What’s stopping people from liking your website?

Are the people visiting your website liking it too?

It would be great if you could just create a website, and people would automatically visit and enjoy it. Alas, that’s not the case. There are plenty of websites to choose from, and if you’re going to get people to visit yours, then you’ll need to ensure that they not only accept your site but that they like it too. The good news is that, in this day and age, how you achieve that goal is not so mysterious. There are plenty of things you can do that’ll push people towards liking your website.

And most of it revolves around not doing the things that annoy and frustrate internet users. In this blog, we’ll run through some of the most common reasons that stop people from liking your website. Make sure that you’re not guilty of them, and you’ll be on the right track.

Outdated design

Looks aren’t everything, but it’s not as if they’re entirely unimportant, either — and that’s especially the case when it comes to the online world. People make snap judgements all the time, and if they land on your site and don’t see anything all that impressive, then they might not stick around to see what you have to offer. After all, the design of your site will– or should — say a lot about your business or digital offering. If you have problems with your website’s appearance, then fear not. It’s an easy fix! Just hire a website design company to give your site an updated look and feel. 

They can’t find it

People will find it impossible to like your website if they never visit it. Alas, that’s a situation that many website owners find themselves in. Not everyone will love your site, but you’ll hope that, at the very least, they’re able to see it and make up their mind. If you need to bump your visitor numbers up, take a look at working with an SEO company. They’ll have the tools you need to help you move up the search engine rankings list. Ultimately, the more people that find your site, the more that will visit — and the more likely it is that you’ll find success.

It’s hard to navigate

It’s one thing to get people to visit your website landing page. But if you’re going to have success, then you’ll need them to visit other parts of your website, too. Many website owners make this aspect of their site more difficult than it needs to be. While it’s good to have a modern and forward-thinking website, it’s possible to take things too far. If your visitors find it difficult to get around, then you’ll need to simplify things. Not everyone that visits your website will be as tech-savvy as you are. Remember that accessibility counts for a lot!

There’s no contact information

All relationships are based on trust to varying degrees. Though it might not seem like a big deal not to have contact information on your website, this isn’t the case. It can be damaging. Even if you’ve done your best to provide all the information and resources that a visitor would need, there’ll always be times when a visitor needs to get in contact with you. If they can’t find it, then they’ll (rightly) become annoyed. It’s one of those small details that make a big difference. 

There’s nothing new to like

A visitor to your website may have liked your site once upon a time. However, if there’s nothing new to like, then it’ll come as no surprise if they stop visiting. You can’t dine out on the old hits forever. If a visitor has seen everything, then it’ll be understandable that they stop visiting! You can get around this issue by making sure that you’re keeping your site updated. You can do this by posting blogs, changing the layout, giving the design a refresh, things like that. 

It’s too salesy

Your visitors will know that you have a vested interest in promoting your website, services, products, and so on. But there’s a right and wrong way to go about this. If your site is too salesy, then it’ll be unlikely that your visitors will fall too deeply in love with your site. After all, all you’ll be showing is that you like your website.

Annoying elements

Most people like the internet, but all would concede that there are some aspects of the web that they don’t like. There are plenty of annoying features! Autoplay videos, multiple pop-up ads, and poor layouts are just three examples of things that people don’t like to see on a site. Of course, some websites do have annoying features, especially pop-up ads and autoplay videos. But they usually get away with it because what they offer is so valuable. It’s unlikely that your website is on a par with Forbes, however, so you won’t have as much leeway when it comes to using these things. Your visitors won’t like them, so get rid of them! The benefits of having them there will not outweigh the downsides. 

Dark patterns

Dark patterns do fall under ‘annoying elements,’ but they deserve their own listing. These are sneaky little tricks that you find on websites that push you towards doing something that you may not want to do. For example, a website might suggest that the only option to proceed is to sign up for their newsletter when there’s actually an ‘x’ button elsewhere on the screen. There’s an obvious reason why websites use them: they get results. However, they get results at a cost. If they’re noticed, then the visitor will likely have a low opinion of your website and company — and may never return. 

Awkward checkout process

If you run an e-commerce website, then it’ll be in your best interests to make the checkout process as smooth as possible. Oddly, this is an area of their websites that many eCommerce stores treat as an afterthought, when in fact, it’s one of the most important elements. Shopping cart abandonment is a big problem in the online world, but the truth is that you can’t point the finger at web users. All too often, it’s the store’s fault. If this is something that you experience, then take another look at your checkout process. Is there anything in there that might stop someone from completing their order? 

It offers little

Finally, remember that people aren’t going to visit your website just for the sake of it. When they point their browser in your direction, they’ll hope to get something from the experience. What that is will vary from site to site and from person to person, but it should be something. So if your website isn’t offering all that much to your visitors, then you can’t expect them to like it! A good tip is to take a look at your website through the lens of a first-time visitor. What would you gain from visiting the website? If there’s not much value, then you’ll know that you’ll need to make some changes.

Conclusion

Not everyone is going to love your website. But it’s important that you give yourself the best possible chance of succeeding. If you’re guilty of any of the common mistakes that we outlined above, then be sure to take action. You might just find that by taking care of the frustrating elements, you’re able to improve the user experience and get more people liking your website. And that can only be good for business.