Your website is a reflection of your business, and in order to maintain a good reputation and increase its credibility, it's important to make sure that you're avoiding certain pitfalls. While some mistakes may not seem like a big deal, they can have a negative impact on your readers' perception of your website and your business.
In this article, we'll be discussing six common mistakes that business owners make on their websites that can damage their credibility. From forgetting to update the copyright year in the footer to leaving unfinished pages on display, these small details can all make a difference. We'll also be looking at what should be done if any of these issues arise so that you can continue to provide a positive user experience.
1. Updating Your Website Footer's Copyright Year
One mistake that can be easily overlooked is the copyright year in the footer of your website. It's important to remember to update this as often as possible, so visitors know that the content they are viewing is up-to-date. If it has been forgotten and left 2 or 3 years out of date, this could seriously damage your credibility.
Ask your web developer to update the copywriting year automatically, and if this is not an option with your website, be sure to put this on your calendar each year.
2. The Benefits of Keeping Your Articles Up-To-Date
Blogging and content marketing can be excellent ways to generate traffic for your website and increase brand awareness. But if you have neglected these tactics and have not posted a new blog in the past several months, it could easily start to hurt your business. Potential customers may be confused or suspicious as to why there is nothing new on the blog or news section, which could cause them to look elsewhere for more up-to-date companies.
It's important to stay consistent with your content creation by developing a schedule that works for you and allows you time to make regular blog posts or articles. If this isn't possible, consider hiring help from someone or a team who can help bring fresh ideas and content to your blog that are focused on helpful, useful information that will benefit your business with SEO as well. Doing so will help keep readers interested in what you have to offer and show potential customers that your business is still active and can help them.
3. Avoid Incomplete Pages and Posts
Having incomplete pages on your website could be seen as a red flag for potential customers as well. Showing unfinished pages can make it look like you have not put in the time and effort to give visitors full information about your business or products, which could make them doubt you as a credible source.
It's important to take the time to update all of your web pages to ensure that any content is accurate and complete. This will help create trust between you and potential customers, as well as give current customers more information about what you offer. Moreover, updated content will result in higher rankings on search engine result pages when people look up related products or services.
4. Keeping Your References Up-To-Date
It is essential to check your website on a semi-frequent basis to make sure you're not making references to outdated events or past times. Having information that is current and up-to-date makes your website content more relevant and trustworthy. As such, it is important to keep an eye on both the written content and the visuals of your website so that there are no outdated references that give visitors an impression of neglect.
Additionally, keeping content evergreen can make managing it easier over time. By avoiding ties to specific dates or times, visitors will be able to access information that is just as accurate whether they visit your site today, tomorrow, or even five years from now.
5. Understanding 404 Errors
A 404 error is an HTTP status code returned when a user attempts to access a page that does not exist or is inaccessible on a website. This can happen for several reasons, such as an outdated link, or one that was mistyped in the address bar.
If a visitor to your website encounters a 404 error, they will likely be presented with a plain white page with an error message reading "Page Not Found". While this won't necessarily have a negative impact on their experience, it could leave them feeling confused or frustrated if they can't find the information they were looking for.
6. Preventing 404 Errors
It is important to be proactive in preventing visitors from experiencing a 404 error. Keeping an eye on monthly reports for any broken links, deleting pages or content without having a redirect plan in place, and communicating with your web support team or creating 301 redirects are all ways you can avoid visitors coming across a blank page. This can help ensure that visitors are presented with the information they came to find quickly and easily.
Enhance Your Website Credibility
By understanding the various pitfalls that can occur on your website, you can take the necessary steps to ensure that your website remains professional and credible. Whether it's staying up-to-date with copyright years and blog posts or avoiding outdated references, these small changes can all make a huge difference in boosting visitor engagement and cultivating long-term relationships. With this knowledge, you'll be able to create a website experience that is enjoyable for all users and leads to increased success for your business.
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