Was I too hasty? I don’t think so. People at the early stage of research think like I do. Qualifying vendors via website URLs is a grind, and the primary aim is to reduce one’s (often very large) consideration set to manageable proportions, making any excuse to shorten the list welcome.
Web marketers exhibiting behaviors listed on the list below should cease and regroup. Each of these alienating behaviors is caused by a serious disconnect between the intent of the site owner/webmaster/brand, and the expectation of a reasonably discerning site visitor. Here are a bunch of content mistakes reflecting this disconnect. I see many of these each day; you probably do too.
1. Clip art that everybody else uses
All my competitors use this junk. Who the heck is going to notice?
I suspected your firm lacked imagination. Thanks for confirming it. Next!
2. Social share buttons with zero shares
This cute widget will make it super-easy for folks to share our great content. Cool!
You couldn’t manage to convince even ONE member of your own staff to Like your own page? Next!
3. No navigation links on landing page
Classical Inbound Marketing Theory holds that we should never let people be distracted away from clicking on our Call-To-Action button.
I’m trapped in a Roach Motel. Help!
4. Blog entries older than 1 month
MediaPost says that blogging is no longer cool. Besides, I keep my Facebook and Twitter feeds active because my best customers are there.
Either this company is being sold or they’ve run out of things to say. Either way, I’m outta here.
5. Talking, animated humanoid avatars
This cool thing will distinguish us from the competition and show we’re on the cutting edge.
What’s Jim Carrey doing on your home page?
6. Home page copy mentioning “Optimization,” “Conversion,” or “Marketing” more than three times
Next stop: top placement on the Google SERP!
Next stop: Google’s Manual Penalty box if I become a client.
7. No Privacy Policy Statement
No one reads this boilerplate privacy junk. It’s only there because Legal says it has to be there.
“Google’s merchant policy regards a Privacy Policy as an essential element on any site fit for e-commerce. Isn’t this company supposed to know more than I do? Next!
8. Newest press release is from 2013
Very few people peruse our press area anyway. I sure don’t.
You haven’t done anything noteworthy in two and a half years? Next!
9. Date stamp not current year
No one aside from search bots reads below the fold (I have the numbers to prove it!).
I wonder about what ELSE is wrong with this company? Next!
10. Auto-play anything
What’s the harm?
Where’s the mute?
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