10 Ways to Sabotage Your Website Traffic and Send Visitors Packing

If you're running a website or online business, your number one goal should be to build traffic. The following are ten ways to drive traffic away from your site. Make sure you aren't making these mistakes.

1. Links Open in the Same Window: If links to other sites don't open in a new window, then you are giving your traffic away. Don't expect site visitors to use the "Back" button or remember where they started. Once they're gone, they are most likely gone for good.

2. No Free Content: Sites that are pure sales pitches are missing the boat. You need to establish credibility with your site visitors and give them a reason to come back. Simply displaying the internet equivalent of an informercial gives your visitors little chance to get to know you-and many people will need to be exposed to your site a number of times before buying. Offer articles, links, statistics, and other useful information.

3. Poor Design: You don't have to be a professional web designer to have a quality site. You can purchase an inexpensive template to give your site a uniform and professional appearance.

4. Useless Newsletter: If you don't already have a newsletter, you should. This is an effective and inexpensive way to market your business. Your newsletter MUST provide information your subscribers want. The best newsletters give free tips and advice-and lots of it. You want your subscribers to enjoy receiving your content and to pass it on to a friend. Survey your readers and ask for feedback. Find out what they want and then figure out how to deliver.

5. Difficult to Subscribe: You should be asking your visitors to sign up for your newsletter or e-zine and make it easy for them to do so. Every single page in your site should provide the opportunity to subscribe. Archiving copies of your newsletter also allows visitors the chance to try before they buy. If your newsletter is good enough, subscribers will be in abundance.

6. Weak "About" Info: Too many websites either don't have an "About Us" page or have one with minimal information. Not only is this page a tool to establish credibility with your customers, it's a way the media can learn more about your business.

7. Lacking Contact Info: Similar to the "About Us" page, the "Contact Us" page needs to be as thorough as possible. If you don't include a mailing address or location information, site visitors may question your credibility. If you don't have a commercial location, you can rent a post office box. You may never even receive mail there, but at least you will be accessible.

8. Too Much Advertising: You want your site to sell, but you will drive potential customers away by advertising too heavily. Avoid becoming a banner farm and balance quality content with related advertising.

9. Using a Hit Counter: There is absolutely no reason to provide a hit counter on your site. Why advertise your site traffic to everyone when you can obtain the statistics through your hosting provider?

10. Broken Links: Not only do broken links hurt your website rankings when crawled by the search engines, but they frustrate visitors. If you provide a lot of links on your site it can be difficult to keep up with them. Make a point of testing your links on a regular basis and let your visitors help you by including an option on each page to "Report a Broken Link."

If your site is guilty of any of the above offenses, then it's time to act. Evaluate the web sites you visit and notice which sites look very professional and which sites need help. Virtually anyone can run a successful website by being resourceful and avoiding these mistakes.

Stephanie Chandler is the author of "The Business Startup Checklist and Planning Guide: Seize Your Entrepreneurial Dreams!" and the founder of http://www.BusinessInfoGuide.com, a directory of free resources for entrepreneurs. Subscribe to the newsletter to receive hot small business tips and resources by sending an email to newsletter@BusinessInfoGuide.com.

---

Why Use Professional Web Site Designers For Your Next Web Development Project?

Probably you know someone who has created a web site... Read More

How To Shop for a Web Design Firm?

While few companies can boast as we do that our... Read More

5 Instant Tips for More Online Sales

Even after you've managed to bring traffic to your site... Read More

Website Design For Small Businesses

There are many different website design companies, offering different facilities... Read More

Web Page Building for Beginners 4

Page ranking by search engines such as Google are not... Read More

Good Content Pays!

Traffic to a site can be a blessing or a... Read More

Creating a Favicon

Once, I attempted to create a favicon (the little graphic... Read More

Creating a Compelling Headline for Your Private Practice Website

Your home page is the most important page of your... Read More

Designing Beautiful Artist Websites ? 12 Tips To Showcase Your Art

1. Who needs an artists website?Not everyone! If you are... Read More

Tips on How to Design a Great Site

Have you ever walked pass a shop that, for some... Read More

6 Reasons Why Web Templates Are Todays Trend

As the Internet blooms at an alarming rate, so as... Read More

Custom Web Site Design Strategies

Web site design has certainly, in the past decade, evolved... Read More

Web Advertising: 10 Little Known Tricks To Help Convert Your Traffics To Buying Customers

You may not believe it, but people still judge things... Read More

Bad Design Characteristics For A Website

Making a poorly designed website is one of the easiest... Read More

Maximising Web Site Viewability - Browsers

With so many different configurations internet users have their computers... Read More

Building Your First Web Site?

Before doing anything on the technical side, you need some... Read More

Sell Yourself First...Your Key To More Sales

Selling on the internet is a challenge. There is no... Read More

Speed Up Or Lose Out! How To Improve Your Websites Download Speed

So your web site's online and you've got high rankings... Read More

What Content to Publish on Your Website

Many businesses want a simple website where they tell people... Read More

Web Design Advice And Information

Most of us at times need advice on different aspects... Read More

The Secrets of The Shriekers

I am constantly bombarded with all sorts of advertisements, single-page... Read More

7 Ways of Building Customers Trust With Your Web Site

When I purchase something from a web site I first... Read More

Website Savvy: 10 Key Steps to Turn Your Customers ON!

"How to turn "slightly interested" customers into "I've got to... Read More

Web Site Design Mistakes ? Database Parameters In URLs

Creating a web site takes thought, planning and execution. Unfortunately,... Read More

Web Marketing: Design Mistakes That Drive Customers Away In Droves

They may look cutting edge, but if you want a... Read More

Flash Doesnt Always Add Shine to Web Efforts

The trend today to overuse animation in a website's opening... Read More

Put Up A Website And Start Promoting In About An Hour

I can't figure out people who have products or information... Read More

How To Make It Easy For Your Web Designer To Build Your Website

You have an idea for a website and you are... Read More

How To Choose The Right Web Design Company

1. Size does not equate to competencePeople sometimes assume a... Read More

Developing An Effective Physical Therapy Web Site

Physical therapists have unique web presence needs. An effective site... Read More

Build It And Build It Cheap!

There are several very good reasons why you should consider... Read More

6 Tips To Improve Your Business Website

There are six important characteristics that can play a major... Read More

A Landing Page is Not an Order Page (and why it matters)

To explain my point I need to first confuse the... Read More