There are over 1.2 billion websites in the world, and it’s estimated that hundreds of new sites are created every single minute. It’s never been easier to get an online project off the ground. However, at the same time, it’s fair to say that the sheer number of sites out there means that getting noticed on the web and making a success of a new online business is far from straightforward.
If you’re looking to launch a new online project, there are some pitfalls you must negotiate so your site doesn’t get lost in the ether and fail to gain any momentum. It’s also important not to skip over things that could cause problems for you later if the site is successful.
With that in mind, here are five tempting shortcuts that you must avoid taking if you want success for your new site(s):
- Using a free “site builder” domain
It’s now so easy to build a website that a novice could have one launched in a day. Site-building tools like Weebly and Wix allow you to churn out a site that looks perfectly acceptable with no coding knowledge.
While there’s nothing wrong with using a platform like this for a starter site, what should be avoided is using a free domain name (something like www.yoursitename.weebly.com), just for the sake of saving the tiny amount of money it costs to register a proper domain. People will notice this cost cutting from a mile away, and fail to take your online business very seriously.
- Buying in cheap content
Research suggests that the majority of users spend just eight seconds on a website before they go elsewhere. This means content needs to be snappy and effective. Tempting though it may be to hire cheap writers to churn out articles so that a site can launch quickly, this is a false economy and a shortcut to avoid.
- Not taking security seriously
If your site or web application is going to process customer data, a data breach is a surefire way to compromise your business. Tempting thought it may be to avoid thinking about this, there are certain things you shouldn’t skimp on, such as implementing a web application firewall to protect against common online threats. These include SQL injection attacks, one of the most common security threats.
Customer data needs to be protected in order to safeguard your reputation, and the time to get protection mechanisms in place is before the business gains momentum, not after! Thankfully, implementing a firewall is simpler and far more affordable than one might assume.
- Forgetting about backups
With cybercriminals, the world over constantly looking at ways to compromise websites, and even the most fastidious individuals prone to making occasional mistakes, backups that can be quickly restored in the event of a problem are a must.
Unfortunately, plenty of webmasters doesn’t realise their backup provision is inadequate until the worst happens. Often the rudimentary backups offered as standard by web hosting firms don’t allow for particularly fast restores, so it’s well worth investing in a third-party solution to keep things running with minimal disturbance.
- Allowing sloppy practices
In the hustle to get a new business off the ground, it’s easy to forget things like installing updates to plug-ins or ensuring everyone is using a secure password. But you will leave your site vulnerable if these things are neglected so there should be a plan for these routine tasks right from the start.
Avoiding these pitfalls can go a long way towards maximising a new website project’s chance of success. Thankfully with a little consideration, they can be easy to avoid.
