December 2011 Newsletter

Easy Ways to Mess Up a Website

I came across a webpage the other day that really struck a note. Robert Fabian wrote an article on how a website owner can really mess up their website. I've extracted the main points and added my own commentary.

• Make Contact Difficult
  When people come to your website, if they like what they see they are going to want to contact you. Don't make it hard. You should have your phone number and email address on every page. And you should have a "Contact Us" link on every page where people can get a mailing address in case they want to be old school.
• Ignore Email
  If you ignore email, you train people to not bother to contact you. If you have a website, people expect to be able to contact you by email. They are on the web at all hours, so they expect to email you at all hours. You don't have to return it within an hour, but you must answer within 24 hours, or they will go elsewhere. They are your customers, you don't want them to to elsewhere.
• Use Multimedia or Animation Too Much
  Too much multimedia or animation is distracting. It keeps grabbing the users eye and pulling it elsewhere. You want people to read your site, not watch all the flashing icons on your site. You can use them, but use them with moderation and don't use ones that are distracting.
• Create a Website Just Like a Print Ad
  The web and print are very different media. People are looking for information, not sound bites. Provide information and links to more information.
• Foster Linkrot
  Links to other sources are great. Just make sure they are current. Always be checking your links to make sure they go somewhere. When the links don't go anywhere, it's called "linkrot"; it frustrates people and they leave, assuming you don't care enough to keep your website fresh.
• Make Every Page Look Different
  Don't make every page on your website different. Pages should have consistent navigation so customers are able to find things in the same place on each page. If they struggle with your website, they will leave. Studies show that you only have 15 seconds to get their attention.
• Put Design Above Content
  You can make a pretty website, but if there isn't any information on it or it takes way to long to load because of excess graphics or Flash, people will leave before they even get there. Unless it is an art site, people want information, not splash.
• Don't Update Your Content
  Adding new information to your website just once or twice a year isn't good enough. You want people to come back to your site for information. If it isn't fresh, they won't come back.

 

We're Coming for Christmas

We're coming to Leavenworth over Christmas! If you would like us to drop in to talk or contact you over Christmas, email us or call us. Our contact information is at the bottom of the page.

Find us on Facebook and Twitter

Become our friend on Facebook. It's a great place to connect with people who live in Leavenworth and those who live elsewhere but want to stay connected with the village. Find us on Facebook here.

Our Twitter feed is Leavenworthy. Twitter allows you to follow people or send out short text messages (140 characters or less) about what's happening in Leavenworth Some tweet specials for their business or they might share a snapshot of what's going on right now in the village.

You can check out our Leavenworthiest Twitter list for links to Leavenworth-area Twitter accounts. If you know of others we'd like to hear about them.

Please Update Your Information

We maintain links from our website to every business or organization in Leavenworth we've been able to find. Believe it or not, we are closing in on 1000 in Leavenworth and the surrounding area. We want to make sure the information we have for you is as complete as possible and provides value for potential and returning tourists who come to our site and for you as well. For that we need your help.

Please come to Accidental Bavarian and check your information, and our link to your site. If we have any incorrect information, or if you feel we have categorized your business incorrectly, please go to our "Are You a Local Business?" link at the bottom of each page and send us an EMail. Your business can be listed under more than one category. For example, if your Bed and Breakfast also hosts weddings then let us know that.

We also have a new Pet-Friendly Leavenworth page. If you have a pet-friendly business, and don't find your business listed, then give us a shout and let us know. We'd be delighted to add you.

And if you have suggestions for future additions to the website, please let us know that as well.

Please Link to Us

We love Leavenworth and do our best to encourage people to visit. We created Accidental Bavarian to look at Leavenworth from a tourist's perspective. We promote tourism in Leavenworth by providing travelers information they need to plan a fun-filled, happy experience in the Northwest's Little Bavaria. We currently do this as a hobby and are not backed by any group of businesses in Leavenworth. We offer independent reviews and provide our own opinions.

Please link your website to ours. Click here for sample code you can include on your website to provide a link.

Website Development

We also provide website development via Front Street Webs. Please contact us if you need to update your website or if you want us to create a new website for you.

Pass It On

While we've now identified nearly 1000 businesses in our database, we've only found Email addresses for about half of them. Please pass this Email on to anyone you know who has not received it and encourage them to Email us with updated information about their business.

So Fritzi and Mitzi, the Accidental Bavarians, say "Herzlich Willkommen, Leavenworth!"

 

Contact Information

The Accidental Bavarian
  3508 N Calispel St
  Spokane, WA 99205
  509/998-0991

EMail
  info@accidentalbavarian.com

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