Given the importance of a powerful website in modern business, a strong website development and management team is one of the greatest assets you’ll ever possess. However, it is a complex arena and your team could be easily impacted by very simple mishaps.
Avoiding the following seven mistakes should go a long way to supporting your team, which ultimately translates to a more effective website that yields sustained success. Here’s all you need to know.
Mistake 1: Failing to Invest in Your Team’s Ongoing Growth
The internet has evolved at rapid speeds over the past 30 years and shows no sign of slowing down. From the use of AI tools to changing consumer habits, your web dev teams need to remain on the pulse. So, even if you have hired the best experts in their fields, you cannot rest on your laurels. Ongoing skills training and education will be essential if you wish to stay ahead.
Allowing your team leader to become an educator and beacon for growth is highly advised. Becoming a Master of Education with the University of Melbourne Online is a great option, not least because the remote nature suits web developers. Those new skills, combined with an in-depth knowledge of web devs, should enable them to help the team mature with new skills.
Business owners can also support employees by giving them allocated funding for courses specifically geared towards evolving topics like AI. Individual and collective output will look far brighter for many years to come.
Mistake 2: Not Seeking Outside Help
Investing in the development of your in-house team is essential for keeping your website in a great place. Nevertheless, it would be naive to think that external help wouldn’t lead to superior outcomes. Whether it’s gaining insights from fresh perspectives or simply taking some of the workload off of an in-house employee’s shoulders, the impacts are almost immediate.
Of course, it’s important to understand the reality of hiring professional web developers. Even if you do secure the services of an outside contractor, it’s likely that you’ll want an in-house team too. Still, this can be an effective way to streamline a digital transformation while also avoiding the need for a larger workplace. Ongoing support also provides 24/7 attention to your website.
Outside support may be used for specific areas of web development, such as link building for SEO purposes or maintaining security. Either way, it ensures that the most professional results are achieved while leaving in-house teams to thrive in their areas of expertise too.
Mistake 3: Micromanaging
As a business owner, it’s only natural that you wish to play an active role in every aspect of the business. The development of your website is no different. You are familiar with using websites as a consumer and probably have a good idea of what you want the business site to achieve, as well as how it should look. Still, it’s important to avoid strangling creativity from your team.
Maintaining good communication in the early stages to explain what you want from the website is vital. This could mean emphasising the colour scheme or the brand voice that should be present. When it comes to designing individual pages and the navigational aspects, it’s best to leave it with your in-house teams. For starters, it’ll prevent the risk of a slow project.
Crucially, allowing your experts to showcase their flair will lead to a more considered approach. The website’s appearance, function, and mobile optimisation will come together for far better results. Given that users interact with the brand on multiple channels, this step is vital.
Mistake 4: Not Investing in the Right Web Tools
It’s great that you’ve recruited the right employees for your web development team. However, even the best worker will blame their tools if you genuinely do not invest in the right options. As a business owner who isn’t an expert in the back-end aspects of building a site, you may assume that all web hosts – for example – are the same. But it’s a trap.
Cheap doesn’t always equate to value, and an inferior solution could lead to increased downtime that will cost you dearly. Selecting a reliable web host, like Hostpapa Online, is certainly worthwhile. Likewise, you must ensure that your teams have the right web design tools, Content Management System, and email facilities in place.
They are the experts and will have a far better understanding of what’s needed to make your company site stand out for the right reasons. Let them tell you what’s needed and allocate the necessary funds for them to build the platform your company deserves.
Mistake 5: Ignoring the Need to Integrate with Other Teams
Company websites have played an important role in business for several years, but their impact has grown in recent times. They are no longer just a source of information or even an eCommerce platform to facilitate sales. A strong website is the central hub of the company’s entire digital presence, impacting marketing, customer care, and so much more.
With this in mind, you have to think beyond the website itself. Web dev teams need to work closely with marketing teams, and potentially departments focused on order fulfillment. Tools like Slack support smoother communications. Above all else, though, the business needs to promote a mindset and philosophy where web development integrates other features.
The result is enhanced consistency across the entire business, covering customer-facing and background features alike. Moreover, should you ever need to recruit additional or replacement employees, they’ll find it far easier to settle into the team.
Mistake 6: Forcing Them to Neglect the Human UX
We get it, increased brand visibility is a priority for any website. Mastering SEO will take organic traffic to a whole new level, thus giving you the best shot at gaining leads and sales. Therefore, your teams should look to dominate SEO, voice search, and AI-SEO with modern tactics. But while impressing search engine algorithms is vital, you must not overlook the user experience.
Traffic counts for very little if people instantly leave the site. Not least because it is hard to regain their interest once it has been lost. Therefore, a conscious approach to building a better UX is essential. Navigating the website and generally interacting with your business should not be a stressful situation for the consumer. A website that ‘works’ and satisfies their demands is key.
As with all business matters, balance is the key to success. In a world where AI dominates, many sites now focus primarily on impressing algorithms. By ensuring that your team continues to focus on the human UX aspects too, your site will leave a bigger impression.
Mistake 7: Not Showing Patience
Finally, your business needs to show patience. Designing, developing, and delivering a great website in the current landscape takes time. It’s better to show patience and gain a website that can deliver success for many years to come than a poorly constructed site that needs replacing. Do not forget it.
