If you are interested in building your very own paving or sealcoating business on your own, you will want to develop an online presence. Knowing what should you avoid when developing a search-optimized website will help you outperform your competition while you work toward establishing the name of your business online and off. Because cultivating an online presence is more important than ever today, knowing what should you avoid when developing a search-optimized website is one of the most important factors to keep in mind before you get started on your next venture.
Poorly Designed Website Layouts
Whether you intend to provide commercial paving services or concrete repair to local homeowners, one of the most important aspects of what should you avoid when developing a search-optimized website includes poorly designed layouts and templates. Choosing the right look for your site will set the tone for how others see, view, and interpret your brand. If your website’s layout appears clunky, outdated in terms of graphics, and does not function properly on a user’s device, they will likely immediately go elsewhere for the information or products they are seeking.
Poorly designed websites will immediately increase your site’s bounce rate. A bounce rate is the percentage of users who leave a website upon visiting its homepage or another landing page they were initially directed to from a third-party website. If your website does not appear modern, easily accessible, and relevant, it will become increasingly difficult to retain the attention of your visitors while also garnering their trust and loyalty over time. When it comes to designing a website, you only have one opportunity to make a positive impression when selling products or building a brand.
Tips for Creating a Great Website Layout
Spend time researching your top competitors to get a feel for the type of website and layout they have created. Compare navigation menus and the content that is promoted on the websites of your competitors. Taking time to immerse yourself in the world of paving and sealcoating websites will help you quickly learn what type of layout works best to appeal to your own intended audience.
Once you have a basic idea of a website layout in mind, you can then begin working with a professional developer or designer. Working with a professional designer and developer is a way to streamline the process of building a layout from scratch. You can also share a variety of elements to help expedite the process of creating the exact website you envision.
Bloated, Slow-Loading Websites
Whether you represent a paving company or you intend to work as an independent paver and contractor, your website should always load as fast as possible. When it comes to knowing what should you avoid when developing a search-optimized website, bloated, slow-loading websites are never a good idea. Testing your website before launching it and going live to the public will also help you determine if you need further optimization of your layout coding or the type of content you are sharing on each individual page.
Slow-loading, bloated websites will not only increase your website’s bounce rate, but they will make it difficult for users to navigate your site or find the information they are looking for, including products or services they intend to purchase. If a user is unable to click links on your website or if your site requires more than a few seconds to load, you may find yourself losing prospective customers increasingly over time. Optimizing and enhancing your site’s loading time is the only way to improve how your visitors see your site and interpret your brand’s image.
Outdated, Grainy, Unappealing Imagery
When it comes to establishing a business or brand online for local paving contractors or even as an asphalt sealcoating company, graphics and imagery matter. While some business owners may not feel that graphics and high-resolution photography make a difference when it comes to promoting a local company, this could not be further from the truth. Anytime you are building a brand or business and want to do so online, you will need an online presence that is modern, attractive, and relevant to your prospective customers and clients.
Websites that include outdated, grainy, or irrelevant imagery may find it much more challenging to gain the trust of users or to generate leads and ultimately, sales. Because the use of the internet has evolved into highly advanced artistic mediums, imagery is more important than ever when building and expanding brands today. Working with a professional designer can help you choose a logo and branding colors that are optimal for the services you intend to provide in your current region or area.
Creating a Website That is Not Mobile-Friendly or Responsive
Unfortunately, if you create a website that is not mobile-friendly or responsive, you will find it difficult to promote your parking lot paving service or any sealcoating solutions and packages you currently offer. Mobile-friendly and responsive websites will not only load fast and properly when using traditional web browsers, but they will also load quickly and with a responsive layout for anyone who is browsing your site with the use of a smartphone, laptop, or even a tablet device, regardless of the operating system they are currently using and have in place.
Today, more online users than ever access the internet with alternate devices aside from traditional desktop computers. This is why it is imperative to ensure that your SEO-optimized website is also designed with responsiveness and mobile-friendly techniques in mind. The more responsive and mobile-friendly your website is, the easier it will be to maximize your reach online and off.
Launching a Website With Poor UI and UX
Building a website is about more than just providing users with accurate and useful information. Today, the experience of visiting a website matters. Launching a website with poor UI (User Interface) and UX (User Experience), can be bad news for your business or your role as a local professional. Taking the design of your website seriously will have a significant impact on how others interpret your brand, even if you are a new player in an industry or region near you.
A website, when designed properly, should not only be inviting and relevant, but also easily accessible. When you are building a website, consider how your users will find their way around and how they will go about discovering content, products, and services that they currently need. A well-designed website should also include an in-depth sitemap, making it even easier for various search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo! to virtually crawl your website over time with digital spiders.
Improper Coding and Formatting
Another factor of what should you avoid when developing a search-optimized website includes improper coding and formatting. If you launch a website to the public that is not properly formatted or coded, you run the risk of your website being displayed improperly or even exposing potential vulnerabilities of your website to online hackers and thieves. Always ensure that the coding and formatting of your website are up to today’s standards before you test and launch your site to the public.
You can ensure that your website’s coding and formatting are up to today’s standards by running different tests on your site if you are familiar with the process yourself. You can also opt to work with professional developers and designers to streamline the task. Professional developers and designers can inspect each individual page of your website to determine any vulnerabilities or areas that require reworking before your website is ready for the world.
Lack of White-Hat SEO
A lack of white-hat SEO is what should you avoid when developing a search-optimized website, especially if you are determined to spread the word about your business online and with the use of traditional engines. White-hat SEO includes tactics that are not only approved by local search engines, but encouraged. If you are spamming keywords, phrases, and AI-generated blog posts onto your site repeatedly, this may be considered a ‘black hat’ SEO technique. These techniques are not typically permitted by search engines and can result in permanent bans from being listed or visible in search engines altogether.
If you are not familiar with white-hat SEO, consider working with an SEO specialist or company near you. Companies that specialize in search engine optimization know which techniques are permitted and which are not useful or helpful in growing an online brand. Additionally, specialists who work with SEO will also avoid using any black hat techniques that may result in the permanent banning or deletion of your website’s URL from today’s top search engines.
Targeting Improper Keywords and Irrelevant Search Terms
When you are working as a concrete contractor and offering concrete driveway, you will need to target the right keywords and phrases as you work to establish an official online presence for yourself. Targeting improper keywords and irrelevant search terms is absolutely what should you avoid when developing a search-optimized website, regardless of the market or industry you work in and represent. Targeting irrelevant keywords or phrases that are not typically searched by your intended audience or clientele is not only a way to waste your own time, but your money when it comes to SEO investments.
Anytime you are thinking of creating a website for the paving or sealcoating business you have in mind, it is imperative to immerse yourself in the market, both online and off. Researching relevant phrases, keywords, and even upcoming trends can help you to create a winning marketing strategy, especially if you are new to a town or region. Taking your time to get involved with paving and sealcoating communities online can also help guide you in the right direction once it is time to build and promote your online presence.
Working With Inexperienced Web Designers and Developers
Attempting to create a website on your own without any experience is what should you avoid when developing a search-optimized website. This is especially true if you are serious about generating sales and leads with your paving or sealcoating company. Attempting to build a website without experience can be disastrous, at first. It is also important not to hire inexperienced web designers and developers if you are creating a website for commercial use, rather than personal access.
One of the best ways to ensure your website is developed properly is to do so by hiring the right web designers and developers. A professional and experienced web designer will assess your needs, present you with different layout styles and options, and walk you through every step of the way once they begin establishing an online presence for your business and brand. Working with a professional web designer and developer is also a way for you to protect your website’s coding integrity, reducing the risk of vulnerabilities once your website is live for the public to see and access.
Advantages of Professional Web Designers
Hiring a professional web designer and developer is a way to stay ahead of the latest design trends when you are in the process of establishing an online presence for your company and the services you provide. Professional web developers and designers will also have portfolios to showcase the work they have completed in the past for their own clients. Reviewing portfolios of web developers and designers will help you to choose a company or service provider that shares the same vision as you, especially when it comes to building a thriving paving or sealcoating business. Working with a developer or designer who has a record of assisting commercial clients near you can go a long way in ensuring a successful outcome.
Creating a website an online presence for your paving or sealcoating business should not be extremely overwhelming once you are familiar with what should you avoid when developing a search-optimized website. The more you know about what should you avoid when developing a search-optimized website, the easier it will be for you to create and launch a homepage that is as appealing as possible to your target audience. Taking the time to understand the importance of search engine optimization, or SEO, can ultimately mean the difference between failure and finding massive success as a professional paver or sealcoating expert today.
