Gather round, I have a terrifying tale. And every last word is true. There was once a website…a seemingly normal website. But underneath the surface, dark forces were at work. Visitors would come, but they wouldn’t stay. The contact form was so unused it gathered dust. No one could find it on Google. Business began to die.
Sound familiar?
If your website is more terrifying than your Halloween costume, it’s time to re-evaluate. So what makes visitors run screaming from a website?
It’s Not Mobile Responsive
Users expect sites to adapt to their needs, not the other way around. A mobile responsive site is able to seamlessly restructure for visitors looking on a smartphone or a tablet. In our increasingly mobile world, this is no small chunk of traffic. According to Google, 80% of people use a smartphone daily and 27% only use a smartphone to browse the web. Pinching and zooming doesn’t cut it anymore. If your website isn’t set up for mobile users, you’re missing out on a huge audience.
It Loads Slowly
Here’s the truth: visitors are only willing to wait 6-10 seconds for a page to load. If your site takes too long to load, most visitors won’t stick around. There are a couple of simple fixes you can make to decrease your loading time, but if your site is older than 5 years it’s time to start from the ground up.
It’s Not Secure
Bad site security isn’t just a metaphorical red flag – visitors will see red in their URL bar if your site can’t be certified as secure. If you’re adding credit card processing into the mix, that spells a recipe for disaster. Even if your website isn’t selling a product, site security is critical. No one wants to open themselves up to a risk of hackers or malware. Making sure your site is secure isn’t an option – it’s a necessity.
They Can’t Find What They Need
You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t force it to drink. It also can’t drink if the trough is empty. According to a Nielsen study, it takes 10 seconds to convince visitors to stay on your website. If they can’t find what they’re looking for in those crucial seconds, then they’re going to leave. Your site should be built with your customers in mind, so they can quickly run through your site.
Want even more hair-raising website facts? Check out our “Make Your Website Work for You” BizzyWebinar on November 2. Can’t make it? No worries. It’ll also be posted on our YouTube channel after the broadcast.
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No more scares
Tired of visitors running screaming from your website? It’s time to upgrade. Our bizzy bees will transform your website from a nightmare into a dream.