much for the visitors who do not want to (or can't) listen to your wonderful sound on your homepage. A video is great, but give users to the option to play it – don't bombard them.

3. Hidden phone number

A hidden phone number (or a lack of one completely) is frustrating for users and will drive them to leave before they bother to search hard for your contact info. Make sure your number is easy to find and is prominent. Your header and contact page are a great place to put your digits.

4. Slow loading page

If a bear is chasing you, you just need to be faster than the slowest member in your group. If people are looking for your services on your website, your website needs to be faster than everyone. In this day in age, web surfers don't have the patience for slow loading websites, and neither does Google – they are now making page load time a factor in search results!

5.  Not owning your own domain name

Don't be one of those companies that decides that they are going to cut costs by not buying a domain name and instead use a free service like Geocities or Blogspot. If your company's name is "Jack's Autobody" buy jacksautobody.com (or something similar if it's not available). Using jacksautobody.blogspot.com doesn't look professional. A domain name is about $15 a year. Buy one!

6. Lack of pictures and images

Pictures add personality and break up all of the text on your site.  Make sure your site is informative, but also make sure that it is eye-appealing.