April 12, 2006 Comments
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Avoid errors of all types, no matter how small they seem.
Typographical errors and broken links hurt a site's credibility more than most people imagine. It's also important to keep your site up and running.
We all make mistakes. The worst are the little things that are often overlooked but easily correctable. Before publishing new content on your website, take a few extra minutes to run the content through a spell check program. Even if you've made only a few minor edits, don't assume that you don't need to double check your work.
Just like any other form of medium, it's best to get a third party to proof read your site's content. Undoubtedly, they'll find something you missed even after several proof reads of your own.
Aside from spelling and grammar, you should check your site regularly for broken links. Allowing visitors to find broken links on your site is just another way of letting them know that your site is outdated or that you might not have the proper infrastructure to handle their needs. This is as good of a reason as any to leave and purchase from a competitor instead.
Regularly check your site for broken links. There are plenty of online tools that will spider your site and give you a broken link report quickly. Even if you have not made changes to your site in a while, running a broken link check will identify links to external pages which may have changed or been relocated. Regular checks will ensure that all links, both internal and external, are completely functional.
When it comes to credibility, you can't have too much of it. Like trust, credibility takes time to earn but can be lost with the smallest of errors. Do your best to create a website that speaks to your visitor's needs and gives them a good user experience. Credibility won't come instantaneously, but the more you provide to enhance that the more business you'll be able to generate.
Discuss this article in the Small Business Ideas forum.
Stoney deGeyter is the President of Pole Position Marketing, a leading search engine optimization and marketing firm helping businesses grow since 1998. Stoney is a frequent speaker at website marketing conferences and has published hundreds of helpful SEO, SEM and small business articles.
If you'd like Stoney deGeyter to speak at your conference, seminar, workshop or provide in-house training to your team, contact him via his site or by phone at 866-685-3374.
Stoney pioneered the concept of Destination Search Engine Marketing which is the driving philosophy of how Pole Position Marketing helps clients expand their online presence and grow their businesses. Stoney is Associate Editor at Search Engine Guide and has written several SEO and SEM e-books including E-Marketing Performance; The Best Damn Web Marketing Checklist, Period!; Keyword Research and Selection, Destination Search Engine Marketing, and more.
Stoney has five wonderful children and spends far too much of his free time watching TV. He is also a master of useless trivia and obscure movie quotes.
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