After spending hundreds and even thousands of dollars to build their web presence, vast majority of businesses coming online are disappointed with promised results of their websites. I’m sorry to say, but most of these under-performing websites were build by graphic designers and technical developers that have no real marketing experience. In committing these mistakes many small business owners are unwittingly driving their website visitors away!

Having reviewed literally hundreds of websites for small business owners, I have seen exact same mistakes being made over and over. The following are 5 of most common website design mistakes being made today – and tips on what you can do to avoid them.

Mistake #1 – Not Clearly Differentiating Yourself From The Competition

How many websites have you been to that look same, say same thing, have same functions, and generally are just same-ole website? Probably a lot. People go to your website to get information to solve their problem and to find out how you can solve it for them.

If your visitor doesn’t have a clear understanding of why you are different and that you are only solution for them to logically choose, they will click on over to your competitor.

One of most common website mistakes is not clearly differentiating themselves from their competitors in a meaningful way. Meaningful in a sense, that whatever difference you claim to have must benefit customer. It needs to be something that they desire.

If you’ve done your job right, you visitor will feel that they would be foolish to not buy your product or service.

Mistake #2 – Content focused on only you and your business

No one cares about you or any of your awards. All they care about is how you can help them solve their problem. I see this time and again – small business webites owners focusing all their content on their company and how good they think they are.

The moment you start to understand that people don’t care about you, and what they really care about is how you can solve their problem, your sales will begin to increase. Why? Because generally speaking, deep down, people are totally immersed in their own problems. Your job is to get into that person’s mind as solution of those problems. Here are some tactics that you can implement to make your prospect begin to see you as solution to their problems:

Does it ever end? I've been involved with Internet-based home businesses for some time and I continue to be exposed to a seemingly endless barrage of offers (all costing me money, of course) claiming to be "the secret" for making a fantastic income, in a very short time, and with very little effort involved.

I must admit that I may have a slightly self-serving reason for addressing this topic. My articles are published on my home-based business websites for purpose of trying to give prospective team members a true sense of what is really involved with starting and developing a successful home based business. The self-serving part, I suppose, is that I want people joining my team to have straight scoop going in so that we don't waste each other's time. I admit to being selfish in this regard (I don't want to waste time working with people that have unrealistic expectations), but it is also very efficient for both parties involved, so it is not a totally one-way thing.

Now, back to topic at hand. There's no magic here, folks. Once you have selected home business that you are going to pursue, there are no substitutes for time and effort in developing your business. A dream of being an "overnight success" is just that, a dream.