Today, Having a website is an absolute must for every business. Your website serves as your brand’s online headquarters, where potential customers gather to learn more about your offerings, connect with your brand, and hopefully initiate business transactions.
Unfortunately, many businesses, especially startups and small businesses as well as individuals trying to build a personal brand, often make certain common website design mistakes that can deter visitors from staying on, exploring, and interacting with their website.
To help you avoid falling into the same pitfall, we’ve collated ten website design errors that you should avoid when building your website.
1. Neglecting Mobile Users
With over 55% of your audience. coming from mobile devices, it’s crucial to ensure your website is optimized for mobile users. This means designing your website so it’s easily readable and navigable on a small screen.
For example, text should be large enough to read without zooming in, buttons should be big enough to tap with a finger, and users should not have to scroll horizontally to view content.
Additionally, consider implementing a responsive design, which automatically adjusts the layout of your website depending on the device being used.
2. Ignoring Loading Speed
Loading speed is a critical factor in user experience. A slow-loading website can lead to user frustration and a decrease in conversions.
In fact, studies have shown that even a one-second delay can lead to a 7% reduction in conversions. Furthermore, Google uses page speed as a ranking factor, so a slow website could negatively impact your SEO.
To improve your website’s loading speed, consider optimizing images (for example, by resizing them or using a format like WebP), minifying code (which involves removing unnecessary characters from your site’s code without changing its functionality), and using a content delivery network (CDN). A CDN is a network of servers that deliver web content to users based on their geographic location, which can help improve your site’s loading speed.
3. Poor Navigation
Poor navigation can be a major deterrent for users. If they can’t find what they’re looking for quickly and easily, they may leave your site. This could be due to a cluttered layout, confusing menu structure, or lack of a search function.
For example, if a user is looking for your company’s contact information but can’t find it because it’s buried under several submenus, they may become frustrated and leave. To improve navigation, consider simplifying your menu structure, using clear and descriptive labels, and including a search function.
4. Lack of Clear Call-to-Action
A call-to-action (CTA) is a crucial element of any website. It guides users towards the action you want them to take, whether that’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or downloading a resource.
Without a clear CTA, users may feel lost and unsure of what to do next. For instance, if you run an e-commerce site and want users to make a purchase, a clear “Buy Now” button can guide them towards that action.
5. Overloading Pages with Information
While it’s important to provide comprehensive information, too much can overwhelm users. Large blocks of text can be intimidating and difficult to read. To avoid this, break up text with subheadings, bullet points, and images.
Also, ensure each page has a specific focus. For example, instead of having a single page that covers all your products, consider having separate pages for each product category.
6. Not Using Analytics
Analytics tools like Google Analytics provide valuable insights into user behavior. They can show you where your traffic is coming from, which pages are most popular, and how users interact with your site. This data can inform your marketing strategy and help you make improvements.
For example, if you notice that a particular blog post is attracting a lot of traffic, you might decide to create more content on that topic.
7. Forgetting About SEO
SEO is crucial for increasing your site’s visibility in search engine results. This involves using relevant keywords, creating high-quality content, and building backlinks. For example, if you run a bakery, you might want to use keywords like “freshly baked bread” or “homemade cookies” in your content to attract users who are searching for these terms.
Without SEO, your site may not appear in search results when users search for relevant terms.
8. Inconsistent Branding
Consistent branding helps to build recognition and trust. This includes using a consistent color scheme, typography, and tone of voice. For example, if your logo is blue and white, these colors should be prominent on your website.
Similarly, if your brand voice is friendly and informal, your website copy should reflect this. Inconsistent branding can confuse users and make your business appear less professional.
9. Not Updating Content Regularly
Regularly updating your website with fresh content can help to attract and retain users. This could be in the form of blog posts, news updates, or new product listings.
Regular updates also signal to search engines that your site is active, which can boost your SEO. For example, you might consider adding a blog to your website and posting weekly updates.
10. Not Testing Your Website
Before launching your website, it’s important to thoroughly test it. This includes checking that all links work, forms submit correctly, and the site displays correctly on different devices and browsers.
Regular testing can help you identify and fix any issues before they affect your users. For example, you might use a tool like BrowserStack to test how your site looks on different devices and browsers.
Remember, your website is more than just an online identity; it’s a customer engagement tool. Avoiding these ten design mistakes will enable you to create a website that not only looks good but is also functional, engaging, easy-to-use, search-friendly, and ideally designed to convert visitors into customers.
This may sound like hard work – truly, designing a website requires a significant level of expertise and attention to detail. But, by focusing on these key areas, and by possibly consulting with a professional designer, you will certainly end up with a website that adds immense value to your business or project. Good luck!
