Endless information is available on what is needed on your Website.  But how about things you should not post on your site.  Lack of this type of information can cause a multitude of problems that can affect your business.  If you take into account some of these items you will prevent possible loss of business due to slow traffic and maybe even security issues.  Here are several items to avoid.

•    Avoid too many menu options. Keep your structure simple.  Most people find more than 5 to 10 pieces of information too much to remember and very distracting and to many users, overwhelming.

•    Don’t over personalize your site with such personal information as photos of yourself or staff.  Your business is about servicing the customer not placing the emphasis on yourself.

•    Never use information that could cause security or privacy violations. All content material must be scrutinized for your protection against hackers who constantly scan the Web for information of a personal nature.  One way is to keep your personal information and that of your employees off of your website.  Also the manner in which you build your URLs or even how you write your “404” error page messages can disclose what type of application servers or host providers you are using, things you do not want hackers to know. Consulting a security expert or a lawyer to review your site would be of great value.

•    Professionalism is of utmost importance.  Avoid flashy, loud distractions. Both audio and visual overkill can cause possible clients to exit your site. Try not to over impress people with overly technical pages.  Technology use is great for some types of websites but not for all.

•    Not updating information on your site can mislead and frustrate your visitors.  Obsolete links or outdated material will eventually cause lost business or traffic. Review all information on your site regularly.

•    Don’t be naïve about information on your website. Like protecting yourself from credit card theft or identity theft you must be “web smart”. You must realize that competitors are not always forthright and honest.

•    Certain information by itself seems secure but pieced together with other information can reveal more about you and your business practices or your internal organizations than you may want. Again enlisting the help of a security expert will help to point out these possible problems to you.

•    When something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Don’t try to oversell your web site.  Too much boasting and bragging can alienate people.  Concrete testimonials from customers that can honestly pitch your product will go a lot further than you trying doing it yourself.  Don’t turn your web site into one large ad for your company.

•    Never allow unsupervised chat boards.  These could lead to span, libelous comments and potential security breaches.  Make sure you have a moderator that can approve and monitor every submission ahead of time.

•    Try at all costs not to use over technical language that laypeople can not understand.  Keep all information to the point and direct. This will help clients to realize your honesty, integrity and quality.  In the end, it will help establish a comfort level between you and the client which may generate continued business for your company.