The Most Common Website Mistakes You Should Avoid
Creating and maintaining a website is a huge undertaking. Whether you have created a blog or run a large company with a thriving eCommerce site, it’s essential that you take into account best website practices to make sure your site is as efficient and user-friendly as possible. A lot of common mistakes happen during the website setup process. At this time, the site is built, hosting services are selected, and you pick your site domain name. As you focus on creating and maintaining your site, be aware of some common pitfalls that cause sites to be inefficient.
Picking the Incorrect Hosting Service
Mistake number one is picking an incorrect or incompatible hosting service for your site. Every site published on the internet must be hosted by a third-party hosting service. While there are many hosting services out there, not all are equal. Don’t be tempted by low prices and seemingly excellent deals. Sometimes the best hosting services might not necessarily be the cheapest option. Read reviews online about real customer experience with various hosting services. Also, word of mouth is often the best way to find a compatible hosting service. Ask friends or coworkers who have created their own sites and get opinions about their hosting service. Whether you are creating a website for the first time or have been maintaining a site for years, it’s important to pay attention to some of the common website mistakes and how to avoid them.
Once you pick the website hosting company, the next step is choosing the type of hosting platform that will work for your site and business. For example, a shared hosting platform is perfect for smaller sites that don’t demand dedicated resources and a large amount of space. On the other hand, complex sites filled with data should consider a VPS or dedicated hosting server, which provides more personalized space and customization options. An experienced and high-quality hosting company will take the time to learn about your business, discuss hosting options, and make a recommendation based on what they see as best for the overall growth of your site. Also, keep in mind that the platform you choose isn’t a permanent decision. As your business and website grow, you can upgrade to a more dedicated server option to continue serving the needs of your website visitors and making your site experience as easy and seamless as possible.
Forgetting to Renew Your Domain
Did you know domains can be registered for anywhere from 1-10 years? Once your registration period is over, you have to renew your domain in order to keep it under your ownership. If you forget to renew, your domain becomes open and free for the taking by anyone else looking to create a site. Sadly, there are people out there who prowl the internet, waiting for site domains to expire, hoping owners forget to renew. The minute the owner misses renewal, the domain will be stolen. Sometimes domains are even held at ransom! For example, someone might take the domain once it expires and then demand thousands of dollars before they hand it back over to you. Remembering to renew your domain each year is not too difficult. Just add it to your calendar with a notification so that you don’t forget. Have a domain that expires every ten years? This proves to be a bit more of a challenge. Work with an experienced web developer or hosting service who can help remind you of when the time comes to renew your domain name to avoid losing it.
Slacking on Website Updates
Once the website is created, your work is far from over! All websites need to be updated! As things change and technology further develops, website platforms like WordPress and Shopify will make changes. In order to make sure your site is still compatible, you will need to do at least monthly updates. For example, plugins on WordPress are constantly being updated. Sometimes after an update, the plugin will no longer be compatible with your theme and will stop working. Frequently updating your site will prevent the issue of things breaking and your site becoming unusable.
Failing to Look at Data
Last but not least, always analyze data coming from your site. Set up Google Analytics for a constant source of data. Check your data daily to ensure your site is still running as efficiently as possible. Data numbers like page load time and how long users are staying on the pages on your site before exiting is critical when analyzing overall site performance. If you notice your site is lagging and customers are quickly exiting, talk with your hosting services company about getting more resources and possibly moving to a dedicated hosting platform.
Many individuals and small businesses create their own websites without much knowledge of web development or website maintenance. Avoiding the above common mistakes is the first step to building a site that performs well and is user-friendly. Start by finding a hosting services company you can trust, such as Host For Web. At Host For Web, we help our clients find the best hosting solution for their businesses. Whether that’s a shared platform or a dedicated platform, we provide it all! Additionally, we offer key services like free migration assistance and 24/7/365 support. If you are in the process of creating your website or are just looking for a change in your hosting provider, contact Host For Web. We look forward to learning about your site and your business and how we can help you to expand and grow.
