Why SEO Can't Save Your Website If It Sucks

Any business today that doesn’t have an online presence is missing out on such a valuable and efficient way of creating a meaningful relationship with their customers. It’s practically unheard of for any company to not have a website as part of a strategic marketing plan. Virtually anyone — whether they be an organization or even an individual — can have their own website.

However, not all websites are created equal. Some serve as an effective platform to strengthen a brand and create a fuller and more immersive experience for its users; then, some are just glorified landing pages. This is where search engine optimization, or SEO, comes in. It has significantly transformed how developers and brands control and boost their online presence by streamlining their approach to connecting with their target demographic.

Some may consider SEO a magic trick that’s a sure-fire way of attracting clicks and visits, eventually leading to the site’s success. While search engine optimization can be a truly effective tool in driving your site’s visitor count up, it is most definitely not the miracle solution that would bring your website back from the dead. Simply put, if your website sucks, no amount of optimization can bring it back to life.

Stack Mode Marketing Group, one of the leading SEO companies in Reno, provides several reasons why a website can become a massive failure. Chris Foti, the founder of Stack Mode, shared with us the 7 things unsuccessful sites have in common:

1. It’s Unclear What The Goal Of The Website Is

For example, your boss suddenly comes up with the idea that your company is in dire need of a website. He needs it up and running well and good as soon as possible. As the head of marketing, your boss is now demanding you to start developing the site without laying out a strategic and comprehensive plan for the end goal for the project. However, you start anyway because you were given an insanely tight deadline that leaves you with zero time to figure out what the purpose of the site is. You end up with what seems like a digital brochure without any meaningful information and nothing new to say.

Would this meet the purpose of creating a website in the first place?
Definitely no.

2. Your Page Titles Are Boring

Ever heard of click-bait? While it’s generally frowned upon, there is a reason why people are drawn towards clicking these kinds of links. The headlines are enticing, catchy, and sometimes just downright controversial. This is not to say that you should turn your website into a sleazy tabloid, but there is value in creating an engaging and appealing copy.

3. Your Business Website Is Confusing

If visitors find it difficult to navigate your website, chances are they won’t stay and try to figure it out. The internet is home to many other sites that can give them what they’re looking for without solving the riddle that is your website is asking them to do. A well-designed website is always worth the investment. Not only will it make navigation easier for your users, but it‘s also a way for you to showcase what your brand is all about.

4. It is Not Mobile Friendly

Smartphones have shifted the way people access information. It’s also given us the patience of a toddler left in a candy store. A visitor with a limited data plan won’t have the patience (or the bandwidth) to wait until your site fully loads up if it takes too long. Is your text too small when viewed on a mobile phone? Only a fraction of people would be willing to zoom in on your business website and read your content. Is checkout a tedious ordeal if done through a mobile device? Imagine the sales you’ve lost because of that.

5. You Don’t Update Your Website

Does your website look like it was created using clip art? Are you still using Flash? Does a “not secure” notification appear before the site loads up? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, then it’s most definitely a good time for an update. If your website still uses stock templates, then don’t expect your visitors to take the time and effort to explore your site when you can’t take the time and effort to put more thought into it.

6. Your Website Hasn’t Had New Content In More Than A Month

Google has algorithms that browse through the “freshness” of a website. It considers new pages and blog posts added to the content, and it uses this information when ranking sites. It doesn’t have to be an endless barrage of daily posts (you might end up spamming your page) for your site to stay fresh. Posting a meaningful and relevant post at least once a month is enough to show that you’re updating your site consistently.

7. You’re Not Taking Advantage Of All The Ways You Can Optimize Your Site

A data-driven approach to designing your website is the absolute best way to improve your unpopular page. Your website should be your central marketing asset from which all of your other marketing campaigns revolve. Growth-Driven Design, also known as Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), can help you streamline your site’s structure and content by learning from user data and applying this knowledge to make more informed and targeted updates to your business website.

There are a plethora of other reasons not mentioned above that could be the culprit for an ineffective website. Technical issues can also be just as damaging (perhaps even more so) if left unaddressed. The point here is that, there is often no quick fix that could save a floundering website without having to dig a little deeper. You might even have to start from scratch, God forbid. The good news is, there are a lot of new tools available now to help guide you towards building a successful and thriving website. The internet is an ever-evolving concept, and all we can really do is try to keep up.

If your goal is to make your business grow, your website should reflect that. Working with an SEO company in Reno, such as the Stack Mode Marketing Group, can make things easier and ensure you get the results you set out to achieve.