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The Top 3 Things Every Bad Website Has in Common

The-Top-3-Things-Every-Bad-Website-Has-in-CommonThe-Top-3-Things-Every-Bad-Website-Has-in-Common

Did you know that all bad websites have these 3 things in common?

If your website is not generating enough traffic, attracting customers, and performing as well as you expect it should, it’s important to ask “why?”

Knowing this can help solve three of the most common issues associated with bad website design. Often the symptoms of an under-performing website fall into three basic areas:

  1. Irrelevant Content
  2. Lack of SEO
  3. Bad User Experience

We’ll now look at the 3 things that every bad website has in common and offer a few tips.

Content-is-King

Content is King

One of the issues with inexpensive website design packages is that the web designer often ends up writing the content for the web pages themselves.

If you hire a builder to erect a brick wall, would you trust that same builder to fix your plumbing? Probably not. Masonry and plumbing are two completely different professions and when getting work like this done, you need a specialist.

The same concept applies to the content that appears on your new website.

When feasible, hire a content writer or wordsmith who can work in tandem with your designer to create effective prose that positions you and your products in the best possible light.

Indeed, it is important to get the colors, fonts, background images, and other visual elements correct. But if you don’t solve common mistakes associated with content, you can have the most beautiful web design in the world and you’ll still lose out on hundreds of potential sales each month because your web pages have low quality content.

SEO-FAQs

SEO & FAQs

Having solid, relevant content on each web page is just the start, whether it’s your own website or a business website. That content has to be “search engine optimized” (SEO).

This process is extremely important for making the content on your website easily found by potential customers searching for keywords or phrases via search engines such as Google, Bing, Yahoo, Firefox, YouTube and others.

Of course, getting the SEO right isn’t a walk in the park. It takes time, research and constant care to help move your website’s rankings higher and higher in the search results. Despite the effort, it’s worth it.

Better SEO results helps boost your website’s (and company’s) perceived authority and credibility, increases traffic to your site as well as engagement and conversions, and ultimately brings down your per customer acquisition costs.

There are a number of SEO tools that can be used to help optimize your website. Again, a savvy content writer can assist by crafting copy that will result in higher search engine rankings, but so too can the talented site design team at The Social Firm.

Frequently-Asked-for-Good-Reason

Frequently Asked for Good Reason

Your potential customer will most often find your site via search engine queries. So, having your main page optimized along with the other most important pages on your website will help draw in many more visitors.

Indeed, because most people who come to your site will be seeking company info, it’s important to offer as much relevant information as possible.

Many websites feature product reviews, testimonials, blogs, and an entire About Us page that is filled with substantive facts and data, and contact details. Not fluff. Included as well are Frequently Asked Questions.

The Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of your website is a great way to satisfy your visitors’ need for solid information while also helping to increase your site’s SEO ranking. Simply put, FAQs help SEO.

A-Bad-User-Experience

A Bad User Experience

Is your website user friendly?

Your website’s user experience is critical to how a visitor interacts with the content on the site and how he or she feels about your brand once they leave the site. And bad usability can determine whether they ever return to your site.

One of the main issues is that a lot of website owners don’t realize that their website design is bad. They think that because they have gone through the web design process, all the design elements must be right and that there should be no important links on the site that are missing or broken. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.

Fast Beats Slow Everyday

Despite the tale of a very illustrious tortoise and a hapless hare, fast typically beats slow every day. This is especially true where your web visitors are concerned. Designers must keep in mind that customers hate visiting websites with bad user experience and poor navigation, or websites that simply don’t load quickly enough!

It doesn’t matter how gripping your content might be, because visitors to your site are not going to stick around if your site takes forever to load.

40% of people give up on a site if it takes over 3 seconds of load time. They simply won’t wait that long. A long load time on your site can mean as much as a 7% drop in your conversion rate.

Get the Most Out of Your Website with Optimization

Does the web design accommodate visitors using different devices? Will mobile users have access to the same features as desktop users?

Nearly all Americans own mobile phones. 79% of smartphone users have made purchases using their mobile device, and nearly 85% of Americans read news stories via mobile.

Advancing technology and user demand have made it nearly impossible to get away with a website that doesn’t have mobile responsiveness. Moreover, a lack of mobile optimization will show up in your Google analytics and negatively impact your search engine rankings.

Thanks to mobile devices, we’re all connected all the time. The result is that your website MUST BE mobile friendly.

Web-Design-Success-is-Possible-with-a-Little-Help

Web Design Success is Possible with a Little Help

It can seem quite daunting to get your website design right. With not only the design elements to figure out, there’s the technology support and content to worry about. But you don’t have to go it alone. Want to find out more? Contact us at Social Firm to see how we can help you to turn your poorly designed website around, by incorporating a responsive design, relevant information and more. Your user journey is our first priority.

Matt Erney
STRATEGIC MARKETING DIRECTOR
After founding Social Firm in 2010, I learned that having a healthy business online requires an equal balance of messaging, design and marketing. My vision is to help businesses compete in the marketplace by simplifying, clarifying and then amplifying their message.

I currently lead the Strategic Marketing team at Social Firm. I believe that to achieve greatness, one must be intentional and move quickly with focus beyond one’s self. I love Columbus and am energized by helping businesses realize their digital potential.
Jason Willis
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Like many in the design world, I started out as a freelance. My early career was on the sales and marketing side of business, and I’ve worked with, and for several large companies. However, my greatest joy is helping and sharing in the success of locally owned organizations.

When I’m not tailgating at an OSU game or playing tennis, I love traveling and creating new experiences with my best girl Kelly and my "little gentleman" dog Charlie. I like visiting all the new restaurants popping up around town and seeing which one can make the best Old Fashioned.
Julie Englerth
CLIENT ENGAGEMENT MANAGER
Julie is fully remote and hails from Longview, Texas, deep in the heart of the “Piney Woods” of East Texas where she lives with her husband and three amazing kids. She is also an experienced worship leader at her local church where her husband is a full-time worship pastor. Julie is passionate about encouraging and empowering people around her, leading worship, leading small groups at her church, or spending time with her loved ones.

She works closely with Matt in day-to-day communications and strategic planning. She has a knack for learning new things quickly!
Justin Kline
Web Developer
Like many in the web design world, I started out building websites for small projects and grew into a career focused on helping businesses and organizations strengthen their online presence. Over the past 20+ years, I’ve worked as a WordPress Designer and Developer, building websites for a wide range of clients, including many charity and faith-based organizations, focused on creating clean, easy-to-use sites that reflect each mission clearly. I enjoy taking ideas and turning them into simple, effective websites that help organizations connect with people and share what they do in a meaningful way.

Outside of work, I spend time with my wife and kids, enjoy music, strong coffee, and a great cheeseburger!
Ally Gatien
DIGITAL SPECIALIST
Since graduating from the University of Dayton in 2021 with a focus in Marketing, I have worked for both a small local media agency and a large television station. In my professional career, I am most recently coming from a Digital Sales Coordinator role where I was able to focus in on all Digital Marketing tactics after learning about the world of broadcast TV. I am passionate about helping others and I look forward to being able to help countless local businesses as a Digital Specialist on a more efficient and effective scale!
Geno Marinelli
DIGITAL SPECIALIST
A fresh graduate from The Ohio State University, I’m excited to absorb as much as I possibly can! With prior experience in both advertising creative and strategy, I’m excited to learn from the best. I enjoy staying ahead of the curve, understanding or contextualizing the latest trends and developments in tech and Marketing. If there’s a disruptor, I want to know how it works, why it’s working, and if it can work for us.

As a Digital Marketing Specialist, I will assist in strategy, implementing changes and new initiatives on behalf of our clients helping them to reach their goals and achieve results. My favorite part of any final reveal is the before and after; the side-by-side comparison of the old and the new motivates me to always be looking for new and innovative ideas.
Terence Womble
CONTENT MANAGER
I spent the first half of my career working in public relations and marketing mostly in New York City but also in Toronto, Philadelphia and Columbus. Even with clients as diverse as Philip Morris, The Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company, Shakespeare in Central Park, CAPA, Jazz Arts Group, or Broadway shows, the common theme has been compelling stories. Helping craft and share stories for our clients is my passion.

Other passions? Sure. Tennis, jazz, classical music and classic disco; reading, documentaries, fact-based dramas, and forensic crime shows. I also enjoy a perfectly mixed and presented Manhattan – up or on the rocks.
Sheena Erney
ACCOUNTING
I spent over 10 years in corporate banking and quit corporate life to be a stay-at-home mom before my second child turned one. I love taking my four little ones on adventures, but I missed the hustle and bustle of work life. It’s exciting to work for a small business where we can so easily stay up to date and develop our processes as business needs change. Best of all, I get to work with my husband!

When I'm not working, I enjoy golf, reading, traveling and playing cards. Watching our four children learn and grow is one of the greatest joys of my life.
Nick May
STRATEGIC MARKETING TEAM LEADER
With a foundation in digital marketing, analytics, and strategic leadership, I’ve learned that sustainable growth happens when strategy, data, and execution work in alignment. My approach centers on building marketing systems that are intentional, measurable, and designed to scale — helping businesses move from scattered efforts to focused momentum. At Social Firm. I guide our Strategic Marketing team in developing clear roadmaps that connect brand positioning, digital performance, and revenue growth.

When I’m not at work, you’ll likely find me on the golf course, at the range, or out camping somewhere off the grid. I value time with my son and love being outdoors — whether that’s hiking, sitting around a campfire, or just getting outside with my dog. Staying active, unplugging when I can, and spending quality time with family keeps me grounded and energized.