Recently I held my ever-popular live Website Without Worry course.  One of the things I teach my students all about is how to make their WordPress sites work for them in terms of marketing and branding.

I share a lot of juicy tips in the course, including my top website “don’ts” and they’re so valuable, I thought I would share them here.

Don’t #1: Websites With Way Too Much Going On

If a website visitor is given too many places to click and too much to see, they’re going to get confused FAST–and unfortunately, a confused prospect does NOT buy.

The clearer the “path” for a website visitor, the better–so aim to showcase a few key, crucial aspects of what you have to offer. This doesn’t mean that you don’t want to share lots of great information–you absolutely do.  It just means to keep it organized, focused and easy to navigate.

Don’t #2: “Blah, Blah, Blah” Content

While you want to tell people about your company and what you have to offer, you still need to keep it captivating and interesting.

Your prospects are always thinking “What’s in it for me?” and aren’t as concerned with the mundane information about your business.

So, keep things conversational and balance benefit-driven content with essential information about your business. (A “secret sauce” formula I use?  “Connection Questions.” Check out my home page to see what I mean. :))

Don’t #3: The “Love it or Leave it Approach”

So many business owners fail to realize that an ideal client may simply browse your website and never return –costing you the sale.

So…make sure you have a way to capture their information (an email list service!) and continue building the relationship – by using a compelling offer. (This is something I preach all the time. Check out my site and my Online Exposure Kit for an example of this.)

Don’t #4: Boring Biographies

Many biographies tend to ramble on and get dull after a few paragraphs. Prospects always want to know about you, and more importantly – how you can help them – without being bored to tears!

Have you considered blending a Q&A-style conversation with your biography? (Again, my site is a good example of this – check out my About page.)

Don’t #5: Failing to Continue the Conversation!

Make sure your prospects have a way to continue the conversation and engage with you outside of your website. The more social media sites you can share with them, the better.

Of course, leverage your blog as a way to engage with prospects as well.

Don’t #6: No Call To Action and No Social Proof

Your website’s ultimate goal is to be an effective marketing tool to boost your bottom line.

You always want to make sure you let a prospect know what their next step is! Ideally, a phone call or email to schedule a consultation.

You can “tweet your own whistle” all day long, but nothing beats sharing the news with social proof – so use testimonials to your advantage!

The Biggest Don’t of All?

Unfortunately, people judge a book by it’s cover – so how does your website look? If your online presence looks amateur, sloppy, or too “cookie cutter” it will turn people away.

You want to ensure your site reflects your level of skill and service…and at the very least, consider investing in a professionally designed template. (Hint: WordPress rocks!)

Ok, confession time…how many of these don’ts is YOUR site guilty of? 😉 Come clean in the comments…

Photo credit: stayfitbug.com