Do you have an effective website?

I am always using the web to look for information and opportunities on all sorts of things. As a result I’ve become adept at making a quick assessment of whether a site’s engaging or enraging. Do you have an effective website?

Many of the websites I visit are inviting and functional and I’ll happily bookmark them for future reference. But others are frustrating and annoying and get clicked closed in an instant. The cyber relationship ends before it has even started.

Here are my top five peeves and tips on how to avoid them so that you can create an effective website.

1. Links that don’t link

I know, I know, technology is sometimes unreliable and I have to own up and say this occasionally happens on my own site.

If a link doesn’t work and I’m in a good mood, I’ll email the owner of the site to give them a heads up. But if I’m not feeling generous, that’s it!

Make a weekly habit of checking that all your links are working. That goes for links in emails and newsletters, too.

2. Live chat rooms that aren’t

Live chat rooms are a delight for getting specific information, but recently I’ve had the experience of automated chat rooms that are programmed to only answer standard pre-determined questions. And, of course, I don’t have a standard question. I get really annoyed at being fed an innocuous or inconclusive answer.

If you promote a live chat room, make sure it really is live, or at least provide a special message box for customer questions. For an effective website, questions should be answered within 24 hours.

3. No contact us page

Sometimes I just need to pick up the phone, or shoot off a quick email to ask a question or follow up on something. I don’t want to be “captured” for a mailing list or have to give a whole lot of detail and a written message and then wait for a reply. It amazes me how many websites now do not list contact details or make it really hard to connect with a real person.

Make it easy for your visitors to find and contact you. Business is still about real relationships.

4. Sales spiel that goes on and on and on

I know your US marketing guru has told you that when you are selling me something you have to tell me ALL about it and ALL the reasons I should have it as part of the sales pitch. So even if I’m already a committed purchaser I have to scroll down for ages through your guff, before I get to the bottom line of cost and delivery.

I’d suggest you start off with a summary of the major benefits and the cost and provide links to more detailed information for those who need it.

5. Are your downloads and links Mac compatible?

I’m a Mac user, and notice lots of sites assume I’m on PC. Make sure what you give me to download is MAC compatible, otherwise I’ll get really ticked off and we’re off to a bad start.

Conversely, I acknowledge, Mac users need to make sure that what they provide can be seen by all and does not have Mac exclusivity.

So those are my pet website peeves. Do you have some to add to the list?

Wendy Buckingham is a writer, speaker, coach and author of the Ready Set Goal Series. She is also co-owner of Class One Productions, a leading Australian producer of audio/video programs for business education.

12 comments | Add your own 1 2 | Next» View all»

I would add websites especially those that sell products that do not have an About Us page. Susan Oakes from Sydney
Slow ...loading ...pages... put ...me... off. Rich from Sydney
Flash based sites with splash pages - not only do they annoy visitors by slowing us down to make us look at the pretty graphics but they also wreak havoc on your google ranking because the search engines can't see your content....grrrrrr!!!! Del from gold coast hinterland
I agree with Del. Simple is good. I find homepages that start with slow-loading graphics really frustrating. I appreciate websites that make it really easy for me to register/subscribe to a product/service without asking me 1,000 questions about me or my company. I'm constantly trying to make my site easier to use and I believe it really is an art. Joel Montgomery from Sydney, Australia
Hi Wendy, the shonky rebate deal is a winner for me. Bought a product from one of the best known brands in Australia (the product itself is from one of the best-known brands in the world) BUT had to give my details for the 'rebate'. Over 4 months later, after threatening to report the actual sales person at the retailer to all sorts of authorities for Fraud, the poor sales person had to chase the rebate to the point of it finally being paid, as I seemingly had no chance of success! What chance of me getting my email address off their list? Grant Hyman from Sydney | Read my articles
Yes, my business does have an effective website.
Can I also quote myself, people only complain about things when they're tired.
From my Analytics software:
7.77% of visitors to my site use Macintosh o/s
2.7% use dial-up
While I want to all things to all people, I'm also more concerned about appealing to the masses, than to minorities.
ps. Grant, I waited almost six months for a $40 rebate from Microsoft, for a purchase of Office from Dick Smiths. It came eventually. Ben from Sydney

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