How to Have “The Talk” with a Website Owner
Whether you’re an SEO guru, a Search Engine Marketing strategic planner, a web design fan, or even just an average Joe, at some point in your life we’ve all been in this scenario:
Person 1: Hey, how goes it?
You: Oh, pretty good, you?
Person 1: Great! So, I read that my small business marketing can benefit greatly from a killer website and SEO campaign, and I made this website in Microsoft Word, check it out!
And that’s when you see it, as if it were a throwback to the very pioneers of web design. Scattered color scheme, horrible graphics, gaudy Flash elements, animated GIFs, etc. Your stomach turns as you struggle to keep your lunch down. You open your mouth to express your displeasure, but you see the person’s enthusiastic smile, awaiting your approval, and you lose the heart to tell them.
After all, they’re on the right track. A website is a necessity for small business marketing, but the website looks terrible. How do you convey this without curbing their enthusiasm? Try this:
“Well, when a business owner and an idea love each other very much, they sometimes have something we call a website. You may have seen a lot of other people deciding to have a website as well, but a website is something to be taken seriously. A website comes with a lot of responsibility, you know. You have to consider things like safe coding for SEO, managing monthly Search Engine Marketing campaigns, usability research, pay-per-clicks, and that’s just the beginning. Don’t get me wrong, a website can be a very beautiful thing between an idea and a business owner, but it has to be done correctly. An irresponsibly created website can lead to poorly transmitted ideas, unwanted visitors, and a bad reputation for your business.”
…okay, well, maybe not that exactly. But, the point is there, and it draws parallels to similar conversations. It’s never an easy thing to tell someone that their website is horrible, or even lackluster, but it’s necessary if they’re ever to improve their website.
A well designed website is a boon to any business. It can provide a starting point for effective SEO, Search Engine Marketing campaigns, Customer Relationship Management, and provide crucial online marketing feedback that can grow your business. A poorly designed website will utterly defame your image and hurt your sales. Not only is it visually displeasing, but it conveys ignorance on the business owner’s part.
The bottom line is that you need to let the people know if their online presence is lacking. The easiest way to do this? Tell them that a business owner knows that it’s a smart idea to hire a professional web designer. It won’t make the talk any more comfortable, but at least you won’t have to do it!