Web Development - Ever Wondered What Challenges Other People With Their Web Site?

Ever Wondered What Challenges Other People With Their Web Site?

Have you ever wondered what challenges are faced by other webmasters and owners in the design and promotion of their websites, well I certainly have and so I decided to try and find out.

I created a short survey which asked the following questions:

1. How long have you been running a website?

2. What challenges do you face right now with the DESIGN of your website?

3. What challenges do you face right now with the PROMOTION of your website?

4. What challenges do you think you'll face with your web business over the next 12 months?

5. What is your Number ONE single biggest problem in running your web business?

6. What is your 2ND single biggest problem in running your web business?

7. How experienced do you consider yourself with all the areas of WEB DESIGN?

8. How experienced do you consider yourself with the PROMOTION of a web site?

For most questions respondents were asked to choose their answers from a list and could select as many answers as they thought applied to them.

In answer to Q1. How long have they been running a website?

27% answered less than 6 months.
18% said 6 to 12 months.
18% said 1 to 2 years.
37% had more than 2 years experience.

To answer Q2. What challenges do they face right now with the DESIGN of their website, respondents were given 36 possible answers to choose from.

The top 10 challenges respondents gave to DESIGN were, in order:

1. Optimizing Web PAGES for Search Engines
2. Optimizing Web SITE for Search Engines
3. Choosing/adding a Link Directory
4. Adding a content management system
5. Tracking pages visitors view on their site
6. Finding content for the web site
7. Creating Images for web pages
8. Choosing the right web hosting
9. Choosing/adding an Autoresponder
10. Adding and using RSS News Feeds

To answer Q3. What challenges do they face right now with the PROMOTION of their website, respondents were given 24 possible answers to choose from.

The top 10 challenges respondents gave to PROMOTION were, in order:

1. Getting more visitors from search engines
2. Writing content to attract search engines
3. Finding other sources to get more visitors
4. Gain/maintain more links to their web site
5. Get better Google Adwords results
6. How pages rank with search engines
7. Testing web pages for best changes to make
8. Creating better headlines for web pages
9. Getting better Adsense results
10. How/Which Search Engines to submit to

In regard to challenges over the next 12 months and the number one and two single biggest problems in running a web business, the common theme was getting enough traffic, cheaply and finding the time to do everything.

On how experienced respondents considered themselves with all areas of WEB DESIGN the majority felt competent but would like to learn more.

When asked how experienced they considered themselves with the PROMOTION of a web site the majority knew nothing or just how to do the basics.

Conclusions

It was clear from these early results that issues with search engine ranking and getting more traffic by what ever means were among the greatest challenges for website owners in 2005. Other specific problems were in creating content, managing and getting links and finding the time to do it all. The majority of respondents felt they knew little or just the basics about website promotion.

It remains to be seen whether these results change as more people complete the survey, since it's still ongoing. Not enough responses have been collected to make these results statistically sound, so if you would like to contribute to these finding then you can take the short survey at the link given below.

I will publish an update to these findings on my site. As a thank you for completing the survey I have some good advice on the site to help with the 3rd highest issue with web design that of choosing an adding a link directory. I am also giving away some free automated link directory management software.

Tony Simpson, has 5 years in the trench experience of Website Design, Promotion and Optimization. He provides advice & product reviews at Web Page Add Ons to Make Automation of Your Website Work for You.

If you would like to contribute to these finding then you can take the short survey at: Web Site Challenges 2005

Created & Maintained by Empower! CMS Web Sites

Host2Sell Web Hosting | Emarketing Workshops | Site SEO Review | FREE Newsletter

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |

Why A Css Website Layout Will Make You Money
Although CSS layouts have been around for years, they haven't become so commonplace until recently. This was basically due to limited browser support (especially from Netscape 4) - nowadays though, CSS 2.0 (which introduced positioning) is compatible with over 99% of browsers out there (check out the browser stats over at http://www.thecounter.com/stat...(related: Web Development)

The Importance Of Website Stats To You
One of the best tools you have as a webmaster is your website statistics. The most popular site stats programs are Awstats, Webalizer, and Analog. Usually, they come free of charge and are accessible through your website's control panel provided by your web host.Awstats gives you valuable information like which file types on your server are getting hit the most, what page is getting the most hits, the numb...(related: Web Development)

Thinking Of Taking Money Online? Whats Best For Merchants? Paypal, Worldpay Or Something Else?
It's now easier than ever to take payments on the web. As people selling their wares take pot shots at eCommerce providers in an ever-increasing battle to sabotage their "competitors'" success it gets harder and harder to find an honest unbiased opinion.So that's what I'm setting out to do in today's article.You see, as we've en...(related: Web Development)

Better Web Site Roi: Efficient Online Business With Seo, Ppc, Split Testing, And Forums
If you're looking for better web site ROI, chances are, the web is only one part of your business, you have a specific budget for your web site, and you want the site to not only carry its own weight, but why ...(related: Web Development)

Entangled In The World Wide Web
I am just a learner who likes to delve in websites as a hobby. Hobbies are what make life so enjoyable for me. I have tried many other things - watercolor and pastel painting, orga...(related: Web Development)

5 Essential Traits Of A Home Business Website
So you've decided to start an online work at home business and are just beginning to build your website. You probably have a million different ideas for what you want the site to look like. You will want to take into consideration that your idea of a great website may differ drastically from what a website designed to make sales should be like.In this ar...(related: Web Development)

Tell Me What Your Website Does!
You know exactly what your organisation does and what your website offers its users. This information has probably become second nature to you, but first-time visitors to your site won't know this. As such, make sure you don't forget to tell them what you do.As soon as new site visitors arrive at y...(related: Web Development)

Up The Sandbox!
Go to any internet marketing forum you want these days andone of the topics is sure to be whether or not there is a"sandbox" at Google where new sites are forced to come andplay for 3-6 months before joining the ranks of ranked andsearched results. On the surface it would appear that thisis so. New sites are typical...(related: Web Development)

Build Or Buy A Cms?
Creating a content management system either from scratch, or using pre-existing building blocks, may sound like the ultimate way to get the exact solution you require.However, careful analyses often reveals dangerous pitfalls and serious short comings with many custom built content management systems. In comparison to today's mature, tested and carefully designed products, most home-grown systems are quirky, poorly thought-out, and difficult to maintain. However, even now many will seriously consider custom development. Like any IT custom development project, you could be taking on serious risk when it comes to delivering your project on time and budget, not to mention the downside of expensive support and the lack of upgrades in the future.Two mai...(related: Web Development)

Instant Relevant Web Site Content - No Its Not A Bot
In about the Time it takes to Watch a Reality TV Show (About 1 Hour) I added 10 Pages of Relevant Content to my Web Page without a Bot.Adding content to your Page Fast is Easy with the Use of Free Articles you Can Reprint. The Advantages of using Reprinted Articles1. Dynamic Relevant Content Fast (Search Engines Love Content)
2. Reciprocal Links To You (See Step 6 Thank the Author)
3. Great Way to Promote an On or Off Line Business
4. People Friendly Content
5. Well Written Professional Content1 - What Do You Want to Promote
The First thing you need to Do is Decide what you Want to Promote. In this Example we are Promoting a Pre Launch of aHome Based Business ...(related: Web Development)

Web Designer? You Dont Need No Stinkin Web Designer!
RIVERSIDE, CA August 4, 2004 ?- "Historically, small business owners have had a limited number of options to cho...(related: Web Development)