It’s important to constantly maintain your website both on the backend and frontend for functionality, usability and Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Why even have a website if it’s not meeting today’s standards and visitor expectations? Having a high bounce rate with traffic navigating away from your site the moment they open it will significantly reduce your rankings. Wpexplorer.com covered an article breaking down 10 Possible Reasons Why Visitors Leave Your Website and it’s exactly what we look for when providing a site assessment.
1. Your site is too slow
2 seconds is all you got! No one has the patience to wait for a website to load, they will quickly move on if it’s longer than a few seconds.
2. Too many pop-ups
Most people have their pop-up blockers activated but allow actions through a trusted website. They aren’t suggesting you exclude pop-up plugins all together, just limit the use. When using them consider the following:
- “Engage readers with your content for a while before you flash a pop-up
- Always give them an easy-to-find option to dismiss the pop-up
- Hide pop-ups from returning visitors”
3. Your website isn’t mobile friendly
We can’t express this enough and have been sharing blogs on the topic you can catch up on here: Google Mobile First Indexing, Why You Need To Be Mobile Responsive, Google Changes the Rules for Mobile Pop-ups
4. Auto-playing audio/video on loading
No one appreciates unexpected audio when viewing a site, not being able to turn it off is even worse. If there’s a crucial video or audio piece that you would like your audience to view or hear, provide adequate direction on your site to encourage them to click at their leisure.
5. Your web design is more attractive than functional
Your website should effectively provide your visitors with the information they are looking for in a simplistic, easy to navigate design.
- “Keep up with modern trends that internet users are familiar with
- Be consistent in design across the entire website, without throwing up a surprise on each page
- Pay attention to fonts (skip the urge to add multiple typefaces), colors, white spaces and layout
- Keep text blocks small, an overcrowded page with loads of text is a sure way to send a visitor scurrying
- Use sliders only when relevant and keep advertisements to a reasonable number”
6. Your images are boring
Capture the attention of your visitors with quality visuals that are relevant to the message you are conveying through your site. Use stock images when needed but, that may not always be the optimal choice. If you are selling a product or service, images of your actual items are best. Hire a professional to obtain the quality images needed.
7. Content not up to the mark
Provide content that satisfies both the user and the search engines.
Repurposing Existing Content, Content and Keyword Density, Voice Search and Content Readability, Understand How to Maintain your Organic SEO
8. Your site navigation is lacking
“Is your website hard to navigate? Are visitors left wondering which button to click next after they reach your website? There goes another visitor, possibly never to return. Navigation on a website has to be intuitive, allowing visitors to find the content that they’re looking for easily within your website.”
9. Your site isn’t secure
The last thing you want is a new visitor to get an “unsecure” message when trying to open your site. Check out our Web Hosting Package.
10. What’s above the fold on your homepage?
When a visitor first views your website, is the content in front of them top priority? Are they immediately presented with the visuals and call to actions that will lead to optimal navigation through our site? 8 Key Features Every Homepage Should Have
