There are loads and loads of myths floating out there on the good ol’ interwebs when it comes to creating a website… all of which would likely take me an entire lifetime to cover in one blog post. So, how about we start with just three of them!
In this blog post I’m clearing up 3 common myths/misconceptions about creating a website that, if taken at face value, can be highly detrimental to business!
MYTH: Having a website will immediately improve your business
A common misconception is that when you officially launch your website and excitedly share it with the world, the riches will immediately begin pouring in. Sadly, I have to be the Debbie Downer and inform you that this rarely happens.
More realistically what will happen is: you’ll launch and share your website, you’ll receive a bunch of encouraging and supportive messages/comments (yayy for supportive friends and fam!), and then once the launch high and excitement dies down… your bank account will be left wondering when it is going to see the love.
To make an oversimplified generalization: simply having a website will do almost nothing for your business. You cannot simply create and launch a website and expect its existence to do anything for your business – because it won’t. I apologize for being the bearer of bad news 😔
FACT: Having a website can help improve your business, and very quickly, but only IF you have a strategic, consistent launch and promotion plan in place.
In order to see the best possible success with your website, make sure you have a launch and promotion plan in place. Knowing what role your website will play in your business as a whole will help you to determine how you can most effectively get eyes on it.
The best possible way of leveraging your website to improve your business is by promoting it. And “promoting” your website doesn’t have to be salesy – but it MUST be done. You cannot expect people to magically find your website without you telling them about it. If you want people to land on your website and possibly become a client/customer, you have to TELL them that your website exists.
Related Post: How to Promote Your Website Without Feeling Salesy
MYTH: With DIY platforms easily available, hiring a professional is a waste of money
With DIY website platforms such as Squarespace, Wix, and Weebly – it’s easier than ever before to build your own website. However, just because you can DIY your website, doesn’t mean you should.
Trust me when I say that I am NOT a website designer who’s going strut around telling every business owner that the only way to create a website is to hire a professional – because that’d be a big ol’ greedy line of crap!
While I do believe that an awesome web designer is worth their weight in gold, I also recognize that not everyone has a budget made of gold – thus the appeal for DIYing your website.
That being said, ballin’ on a budget is about the only scenario when I’d encourage you to DIY your website. And if you do decide to DIY, consider purchasing a website template made by a professional rather than starting from scratch on your own.
Sure, DIY platforms give you the ability to drag-and-drop pictures and text to physically build a web page. But what they don’t provide is any knowledge, expertise, or strategy regarding website design, nor are they able to understand YOUR business and YOUR goals – all of which are 100% necessary for creating a website that actually works.
FACT: A knowledgeable website designer doesn’t just build pretty pages.
I know on the surface it may seem like that’s all that goes into it, but underneath all the pretty colors and pictures is a very specific strategy, a thorough understanding of user experience, in-depth knowledge for integrating other platforms into your website (social media, contact forms, opt-ins, booking calendars, payment gateways, etc), and proper implementation of website best practices.
With all of this in mind, I just want to reiterate that just because you can DIY your website, doesn’t mean you should. If it’s at all possible to work it into your budget – I highly recommend hiring someone (ehem… a professional, not your college roommate’s “techy” cousin) so you know with complete confidence that your website will work FOR your business, not against it.
Related Post: 6 Things to Look for When Hiring a Website Designer
MYTH: Any website is better than no website at all
Ooof! This is a dangerous one!
Yes, having a website for your business can be SO, so powerful. A well-made website shows the world that you mean business, and is an excellent place to showcase alllll that you have to offer.
However, not all websites are created equally.
While a beautifully designed and strategically laid out website will make your business look super legit AND positively affect business, just having any old website will guarantee neither of these. In fact, in some instances a website could do more damage than good.
FACT: A poorly designed website can be more harmful to your business than if you didn’t have a website at all.
Your website is a reflection of your business, and a low quality website gives people a similar impression of your business’ products/services.
If you’re feeling embarrassed, uncertain, or wishy-washy about your website… you might be guilty of having a website that’s bad for biz. If this is the case, you have 3 options:
- Hire a website designer
- Invest in a professionally designed website template, and use it to overhaul your website
- Take your website down and go website-less* to avoid further damage in the meantime. Then begin budgeting for either Option 1 or Option 2 above.
*Of course if your website is absolutely vital for the operation of your business (i.e. you use it daily for scheduling, payments, client portal, other) then taking it down may not be an option.
If this is the case, I encourage you to reallllly make a point of bumping “redo website” up on your to-do list, because a poorly designed website can (and will!) give people the wrong impression of your business, and I just KNOW that you’ve worked too freaking hard for that.
So let’s have a brief recap…
FACT: Having a website will NOT immediately improve your business. A website can help improve your business quickly, but if you want fast results you’ll need a strategic, consistent launch and promotion plan in place.
FACT: Just because you can DIY your website, doesn’t mean you should. If you’re on a tight budget, go for it! But if you can work a designer into your plans, the work of a kickass website designer will pay for itself tenfold.
FACT: Any website is not always better than no website. A bad website can have a larger negative impact on your business than if you had no website at all. Make sure your website isn’t bad for biz, and if it is – make it a priority to fix it!
With lots of misconceptions out there, I hope that this quick myth debunking post will help you to have more confidence in how to best use your website to make a big (and positive!) impact on your business, and most importantly – on your life!
