2NOT UNDERSTANDING YOUR BUSINESS ’ S GOALS & AUDIENCES
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Websites are not one-size-fits all . Many businesses view their website s as simply digital brochures , losing out on a ton of possible value . You should take the time to answer the question “ What do I want my website to accomplish with my site ?” Will it act as a validator for a decision maker who you don ’ t get to talk to directly ? Is it a lead generator ? Is it a recruiting tool ? Is it an educational tool ? All of the above ? Each of these functions will result in a very different end product and creating a site without these in mind is a waste of money and opportunity . Relate your business goals . Make sure you understand who will be using your website so you can provide them the information they need to make the decision to do business with you . The content and messaging for a potential client will be very different than the messaging when trying to recruit drivers . Since most sites will address a wide range of users it is also important how you organize this information on your website ( particularly the homepage ) so that any user can easily find what they ’ re looking for .
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NOT OPTIMIZING FOR MOBILE DEVICES
We live in a mobile age . Some studies show that over half of website traffic comes from smartphones or tablets as increasingly people can work from anywhere , including their phones . If your website is not designed to load or display well on a mobile device , users will go find a website ( and business ) that they can more easily engage with . Importantly , Google also weights the mobile experience as a primary factor in search engine rankings . If your site does not load quickly or display well on a mobile device , it may not rank well ( or at all ) on Google .
NOT FOCUSING ON SPEED
If your deliveries took three to 10 times longer than your competitors , you wouldn ’ t be in business long ! The same goes for those engaging with a website . Users want a fast , easy , low-friction experience . The slower your website loads , the more likely users are to “ bounce ” ( leave before the page even loads ) and move on to a better experience . Google research shows that the slower a page is , the more likely a user is to
“ bounce ”. Additionally , Google uses mobile page load speed as a ranking factor . So if your site loads slowly on a mobile network , you are likely losing out on rankings , traffic , and conversions , which will directly affect your revenue .
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NOT MAKING IT PERSONAL
People do business with people they know and trust . Many logistics businesses choose not to showcase their leadership or employees on their websites , focusing solely on other aspects of their business . While those are also important , remember that people are one of the biggest differentiators for customer experience , and leaving them out can make your website feel impersonal . Businesses should take the time to highlight their team ’ s expertise and experience . This also helps in customer recognition . When contacts or partners come back from the Final Mile Forum with a stack of business cards being able to see your face on your website will reinforce the personal connection you made with them at the conference and help differentiate you from all the other businesses who are making this common mistake .
About the Author
Josh Cary has been working with digital marketing and custom software solutions for 15 years and his business ,
Flavor EXP , has worked on countless websites , including the current CLDA website . Josh is also co-owner of
Certification of Delivery Excellence ( CODE ), who provides online training services for the last-mile industry . CLDA
summer 2022 customized logistics & delivery Magazine 57