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7 BIG Reasons Why People Abandon Your Website

Man pointing gun at laptop because of bad websiteEvery business strives to make a favorable first impression with potential customers.  The good ones look for feedback and positive reactions to see what works so they can keep making a good impression.  In some cases, though, it’s the other reactions you get from your audience that should shape your future actions—especially in online marketing.

Obviously, if people don’t like the content you post to social media, don’t post it again.  In the same way, if your audience isn’t sticking around on your website (high bounce rate), take it to heart for future marketing.  Here are 10 of the most common reasons that your audience could be repulsed by your website (and what to do about it).

Your website is not mobile-friendly

What: With statistics putting American ownership of smart phones between 50% and 66% of the population, it makes cents (pun intended) to have a mobile-friendly website.  If they can’t read the text or take any action on your website, they are going to walk (or click in this case) away.

What you can learn from it: The investment into a mobile-friendly is worth it, especially with the number of mobile devices growing every year.  If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, it makes sense to hire a website company to create a more modern and user-friendly website as soon as possible.

Your website content isn’t readable

What: Big blocks of text.  Fluffy content.  Content that sounds like you swallowed an encyclopedia.  Irrelevant blocks of information that clearly weren’t meant for the audience.  The list of unreadable content blunders could go on and on.

What you can learn from it: When you write content for your site, put yourself in your reader’s shoes (and search engines-more info on writing for them here).  Write in short paragraphs that are easy to read—and with information your audience wants to know (or hire the professionals that can).

They are not impressed with the old design (not “old school” but “old”)

What: While vintage may be fashionable in other areas, old design just looks old.  If your website design looks like one of the first websites to hit the internet, people are going to look at it as outdated and behind the times—and leave.

What you can learn from it: When it comes to online, updated design is the name of the game.  You can make your website look like your other vintage marketing materials without making it look outdated.

They’re tired of waiting

What: Slow page speeds are one of the top reasons why visitors hit the back button.  In this age of instant gratification, they’re not going to wait for the content and graphics they want.  Statistics from KISS Metrics shows that the longer your users wait, the more are going to do the digital walk-away.

What you can learn from it: Test your website to make sure the page loads quickly (or hire a website company that does).

They are repulsed by annoying pop-ups

What: You may think that ‘repulsed’ is a strong word, but repulsed is the exact emotion many people feel about annoying pop-ups.  Pop-ups can be an incredibly effective way to collect e-mails or boost sales, but they can also have the opposite effect of making people leave.

What you can learn from it: Choose the pop-ups you add to your website, and the way they are displayed carefully.  Give your website visitors an easy way to opt out of the pop-ups, and monitor your bounce rate to see if your pop-up is driving more people away than retaining them.

Typos

What: A typo in your content may seem like a small thing, but amateur content can make a black mark in the favorable impression you’re trying to accomplish.  Amateur content makes you look like an amateur company.

What you can learn from it:  Check, check, and double check your content.  Make sure you work is checked by another party, or hire the professionals that do.

The images you use are “amateur” (to put it nicely)

What:  Your company is judged by the quality of your images on your website.  If you don’t have quality images, website visitors are going to think your service or product is as crummy as your website images.

What you can learn from it: If your business wants to look professional, they need to use professional images.  Ask a photographer to take pictures of your services or products (they can be used again on social media or marketing materials) and use stock photos as needed.  Your website is your chance to impress your audience; if they are not impressed, they are going to leave your website (quickly!).

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