How to Avoid the 3 Common Architecture Website Problems

How to Avoid the 3 Common Architecture Website Problems

Architects are known for having awful websites. Whether the website is for architecture schools, associations or practicing architects, there’s quite a number of mind-boggling, ugly and hard to use websites for architects out there.

Architects take pride in their work. This usually means that their sites emphasize on designs with functionality taking a back seat.

A site with lots of designs with little information does not offer potential clients the information they need.

With this in mind, the following are some of the common problems with architecture sites and ways of dealing with them:

Mobile Compatibility

Architects love using Flash to showcase their designs. Adobe Flash, while it works perfectly, is not compatible with Apple’s devices. This means that if an architect’s website is built with Flash, a large part of mobile phone users will not be able to access your site.

Sure, the site’s visitors can visit the site on their computers, but the fact is traffic from mobile devices makes up the highest percentage of Google searches.

It, therefore, makes no sense to optimize your site’s rankings if some of those who click-through can't access it.

The solution is to develop a mobile-friendly website that is HTML-based.

Lack of Text

You need text on your website to rank. Keywords will optimize your website for search engines. The search engine crawlers must have text to categorize the site and optimize the images. This is not possible with an image only website.

The solution is to create a hybrid of some sort. You should have the right balance of text and images. This will give you a chance to show the nice designs together with information to those who need it.

Shareability

Social media builds awareness. The trickiness with Flash-only or dynamic content sites is there’s no easy way to link to a specific project or image.

The stylish designs on your site count for nothing if people can’t easily find it.

The solution is to have updated content and use social media marketing. For example, a static page with a small about section can do wonders for you.

To grow your following (clientele) you need good content. This includes blog postings, project updates, etc. to drive traffic to your site, this will, in turn, increase the shareability of your content.

Your business should have Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and Facebook and include the links and logos on your site.

Architectural design and web design go together. Your website’s design should have a good foundation. It is possible to have a stylish website that doesn’t sacrifice usability. A site that concentrates on flashy animation isn’t shareable and will drive potential customers away.

Your site should be informative and straightforward.