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Knowledge Centre

Sometimes, while sorting out your Web presence, it’s too easy to concentrate on the big things – domain names, design, colour scheme, pictures – to the detrime nt of the simple touches. For a small business looking to level the playing field with the big boys, there are some basic errors guaranteed to send your visitors running back to Google. So avoid the following like the plague

Having no contact details on your site makes you look unprofessional: include a telephone number and, if possible, a postal address, so prospective customers can see you're a reputable business.

Make it clear straight away what type of business you are – avoid jargon and provide a simple statement, such as “London’s number one furniture restorers” 

Keep your front page uncluttered – make it clear where to go for separate pages on key information, but don’t give visitors too much to look at, too soon.

Keep your site updated regularly, especially the front page. Even if your products or prices haven’t changed, add some new photos or latest news to keep things fresh. Try a new colour scheme or a different font every couple of years for a fresh coat of paint.

If you remove pages, make sure you also remove all references to them, to avoid “dead” links. If you link to external sites, check they still work on a regular basis.

Make sure you include prices on your site, just as you would in a catalogue: if people have to call or email to find out prices, many will shop elsewhere.

If you’re offering online purchasing, always use a secure server: it shows you take security seriously.

Always spellcheck everything that goes online – just as you would in an offline publication.