I tell people the virtues of getting a website built in WordPress, the ever increasing popular blogging platform, all the time.
Now, WordPress is an open source platform, you can get a basic template for free. There is a huge community behind it, developing and supporting it and you can get a basic blog with a more functional template set up for not a lot of money. The community of ‘techies’ are so passionate about this stuff they’re continually adding to the plug ins (tools that perform certain website functions) and improving the features and functionality of WordPress.
Like I say to anyone who’ll listen, with WordPress, it’ll be the only and last website your business will need.
It will help grow your business but here’s the big thing, it will grow with your business.
If it’s set up right! Like any business model there’s always copy cats.
Just in the last week I have found 4 websites that had so much potential. Trouble is, you get the basics wrong and you might as well try and push poo up hill, they’ll never do well. Ever!
It doesn’t matter how hard these business owners try and struggle, and struggle they will, these sites will never rank well or even come close to soaring in the search engines.
It does my head in! And here’s the ironic thing. They actually look great, graphically they’re gorgeous (well, 2 are, I’ll show them to you shortly).
And to add salt to the wound for the actual business owner, they’ll probably never know that structurally, they are flawed.
But it’s all in the detail, and the structure. I’m not going to go techy on you here but if you don’t get the fundamentals right from the get go, well, good luck with making it do well. Plus I can’t tell you my trade secrets or I’d have to maim you.
It’s like getting your business logo and branding package redone by an accomplished graphics designer, looks great and tells the world exactly what you do in a powerful way! And you then get the sign writer to do your shop front signage in water based paints so you can save a few bucks.
That would be dumb right?
But I see it all the time. Your website is your on-line marketing machine, working 24/7 for you. It’s a primary business building tool in your arsenal of marketing weapons. Well, it should be.
It’s your direct connection to the next gig or client and $$$ in the bank. You should never view it as an expense but an investment.
Anyway, enough of my whinge.
So here is the expose on these sites. This is not to bag the builders or the business owners but just to prove and show that you can have a good looking site but it won’t rank well or make you any money. Just like a broken ATM, no cash, sorry. No reflection on the builders, I know one of them personally but if you don’t know what you don’t know then you can’t get it right. (Anyway, worst case scenario, they’ll get some free traffic)
http://rockylandscapes.com.au
http://www.offsureproperty.com – (This site is the soundest but still flawed)
http://safetyswitchexpert.com.au – (This site uses off-line marketing to drive traffic on-line, just as well)
Now remember, these sites are fairly new so I know there is still content to come. That’s not what I’m talking about, this is whether the site will fair well in the search engine wars and how it will rank and will it stand the test of time. I spotted minimum of 7 fundamental flaws in each site, one had umpteen (that’s a lot).
Anyway, no call to action here, just venting my frustrations on what I see is a growing problem.
Not getting a professional to do the job right from the get go. Save money? Hardly, if it doesn’t make you any!!!
Focus on your strengths in building your business and your mission or call.
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