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Explaining 31 things you should not do when creating and operating a website!
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Explaining 31 things you should not do when creating and operating a website!

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Are you feeling anxious because you have been assigned the responsibility of creating a

homepage

? There may also be people who have already built their homepage to some extent, but are concerned about whether they have left anything out. By being fully aware of the things you need to pay attention to before creating a homepage, you can create an excellent homepage that is reliable as a corporate homepage.

Therefore, this time, we will explain what you should not do when creating and operating a homepage, for each process and theme of homepage creation.



What not to do when creating a website – Planning and design



  1. Purpose/concept is vague

When creating a website, the first thing you need to do is clarify the purpose. If you don’t have a clear idea of ​​why you’re creating a homepage, you won’t be able to decide on the menu structure or design when you start creating your homepage.

Setting objectives is extremely important, especially for corporate websites. When a company creates a homepage, they are looking for some sort of result. For example, “acquiring inquiries,” “increasing sales,” and “increasing corporate awareness” are common objectives for corporate websites. As you can imagine, the design of your homepage will vary greatly depending on the purpose of these three things. It is important to decide on a concrete concept, including the purpose and a more in-depth concept.

  1. Target is ambiguous

Once the purpose is determined, the target will naturally be determined. For example, if your objective is to “acquire inquiries,” your main targets will be existing customers and potential customers. If your goal is to increase sales, your target audience will be consumers and potential customers.

Generally, personas and customer journeys are required in the process of clarifying who will be viewing and using the website. It is not possible to provide information that is tailored to those people. Also, if the target is clear, when creating the content for the homepage, it will be easier to plan and create the content because it will be possible to imagine what information the user is looking for. Therefore, we recommend that you make your target clear.

  1. Do not analyze current situation in case of renewal

If you want to renew your homepage, you need to identify issues that correspond to the purpose and goals of your current homepage. . In order to increase the degree of improvement during renewal, we recommend that you first conduct a thorough analysis of the current situation. Otherwise, the same issues may arise, and above all, the purpose of the renewal will become unclear.

  1. There are no indicators to measure the results of the homepage.

Even if you have a clear objective, you will not be able to judge success or failure if you do not have specific numerical values ​​to determine that the objective has been achieved. Particularly in the beginning, improvements are often made while operating, so access analysis is essential in order to check the numerical values ​​that serve as indicators.

Indicators for corporate homepages include the number of conversions (CV) such as the number of inquiries, requests for materials, and purchase applications, the number of accesses to the entire site (number of sessions, number of unique users (UU)), and the number of conversions. A common method is the conversion rate, which is calculated by dividing the number of visits to the entire site.

  1. Make your sitemap too deep

When designing, it is common to create a sitemap for a homepage, but it is important not to make the hierarchy too deep. The ideal site structure is about three levels.

Let me explain in detail. If the top page is the first level, the second level will be the top pages for company information, service introductions, inquiries, etc. For example, under the company information page, you would create a third layer of pages such as company overview, business overview, and access. However, this means that it is better not to create deep-level pages such as the company history and president’s message below the third-level company profile page. This is because if it takes a user more than three clicks to get to the information they are looking for from the top page, they are more likely to abandon the page.

Explaining 31 things you should not do when creating and operating a website!



What not to do when creating a website – How to create it



  1. I think I should leave it all up to the production company.

When a company wants to create a homepage, it has two choices: either hire a designer or coder to create it in-house, or outsource it to a production company. If you want to create a simple page, there are cases where you can create it in-house using a homepage creation tool.

You should carefully consider the production method that best suits your company. Otherwise, it would be a waste of effort and cost. The last thing you want to do is leave everything to a production company just because you have no knowledge of creating a website. Depending on the production company, the production company may proceed with production without sufficient consultation, and the result may be a completely different image than what was intended. If this happens, you will have to reorder or send the order to another production company, which will result in wasted costs.

If you don’t know anything about homepages, first decide what scale of homepage you need to create, and based on that, consider whether you should do it yourself or hire a production company. Then, if you are going to hire a production company, plan the scope of the request. Only you know your business best. We recommend that you create it together with the production company.

  1. Use a free creation tool that doesn’t suit your company

There are many tools that allow you to easily create a homepage for free, and there are also services that allow commercial use. However, a homepage with conspicuous advertisements or a design that is too simple and amateurish can result in a loss of trust and authority for the company. Although it is never a bad idea to use a homepage creation tool, we recommend that you check how it will look and compare it to the appearance of your competitors’ homepages before making your selection.

Explaining 31 things you should not do when creating and operating a website!



What not to do when creating a website – Preparation before production



  1. Using a rental server that doesn’t suit your company

Before creating a homepage, you should make sure to acquire your own domain and contract for a rental server. However, choosing the wrong rental server can seriously impair usability.

For example, when a company uses a free rental server, there are disadvantages such as inadequate guarantees, such as not being able to get sufficient support when a problem occurs. If your server goes down and becomes inaccessible, you will lose trust from your users.

Even if you are paying for a service, do not use a server that lacks support, stability, or security, and use a rental server that is suitable for your company.

  1. Do not use SSL

SSL is an abbreviation for Secure Sockets Layer, which is a mechanism for encrypting data transmission and reception. For example, when a user enters and sends credit card information to make a payment at an online shop, a website that is not SSL-enabled sends the data unencrypted. Card information will be exposed, leading to personal information leakage and information leakage accidents.

In addition, Google has officially commented that homepages, sites, and pages that are not SSL-enabled (HTTPS) should not be evaluated by evaluation search engines because secure communication has not been established.

Recently, it has become common to use SSL for the entire page, not just the purchase page of online shops, so we recommend always-on SSL for improving your company’s image.

  1. neglect security measures

In addition to installing SSL as mentioned above, be sure to thoroughly implement other security measures for your website. Despite creating a homepage, there is a problem if you are wondering, “Do I need security measures?” In addition to information leaks, you should take precautions against the worst-case scenario of a malicious cyberattack, such as a homepage being altered or deleted due to malicious hacking, or a homepage being taken down.

For example, when running a blog or media, WordPress is often used as

a CMS

(Content Management System), but it is easily attacked, so be sure to include security plugins and passwords. Please be very careful.

Also, if you are using other CMS or web applications, be sure to check for vulnerabilities and always update to the latest version to take preventive measures.

  1. Not mobile compatible

If you create a website that cannot be satisfactorily operated and viewed on a smartphone, its usability will be compromised and its rating will drop. It also has a negative impact on

SEO

, so mobile compatibility is essential. In the past, it was common for homepages to be created with the stance of “let’s create a PC site first and then make it mobile-friendly later.” However, recently, homepages that are not mobile-friendly, or in other words, not “mobile-friendly,” are becoming more and more popular. Google has created a system that lowers rankings, so we are now in an era where mobile content should be prioritized.

Explaining 31 things you should not do when creating and operating a website!



What not to do when creating a website – Design



  1. Pursuing only “fashion”

In order to improve the quality of a company’s homepage, it is never a bad thing to elaborate on its design. However, you should avoid the stance of just trying to make it stylish or look good while ignoring usability and targets. Be careful not to give the impression that your homepage looks nice but is difficult to use.

A safe approach is to carefully consider the basic structure of the website, ensure usability, and add design to it.

  1. Use Flash

A while ago, it was popular to use Flash to make your homepage look animated, but it is now said to be avoided. This is because a plug-in called “Adobe Flash Player” is required to view Flash on homepages, so some users do not have the plug-in installed, and in recent years, this Flash player has become vulnerable to This is because it is considered a problem.

As a company, we cannot recommend that users who visit our website install Adobe Flash Player, as this increases security risks. Additionally, it is not mobile compatible, making Flash content inaccessible to smartphone users.

Some browsers automatically disable Flash content, and the provider Adobe has officially announced that it will discontinue Flash at the end of 2020. HTML5 is said to be the base language for dynamic expressions that will replace Flash.

  1. Poor visibility of characters

A homepage needs to have good visibility not only for the text but also for the entire design, but if the font size is small or the font color is light and difficult to read, it will be quite difficult for users to view. While prioritizing readability, it is not good if the font is too large or too dark. You need to choose the font and size that best suits your homepage. If this happens, the purpose of traditional homepages, such as inquiries and purchases, cannot be achieved. Put yourself in the user’s shoes and make sure they can read the text clearly.

  1. User flow is not taken into account

Make sure that your website allows users to easily access the information they are looking for. For example, if a user wants to contact you after checking a certain page, will they be able to access the contact page immediately? Is there a link to the contact page in an easy-to-understand and prominent location? A typical measure is CTA (call to action). Translated into Japanese, it means a “call to action” and is often expressed in the form of a button or link. For example, you can promote CV by placing a white paper, request for materials, or product purchase button just below the end of reading article content related to your company’s services. As mentioned above, by conducting deep user analysis and designing leads, you can create an environment in which it is easier to achieve your goals. Anticipate the actions your users will take, and prepare your user guide so that they can act in an easy-to-understand and smooth manner.

  1. use frames

A frame is a feature that allows multiple pages to be displayed simultaneously within one page. For example, split it into two frames, left and right, display the menu on the left, and display the main text on the right. At this time, the left menu is fixed, so users can conveniently use it by displaying the content in the right frame without losing sight of the menu each time they switch menus.

However, in recent years it has been said that it is better not to use this frame. This is because when a search engine hits a page without a menu, it confuses users. In the previous example, if the content page on the right is hit by a search engine alone, you will not be able to access the top page or other pages.

Nowadays, if you want to fix a menu, it is common to use CSS. Avoid using frames.

  1. There are too many required fields in the email form

A company website may set up an email form to receive inquiries, requests for materials, applications, etc. In such cases, if there are too many required fields in the email form, some people may stop completing the form halfway through. If this happens, you will miss the action of the user who is trying to send an email from the email form. This is also related to the purpose of creating the homepage, but we recommend that you keep the required fields to a minimum.



What not to do when creating a website – Content



  1. Posting content that infringes on each right

You must strictly comply with copyright and other rights regarding content such as images, videos, and text that you post. Here are some examples of possible rights violations. Please be careful not to infringe on your rights.

-Copyright infringement

  • Unauthorized use of images, videos, and texts published on other sites, books, magazines, etc. (use beyond the scope of quotation)
  • Unauthorized use of captured images from other sites
  • At the very least, it is necessary to respond in accordance with the citation, reprint, and disclaimer of the publishing company.

-Violation of portrait rights

  • Unauthorized posting of photos of people, such as people walking on the street

– Violation of personal rights

  • Slander against individuals and posting of information that can identify individuals, etc.

-Violation of publicity rights

  • When using the name or portrait of a celebrity or public figure to attract customers to a website, conduct sales promotions, etc. for the purpose of leveraging customer attraction.

-Violation of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Act (formerly known as the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act)

  • Posting false or exaggerated articles about the names, manufacturing methods, efficacy, effectiveness, or performance of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc., or posting articles that may be misunderstood as having been endorsed by a doctor, etc.

Examples: “This medicine has a powerful effect on headaches.” “This serum will eliminate wrinkles.”

  1. Use images that are too large

Large images should be avoided as they slow down the page loading speed. Pages that take a long time to load can cause people to leave your site, which can lower your search engine rankings. Nowadays, with the spread of smartphones, many users browse websites on smartphones, so it is ideal to have a website that can be displayed instantly even on a smartphone.

  1. Quoting or writing unreliable information

Even if the information is posted as a quotation and does not infringe on copyright, if the original information is unreliable, the credibility of the company will be damaged. You may end up posting false information, so please cite and include information from sufficiently reliable sources.



What not to do when creating a website – published



  1. Do not check links immediately after publishing

Broken links on your homepage can reduce users’ desire to browse. No matter how good the information is, if there are broken links, it will give the impression that this website is not properly managed and that the company is sloppy. Immediately after publishing, be sure to check whether all pages have been uploaded properly and whether the display is corrupted.

  1. Do not check display on all devices

When checking the page after publishing, don’t forget to check the display on any device such as a PC, smartphone, or tablet. Unexpected display collapse may also occur. In particular, if your website displays poorly on smartphones, it will lower your ranking on Google, which emphasizes mobile friendliness.

  1. In case of relocation, redirection is not done properly

When renewing a homepage, if the domain is changed or the homepage is moved to another domain, people who accessed the previous homepage address can smoothly access the new homepage. It is common to use a “redirect” that automatically forwards the information. If redirection is not applied, or if it is not automatically forwarded even though it is set, it will confuse users. Please check carefully and guide them.



What not to do when creating a website – Operation



  1. Leave it without updating

It is not uncommon for a homepage to be left unupdated after it is published because the person in charge is busy or has changed. Even if you don’t have content to update, there are disadvantages. For example, this can lead to a drop in search rankings, a negative image from users, or if information that has already changed is posted in an outdated manner, it may encourage users to take the wrong actions. Even if there are no changes to company information on a corporate website, etc., update the news regularly to give users the impression that the website and company are operating properly. After renewal, there will be pages that are updated frequently and pages that are updated less frequently, so it is important for the person in charge of the website to understand the content and use it in a balanced manner.

  1. The flow for responding to inquiries has not been determined.

Many companies receive inquiries from their homepages, such as by asking questions via email forms. If you do not have a well-defined flow for responding to inquiries, for example, if a user makes a complaint, the response may be delayed, which may further anger the user or damage your image and reputation due to the slow response. there is. Generally speaking, there are two types of inquiries: those that can be handled by the homepage administrator alone, and those that require the response of each person in charge. If you have a clear flow of who will respond to which inquiries, your responses will go smoothly.

  1. Unable to view due to domain or server expiration

If you have a contract for a domain or server, there are many cases where you neglect to renew the contract and one day your homepage suddenly stops displaying. In order to avoid such worst-case scenarios, be sure to clarify who is in charge of management, set up update update alerts, etc.



What not to do when creating a website – SEO



  1. artificially increase the number of backlinks


SEO

is an acronym for Search Engine Optimization. The first thing you should not do in order to rank high in the search results of search engines such as Google is to artificially increase the number of backlinks.

A backlink is a link to your homepage from another homepage. It is said that the higher the number of backlinks, the higher the evaluation of a homepage on search engines such as Google.

In the past, we paid an SEO company to have the other party post a link, we did “mutual linking” where we linked to each other, and we mass-produced “sakura” sites disguised as third-party homepages. , it was common practice to post many links to homepages. However, such artificial actions can now result in penalties from Google and lower search rankings. The goal is to prepare high-quality content and have third parties link to it naturally.

  1. Too many countermeasure keywords/hidden text

Including search keywords on a page is a standard SEO measure, but it is said that trying to increase search rankings by including many search keywords will actually lower your ranking from Google.

For example, posting sentences that have no meaningful meaning in order to include keywords, or secretly inserting text in white letters on a white background so that it is not visible to the naked eye, will be subject to penalties. Basically, we recommend creating high-quality content and incorporating appropriate countermeasure keywords into that content.

  1. Unnaturally stuffing keywords into anchor text

The correct anchor text is to use easy-to-understand words that describe what the linked page is. Stuffing unnecessary keywords or artificially setting anchor text that is unrelated to the content of the linked page is considered spam and will not be evaluated by Google. Avoid these actions at all costs.

  1. Add lots of links in footer

Google hates unnatural links. You should be careful if you try to increase the SEO effect by placing a large number of links in the footer, as this is considered unnatural. Make sure to configure the footer with an appropriate number of links from the user’s perspective.

  1. Use the same content frequently on your own homepage

Even if it’s your own content, if you use it too much, it will be considered duplicate or copied content, and Google will lower your ranking. For example, the entire product description content posted on the home page may be posted as is on a page that only contains product descriptions. If you do this, it will be considered duplicate content, and there is a risk that only one page, either the home page or the product introduction page, will be displayed at the top of the search results. In this case, it would be a good idea to provide a detailed explanation of the information listed on the top page on the product introduction page to avoid duplication of content.



summary


◆ Regarding “planning and design” that should not be done when creating a homepage, the purpose, concept, and target are vague, failure to analyze the current situation in case of renewal, lack of indicators to measure the results of homepage creation, and making the site map layer too deep. There is.

◆When it comes to the “production methods” that should not be used when creating a website, you may think that you can just leave it to the production company, or you may end up using a free creation tool that is not suitable for your company.

◆Pre-production preparations that should not be done when creating a website include using a rental server that is not suitable for your company, not installing SSL, neglecting security measures, and not making it mobile compatible.

◆ Regarding “design” that should not be done when creating a homepage, there are things such as simply pursuing “stylishness”, using Flash, poor visibility of text, not considering the user’s flow line, using frames, and email. A form may have too many required fields.

◆Contents that should not be used when creating a website include posting content that infringes on various rights, using images that are too large, and quoting or writing unreliable information.

◆Publications that should not be done when creating a homepage include not checking links immediately after publishing, not checking display on all devices, and not properly redirecting when relocating.

◆ Regarding “operation” that should not be done when creating a homepage, there are some things that you should not do when creating a homepage, such as leaving it without updating, not having a set flow for responding to inquiries, and being unable to view the website because the domain or server has expired.

◆SEO things you should not do when creating a homepage include artificially increasing the number of backlinks, adding too many countermeasure keywords or using hidden text, unnaturally stuffing keywords into the anchor text, and placing a large number of links in the footer. Sometimes the same content is used frequently on the company’s homepage.