Since Vivid Image started back in 1995, our team has grown and our capabilities have multiplied. During the past few decades, technology has changed immensely, but misconceptions about website development still exist. Whether it is 20230, 2008, or 1998, we have found that there are always myths and misconceptions about website development and social media. We want to try to clear up a few misconceptions about website development for you.
Top Misconceptions about Website Development
- A website can be made for super cheap – A cheap website is like building a house of straw…Do you want it to last, to look good, and be something you are proud of? A professional website cannot be made in three digits. At Vivid Image, we pride ourselves in working with our clients to create a website that truly meets their objectives and will fit with their overall company goals.
- I don’t need to make changes to my website once it’s live. Stagnant water stinks and so does a stagnant website! After your website is live, plan on keeping the content fresh and relevant with consist blog posts, media, and updates.
- I will be ranked #1 on Google the day my site goes live. You will also be Master of the Universe…Let’s be real here. The Google Search index contains hundreds of billions of webpages and is well over 100,000,000 gigabytes in size. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is complex and ever-changing and encompasses everything from webmaster tools, to content creation, and is best tackled with an SEO pro and an ongoing investment. This doesn’t happen overnight or without a lot of hard work, planning, and investment.
- This brochure will make a great website. Does a skateboard make a great car? Print design is different from web design, from start to finish. Sure, some styling, messaging, and branding can be used in a consistent way, but don’t expect to take a brochure and transfer it on to a website. The user experience on a website matters and professional website designers know how to make it all flow.
- I can just grab images from Google to use for my marketing. Can you walk into a strangers house and grab a print off their wall? Images that you randomly find on Google are not yours to use. There are several methods of finding pictures online that are free to use – learn more here. Unsplash is one of my recent favorites.
- My new website will instantly bring new customers to me. A new website is not a magic pill, but it can be the roots of a strong tree. Use it as the foundation for all your marketing, to gather leads, post updates, and offer customer education. Nurture your website with updates like new content, SEO, social media, stories, how to’s, and fresh graphics, and build your other traffic avenues (like email) to feed traffic to your website.
- My website needs to be 100% perfect before going live. We aim for progress, not perfection, and websites are a constant work in progress! We have seen far too many fabulous websites become stalled simply because the business owner was afraid to make it live before every future idea was explored and completed. With the WordPress platform we use, “next steps” and phased roll-outs of new technologies are easy. New pages, added functionality, and content and media edits can be made anytime, not just at the start of a project. Embrace constant progress before short-term perfection.
- Once I have a website, people will (magically) find me online. At Vivid Image, we do believe in magic (and unicorns!). But, there is still work to be done after your magnificent website goes live. Your website should be the hub for all your marketing, but how are you using social media, Google Business Profile, and search engine optimization to maximize people finding you? Now that your website is live, start spreading your marketing pixie dust…
Do any of these myths and misconceptions about website development hit home for you? Maybe you have heard them from your boss, a co-worker, a well-meaning friend, or even your marketing agency? If you have experienced broken promises from your web designer, reach out to us. We would love to talk about what we CAN do for you and your business, or consider starting with asking us for a FREE Marketing Playbook and let us prove our competency to you.
