I talked with a private school principal this past week about her website, and the discussion about broke my heart. She hired a web designer to build a website for her school, but there are misspellings on the site, and she can’t get her web designer to fix them! She’s also frustrated because she’s not getting any inquiries from the website because it’s not showing up on Google.
I told her I’d look at her website and call back with my findings and make some recommendations.
DIY Platform isn’t Google-Friendly or Mobile-Friendly
I discovered three major flaws with her website:
#1 – It was built using a template found on Webs.com. Webs is similar to Wix, which I’ve dealt with in the past. Both of these DIY website builders offer users the ability to, “Create a free website with our professionally designed templates and easy to use website builder.” It’s true. They do offer drag-and-drop templates that are easy to use. But, there’s a big problems with these types of sites. And that is…
#2 – The school’s home page is the only page that has been indexed by Google.
#3 – The website is not mobile-friendly.
What does this mean?
I think this lovely woman got ripped off. Plain and simple. Her web designer went the cheap and easy route to create a website that’s created in a frame. It’s almost as bad as flash. Google doesn’t see the other pages of her website because they’re hidden in the frame. Just as bad is the fact that the web designer didn’t bother to make the website mobile-ready. He could have done that because Webs.com allows users to create a mobile-optimized version of a website that automatically syncs with a desktop site. It could be that the school principal didn’t request a mobile version. But a savvy web designer would have suggested it!
Get Control of Your Website’s Content Management System
I recommended that she get her site rebuilt using WordPress. That will enable her to get in and make changes whenever she wants. In this day and age, no business owner should have to be dependent on a web designer. The company she hired is unethical. If you’re going to promise to maintain a site, you’ve got to do it. If you’re too busy, then hire more people! You should never leave your customer hanging.
If you need a website for a business, ask prospective web designers what Content Management System they plan to use. Then, ask if they will give YOU access in order to make content changes. If they won’t do it, hire someone else who will. Or build the website yourself. At least then, you’ll know what you’re getting into. (Just don’t use Webs.com or Wix, PLEASE!!!)
You don’t have to use WordPress as the content management system. There are other systems out there that can work for you too. Website Magazine recently put together a list of 5 alternatives to WordPress. Do your research and find one that will work best for you.
Are you happy with the results you’re getting from your company website? Download my free ebook, “7 Essential Web Content Elements that Really Ignite Results,” to make sure. When you do, you’ll also get weekly SEO and social media tips from my “Marketing Buzz” e-newsletter.
Infuriating! And people like that give other freelancers a bad rep. I would rather walk someone like this lady through setting up a WordPress site on her own than take the easy way out like that. 🙁
Glad you were able to help her!