Does your Website have a "Warning Label" on it?

Alain Parcan, Market Hardware, Inc.
September 2018

Hint: Google may think so…

When it comes to online marketing, one of the biggest and most common mistakes we see businesses making is having an outdated Website. Having a Website that is not current is an easy way to deter visitors and a sure way to ruin your standing on Google.

We understand that all businesses, especially smaller ones, may not have the resources to consistently keep their Website up to date. Therefore, our Web experts at Market Hardware put together a short checklist to help you make sure your website isn’t falling behind.

1. Double check that your contact information is correct – total ‘duh,’ right?
   This one is easy. Go to your Website and find all the email addresses and phone numbers on there. Are all of those still in use and actively checked? It’s amazing how many businesses list an email address on their site that causes an error when someone tries to email it, or is never checked by anyone at the business. Having email forwards set up is a great way to make sure you aren’t missing any communication coming from your Website.
   
   As for phone numbers, many businesses set up separate phone lines to track marketing efforts. This is a useful tactic but can prove detrimental if one of those lines is deactivated and your Website isn’t updated to reflect it.
   
   
2. Keep your certifications and accreditations up to date
   Picture this scenario: A potential customer visits your site and sees you’re certified to use a certain pesticide. They call you to request a specific service only to find out you no longer offer that pesticide as an option. Any credibility you may have had thanks to your professional Website is now out the window because it’s obviously outdated.
   
   It’s always wise to list accreditations and certifications on your site, but it’s important to keep them up to date. If one no longer applies, remove it from your site. While it may seem worthwhile to continue to list them, it’s simply not worth the risk of appearing dishonest.
   
   
3. Does your Website display ‘smartly’ on a smartphone?
   Looking for a way to turn customers away from your Website? Make sure your site is difficult to read on a phone! Your customers will look elsewhere before you know it.
   
   This is a bit of a more complex update than the first two items on this list, but it’s incredibly important. Current estimates show that over 50% of Website traffic comes from smartphones as opposed to computers. Whether you set up a separate, mobile version of your site, or build a responsive site, in 2018, a mobile presence is a necessity. To see an example of a PCOC member’s Mobile site, check out https://www.stanleypest.com/.

And, Google is now drawing attention to sites that are responsive, so if your site doesn’t receive that designation, you’re giving your competitors a leg up in search rankings.

Maintaining a consistent and current web presence may seem like a daunting task, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Depending on how much time and resources are available to you, stick to the basics and work your way up from there. Take some time after reading this to evaluate your Website on each of these three items, and call your Website provider ASAP if you need to fix any of them. Your success depends on it.

 

Alain Parcan, Director of Marketing for Market Hardware, Inc., contributed this article. Alain brings nearly 10 years of experience in educating businesses so they can market themselves more effectively. Market Hardware helps small businesses compete on the Web and offers special discounts for PCOC members. You can reach Alain’s team at 888-381-6925.