An Uncomfortable Truth
Let’s face it: someone might need to tell you that your baby (your website) might be ugly. No one wants to say it out loud, but when your work experience includes creating, building, and optimizing websites, it’s challenging not to say something. After putting my foot in my mouth when asked, “What do you think?” I suggested improvements to the website but happened to be looking at the new one. Oops. Fortunately, the CMO listened to my suggestions and was open to making changes. And luckily for me, I got that opportunity.
What Makes a Website “Ugly”
But ugly can range from bad UX/UI (where do I look?) to confusing navigation, unclear messaging (what are you trying to say?), or generic or poor-quality images. It’s this combination of all these things that makes an awful experience. Your website is your most significant brand investment.
Or it could be broken links, forms that don’t function, or images or videos that won’t render quickly.
It’s not about disparaging you or your website—that’s not the point. It’s about making it better. I look at a website as an organic thing. It evolves and changes, like a human, and there’s always room to improve it.
The Big Pitfall: Inside-Out Perspective
While B2B companies are complex and technical, the messaging shouldn’t be. It should be straightforward, seem like a simple task, and avoid using overly technical language. Ironically, some organizations want to target the C-suite, but talking in feeds and speeds isn’t going to interest them. And they leave your site. Will they come back? Maybe. Maybe not.
It should take 2-3 seconds to tell what this business or organization is about. It is the same metric you’ll see at trade shows. People need to immediately recognize who you are (your business) and what you do (what product or service you offer). And what your products or services can fix a customer issue. (what’s in it for them). I can’t tell you how many B2B or B2C websites are confusing. The navigation isn’t intuitive; there’s no logical flow of messaging, and the content offers don’t relate to the page’s content. Just because you or your employees understand your website doesn’t mean the outside world does. Not to mention the ever-confusing notion of how what you’re providing helps solve my problem.
Pivot from Inside-Out to Outside-In
Another possible issue is creating a website from your perspective. It might be focused entirely on your products and services from an inside point of view. I’ve gotten pushback from trying to flip the script and concentrate on the outside. That’s the difference between “Here’s what we make” and “Here’s how we help you.” One invites a customer in—theother shuts them out.
When I come across these sad sites, I email the webmaster or customer service with some suggestions. For example, the CTA button on the page doesn’t function or leads to the wrong page, or I come across typos or grammatical errors that make the site less than professional.
Usual Usability Testing
Your website shouldn’t be a riddle only your team can solve. If your mom, a friend, or even a customer can’t quickly ‘get it,’ you’ve got a problem worth addressing.
The Mom Test
When I need a benchmark or a sign to indicate it’s too complex, I have my mom or mother-in-law look at it. It’s super simple. Can she tell what the company is about or what products or services they offer? It missed the mark if she can’t or has to scroll or click around to find the answer. I also ask other family members or friends the same question. While this is simply a qualitative measure, it helps me to get out of the scope of group thinking. The marketing organization might all think the website is great, but stepping out and getting an outside perspective is super helpful.
The Customer Test
While this sounds pretty brazen, I had the opportunity to share advertising and marketing campaigns with existing customers. I asked the customers to do me a favor and review specific ads or website campaign pages. I made sure to mention that it would take 10-15 minutes of their time and that their input was valuable. Once I got their agreement, I set up a meeting. Just before the meeting, I sent the information over. The feedback was tremendously helpful to improve our work, plus we often get ideas or opinions we hadn’t even considered before. And I’ll leverage that for new marketing ideas or campaigns.
Embrace the Sucky Feedback, Iterate Often
My point is this: It might be time to change the nappies. Take the time to solicit feedback from other people. You can improve or even transform your digital investment into its best. Your website isn’t a one-and-done project—it’s a living, evolving part of your brand. Treat it that way. Invite feedback, embrace uncomfortable truths, and make your baby the best-looking one on the block.
Content in Contexts 