One of my job responsibilities is to review websites — clients’ sites, client’s competitors’ sites, and so on. I’ve noticed that many sites are plagued with minor copy issues, inconsistencies and navigation problems.
There are small, inconsistencies, such as fonts and sizes changing throughout paragraphs, as well as bigger inconsistencies. Bigger inconsistencies are ones that can effect whether or not visitors choose to take the actions you’d like them to take, like making a purchase or contacting you for more information.
An example: your company builds websites, yet your own website is outdated or seems thrown together. If a potential client finds your website confusing and frustrating, they probably won’t ask you to build their site.
Another example from my web travels: a site promotes copywriting services, but has significant spelling and/or grammatical errors. Even if you’re not a writer or editor, spelling and grammar errors are a big turn-off to many site visitors.
With so many other websites just a mouse-click away, your site must make a good first-impression. You want your visitors to feel comfortable on the first page they encounter, as you likely will not get a second chance. Don’t let site inconsistencies or other errors cause uncertainty in your visitors’ minds.
