This week I had a prospect call for organic search engine marketing on their cosmetic surgery web site. They were quite excited at the prospect of being found in Google, Bing & Yahoo and were ready to get rolling.  The nice young lady on the other end of the phone was so excited to show me her new web site: she spelled out the domain for me and waited as I typed it into my browser.  Upon hitting enter, I was greeted with the 1 to 100% loading icon, which took every bit of 100 seconds to fully load. She kept asking, do you see it yet? Do you see it yet? Yes, finally, I see it. I was silent. I was stunned, I couldn’t say anything else except for “Who did this to you?” She said “excuse me?” My inner voice was no longer inner and I couldn’t hold it back to be diplomatic any longer.  They had been sold the hype and joy of a one page wonder.  A web site built completely in FLASH, complete with cheesy music playing in the background and complete with a cheesy animation that NEVER stopped. No copy, no calls to action, no contact us, just flash. Dead to the search engines, dead to prospects, dead to existing clients.

Will this web site ever get found organically in Google? It possibly could on page 12, will it ever rank well in any search engine? Only if people are searching for the web site by the domain name.  Unfortunately, the money that these people spent on a completely flash driven web site will cost them more money down the road just to get the web site found.  This web site was dead before it was alive. The true purpose of a web site is to help promote and market your web site.  Masses of people are not going to flock to your web site once they hear that it’s live…. and if and when they do get there, what are they supposed to do? How will the web site generate revenue? How will they contact you in you didn’t bother putting the phone number there?

Consider the following points BEFORE you hire a web designer:

1.) There is nothing wrong with Flash, but a web site built entirely in Flash is NOT search engine friendly, and oftentimes, not people friendly.

2.) Ask yourself why you are building a web site…. Is it to play cheesy music to your prospects or sell them a product and / or service.

3.) Ask yourself how you want folks to contact you.  Is it via phone? Is it via email? TELL people how to get in touch with you and keep it simple stupid.

4.) How will you continue to feed this web site once it’s Alive?  Consider adding a blog onto to your domain to keep your web site alive and fresh for Google and your web site visitors.

5.) Realize this: Your web site should not be about YOU.  It’s about your prospects, it’s about your customers. Skip the letter from the president on the home page, skip the video tour of your factory and above all, skip playing your favorite Barry Manilow song on the home page.

If you need a web site that sells and converts call me.  If you need a web site that will and CAN grow with your business, let’s talk.  If you need a web site that people can actually find once it’s live, call my company. 866-998-6886. Visit my web site to learn more about my company’s customer focused web design and Internet marketing plans.

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