So you’ve sat down to create your website using one of the free website builder tools we’ve told you about, but you could use a little more guidance about what to do, and what not to do. Lucky for you, we’ve come up with some tips that will make your website not suck.

Avoid visual clutter

Have you ever been on one those sites that is the design equivalent of your kitchen’s junk drawer? Photos and pop-ups and words words words everywhere. I hate that. And you know what? So do most other people. So don’t do that. Pick a focal point for your site, something visually striking that encapsulates your business, and that entices the user, makes them want to kick off their shoes and sit a spell.

Let’s say you’re in the cupcake-selling biz. You bake cupcake creations that would make Michelangelo wish he’d worked in flour and eggs instead of marble. What should be the focal point on your site? A giant, mouth-watering, frosting-dripping cupcake, that’s what. This is your virtual store front – you want to put your best foot forward. Don’t get caught up with trying to create fancy logos or graphics – stay focused on your product, the reason for the website.

[caption id=”attachment_281” align=”alignright” width=”450”]541794022_eddb2378bc (image via flickriver.com)[/caption]

 

No such thing as above the fold

Remember newspapers? There’s a term in the newspaper business, “above the fold,” that refers to the ideal placement of important content on the upper half of the paper, the half visible from the newspaper rack. It’s a phrase that’s been tossed around in web development for many years, but it doesn’t mean anything these days. Why? Because people know how to scroll down a web page to see all the content  You’re scrolling down, right now, as you read this, and others will do the same on your site. So don’t try to cram everything at the top of your web pages. Okay?

SEO Speedwagon

I tried to make a pun based on a band that was famous in the 80s. Did it work? No? Moving on.

Search Engine Optimization, SEO to its friends, is something we’ve talked about on this blog before. To recap, it’s a marketing strategy in which certain words, or keywords, are used in the content of a web site in order to make that site more visible to search engine users. You know the drill about SEO, I won’t bore you with the details again. I will say this, though: using SEO won’t hurt your site, unless you misuse it. Which you won’t, because you know that well-written, relevant content is what’s most important, and that creating content your customers find engaging and helpful, while being mindful of including focused keywords in your titles and meta descriptions, is what will make your SEO attempts successful.

Social media is not a silver bullet

Like SEO, social media is a tool that can help spread the word about your business. But it’s not a sure-fire way to achieve your goals. You know what is? Having a good product, and believing in that product. If you believe in your product, your customers will believe in your product, and they will want to share that product with others. This is where social media comes in to play. You want to engage with your customers – thank them for telling others about you and your business, and let them know that you’re listening and willing to help if they have a problem or concern. But again: don’t get caught up worrying about whether or not you should be pinning more things to your Pinterest page. Focus on your core product. Once it sings, social media will amplify that song (yes, you may go ahead and have your aunt Gertie  stitch that on a throw pillow for you).

These suggestions are pretty much tongue in cheek, but I will leave you with something worthwhile: Your website will not suck as long as you stay true to your message. Whatever motivates you to do what you do in life, as long as you put that out there, your customers will respond to it. Just ask REO Speedwagon, who continue to tour the country like bosses to this very day.